Gravity Ovens
There are so many different types of ovens to choose from.
The smallest and least expensive, is the Gravity Convection oven.
Gravity Convection is most similar to what we all use in our homes. The heating coils are located at the bottom of the chamber, and through natural convection, (heat rises, no fan) heat the chamber to your desired temperature.
These ovens are used for drying parts in a general Laboratory, Life Science, or Industrial setting. I've had customers who dry soil, glassware, metal and moisture test in these ovens.
While not as precisely accurate as a Mechanical Convection Oven, and usually at lower temperatures, Gravity Ovens are a good workhorse to have in the lab when you don't have big batches to do, or you require a lower heat.
Since the introduction of the digital controller about 15 years ago, these Gravity Convection ovens are fairly accurate in maintaining a constant temperature... usually within a 5% range or less.
You can still purchase these ovens with analog controls, and with an independent thermometer can achieve good accurate results.
Gravity ovens come in many sizes.
They come in pretty handy when you can't afford for your powered samples to be blowing around in the chamber, as would be the case with a Mechanical Convection oven.
Although it would work, I wouldn't recommend heating your leftover pizza in these, but for your small batches, a Gravity Convection oven is a good way to go..... more on Mechanical Convection ovens next week.
Labels: Gravity Convection Ovens, ovens
Another "HOT" Day
Things in the oven and furnace business are really heating up..... God that was a terrible pun.
As I mentioned last time, the conglomeration's and contractions in the Industry continue. Someone, somewhere out there, has been trying for the last 10 or 15 years to break up and destroy the good Lindberg name. Once the Cadillac of the Industry.
It all apparently started in 1915, when the Hevi-Duty Electric was formed in Newark, New Jersey. The company produced small electric laboratory-type furnaces.
In 1924 the company was purchased by the North American Company and moved to Wisconsin where it operated in conjunction with the Wisconsin Electric Power Company of Milwaukee, in an effort to promote the use of electric energy. It's principal business was to supply electric transformers to Surges Electric Company. Eventually Hevi-Duty bought Surges Company outright.
In 1955, because of government action against utility holding companies, another Utility was forced to divest itself of that company and in 1956 Hevi-Duty became an independent company.
Eventually, again due to consolidation in the Industry, Hevi-Duty was bought by the company that eventually became Lindberg.
Blue M ovens, manufactured in Blue Island, Illinois, A General Signal Corporation, was joined with Lindberg and they made some fine products throughout the 1970's and 80's, suppling the military industrial complex and other industries across the nation.
It was truly a great company. If you wanted a well built, well engineered furnace or oven, that was the place to buy one.
But I'm getting off my point.
Sometime in the 1990's Lindberg was acquired by SPX Corporation and the present demise began.
As our economy began to shrink, and we shipped more manufacturing overseas....we basically stopped making great American products here, and the need for those great American companies became smaller.
The more we stopped making products, the more companies went overseas. It's a vicious cycle. As Bob Dylan once said...." They don't make nothin' here no more".
Again, I'm off my point.
Trying to get a product out of what's left of the Lindberg company is almost impossible.....almost impossible to decipher where to look for it, how to find it, and who might build it for you.
I was told today that a furnace formerly built by Lindberg now is built by Kayex, which was part of TPS, which owns Blue M, Tenny, Gruenberg, Lunaire and MPH.
Am I loosing anybody here?
I followed the trail as far as I could,...then gave up. And I'm in the business!
Again, to quote Bob, " Well, it's sundown on the union, And what's made in the U.S.A., Sure was a good idea, 'Til greed got in the way".
There will be more rantings........there are still some fine smaller furnace manufacturers out there, I represent most of them, but it's sad when an old horse goes down.
Labels: Bob Dylan, Hevi-Duty, Lindberg, ovens
PITTCON 08
There's lots happening in the heat treat business these days, what with consolidations, corporations merging, expanding, contracting.......changing.
I was down in New Orleans for PITTCON '08 this past week. Not much for the average furnace looking type guy, but....
Thermcraft was showing a new line of products that looked interesting. They've been around for almost 40 years and their new line looks promising.......sleek design, more lab friendly than their industrial looking products. Good looking controllers.
Carbolite was also there, showing a great line of products and Rob Harms was there in person. Always nice to talk with someone who's been around since God invented fire,...and heat.
Rob started in the Industry with Lindberg in Watertown, Wisconsin way back in the late 70's. He's forgotten more than I'll ever know. As always, he's gracious and willing to share his knowledge with one and all.
One of the best if you ask me.
Nabertherm showed as well, but how many furnace companies can a guy like me represent....is 10 too many?????.....15 too much? You never know.
Saw some good blues guys as well....hey it's New Orleans, can't pass up the music in that city, it's everywhere. Gotta have some fun while I'm out on the road doing business.
I saw Big AL at a small club on Bourbon Street. They don't call him the largest guy in show business for nothing as Big Al is well over 400 lbs....well over. But a great singer and a good band.
Bourbon Street is a hoot for anyone over 30 who's not drinking and just observing the crowd. How this particular street came to allow that kind of behavior is beyond me. But it sure is an interesting view.
I will be back there for Jazzfest at the end of April....can't wait. Jazzfest is one of the best parties in America.
Labels: furnaces, ovens, PITTCON
