The top cool chamber is a standard module and is available as a retrofit to your existing Allcase atmosphere furnace. A standard option and retrofit is adding ammonia, hydrogen sensor, and a top cool chamber to allow ferritic nitrocarburizing (FNC).

ACT is an excellent alternative to single-chamber atmosphere furnaces and fluidized bed furnaces. A double deck elevator is used to allow charging a new load while a load is in the top cool chamber. This increases production capacity over alternative single-chamber furnaces, horizontal retort furnaces, and fluidized bed furnaces.

The major application of the ACT is carburizing with atmosphere cooling prior to a machining operation and final hardening in an Allcase furnace. Industries include aerospace components and MRO facilities. The ACT is also used for atmosphere normalizing and atmosphere tempering. Industries include gear manufacturing.

The Allcase ACT Furnace is perfect for ferritic nitrocarburizing (FNC) processes. The work processes in the hot-zone with RX® endothermic gas and ammonia (NH3) then cooled in the top cool using RX or nitrogen (N2(g)). The benefit of slow cooling in the ACT Furnace is to minimize part distortion and to prevent part oxidation when transferring the load to the cooling chamber. Brake rotor ferritic nitrocarburizing (FNC), or gas soft nitriding (GSN) is an ideal application for the ACT furnace.

The Allcase ACT Furnace can utilize DX® exothermic gas as a protective atmosphere as well. The part materials for DX exothermic atmosphere include copper, brass, and silicon steel laminations. For example, motor lamination annealing is done in the hot zone and then cooled with DX gas in the top cool.

Construction

Surface’s ACT top quench design is ideal for pairing with the Allcase® Batch Integral Quench Furnace. ACT furnace chambers have the same heavy duty, effective, and efficient design as the Allcase. Many parts are interchangeable with Allcase furnaces. The charge vestibule and top cool chamber are also similar to the Allcase design. An Allcase ACT Furnace may be loaded and unloaded with the same charge car and be rated for the same size loads as an Allcase furnace in the same heat treat operation. A double deck elevator is used to allow charging a new load while a load is in the top cool chamber, which effectively results in extra production capacity over alternative single-chamber furnaces, horizontal retort furnaces, and fluidized bed furnaces.