Melting & Casting Equipment

Arc melting systems are both versatile and scalable, producing high purity, uniform melting under precisely controlled conditions. They are used for a variety of purposes, including:

• Producing high-purity metals and alloys: The process does not introduce any impurities from the crucible or atmosphere. Important for applications including the semiconductor industry
• Synthesising new materials: Including intermetallic compounds, single-crystals, and high-entropy alloys with unique properties not found in traditional alloys
• Studying material properties: Important for understanding the behaviour of materials under extreme conditions, such as in aerospace and nuclear applications

PI-KEM, working with MTI, offers a variety of arc melting systems ranging in size from small benchtop units to large industrial systems. Accessories including vacuum chambers, inert gas purging, and electrode stirring are also available.

Specifications:

• Compact to floor-standing for high throughput
• Single or multi arc melting heads
• Copper hearth and central tube holders
• Glovebox compatible options
• Single or multi cavity hearths (4, 7, 8, 16, 32)
• Up to 3000°C melting temperature
• Electrode tilting and height adjustment

Add-ons:

• Vacuum casting fixture
• Water cooler
• Custom designed hearth

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Vacuum induction melting (VIM) systems use an induction coil to melt metals and alloys under vacuum conditions. This process produces high-purity materials and the vacuum assists in removing impurities from the molten metal.  

They are used for producing materials for a variety of purposes, including:

• High-quality metals for aerospace and automotive: Including aircraft engines, spacecraft, and satellites
• Single crystals for semiconductor and electronics applications: Semiconductor microchips and printed circuit boards
• Medical devices for implants, instruments, and devices

PI-KEM, working with MTI, offers a wide range of vacuum induction melting systems ranging in size from small benchtop units to high throughput machines.

Specifications:

• Compact to floor-standing for high throughput
• 7 or 15KW
• Maximum working temperature from 1900°C to 2200°C
• Glovebox compatible options
• Single graphite crucible or multi cavity crucible (16,32)
• Up to +/- 2°C accuracy

Add-ons:

• Water chiller
• Vacuum pump
• Mobile cart
• Protective shield
• Crucible liners
• Multi-step temperature controller
• Dose feed and stirrer

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Vacuum melt spinning (VMS) is a rapid solidification technique used to produce amorphous metallic ribbons. In this process, a molten metal alloy is ejected from a crucible under high pressure and rapidly quenched onto a rotating copper wheel in a vacuum chamber. The amorphous alloys have high strength, hardness, corrosion resistance, are magnetic and have low electrical resistivity.

Specifications:

• Compact to floor-standing
• 15KW to 25KW
• Available as complete set-up or individual items
• Copper fly wheels
• High vacuum model available

Add-ons:

• Crucibles: Boron nitride, quartz, and alumina
• Water chiller
• Vacuum pump

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Induction heaters are designed to quickly melt, or heat treat metallic materials. In addition, these can be used to sinter, anneal, and quench metals.

Specifications:

• 7 to 35KW
• Temperature Control: Automatic or manual by foot pedal
• Ceramic coated copper induction coil
• High frequency desktop options

Add-ons:

• Timer control
• Foot pedal
• Water chiller
• Vacuum crucible induction kit for high frequency models

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These furnaces are designed to melt and cast metal alloys, to prepare alloys for thermal electronics and phase transformation, and develop new-generation alloys. They can cast a variety of shapes including pellets, rods, plates, and wires.

Specifications:

• Maximum working temperature from 1200°C to 2000°C
• Ambient, vacuum, high vacuum, or induction systems
• High vacuum and atmosphere-controlled options
• Mini to floor-standing
• Mechanical and automatic stirring arms
• Pull-down or drop casting

Add-ons:

• Vacuum pump
• Graphite crucibles
• Boron nitride crucible liners
• Copper and graphite casting moulds

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These furnaces use a contactless method to melt and process materials, eliminating the need for a crucible, which can contaminate the sample and interfere with the experiment.

Levitation furnaces are used in a variety of applications, including:

• Material science: To study material properties at high temperatures e.g. melting point, viscosity, and surface tension
• Metal processing: For production of high-purity metals and alloys
• Crystal growth: Of semiconductors, oxides, and other materials

Specifications:

• Maximum mass of material: 300g
• Floor-standing
• Mechanical and automatic sample scoops

Add-ons:

• Vacuum pump
• Copper crucibles
• IR pyrometer

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• Compact Vacuum Casting System: Dual chambered for melting alloys and casting
• Arc Assisted Vacuum Melting Furnace: Designed for melting small quantities of high-temperature refractory metals
• Crystal Grower By Vacuum Levitation Melting: Produces high purity crystals for magnetic alloys
• Zone Melting Furnaces: For directional solidification and purification.  Click here for details