Aluminium aging furnace for Taiwan Hodaka Technology

Taiwan Hodaka Technology, an Asian company involved in the design and processing of parts made of aluminum alloys, has purchased an aluminum aging furnace from SECO/WARWICK. This is the first cooperation between the companies in the Taiwanese market.

Ecological electric furnace for aluminium aging

The furnace will be used in the newly built customer plant in Taiwan. The technological solution is designed for aging using T77 technology. The furnace will operate in the temperature range from 80° to 220°C with a temperature uniformity in the last heating phase of ±3°C. The solution will meet the rigorous AMS2750 aviation industry standards.
 
“This contract means that a new player has appeared on the market producing profiles using T77 technology for the aviation industry. The furnace, on order, equipped with electric heating, will process 1500 kg of aluminium profiles with a maximum length of 5500 mm. This is a two-zone solution with a total heating power of 420 kW. The solution for aluminium aging, powered by electric heaters, eliminates the problem of CO2 emissions and is in line with the ecological trend increasingly common in heavy industry”, explains Piotr Skarbiński, Vice President of the CAB and Aluminum Products Segment at SECO/WARWICK.

The first player in the Taiwanese market producing profiles using T77 technology

The aging furnace is designed to operate in a very wide range of operating temperatures, i.e. from 80ºC to 220ºC in accordance with the AMS 2750 standard. The guarantee of temperature uniformity throughout the entire load at the level of +/- 30C was achieved thanks to the use of optimal heat flow inside the furnace using high-performance atmosphere mixers and a system of guides directing the air stream. The 7000 series of aluminium alloys have the highest strength of all other aluminium alloy series and are commonly used in aviation; these are the alloys that must meet the highest safety and strength standards.
 
For heat-treated alloys (2xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx series), the letter T and one or more digits are used after the alloy series symbol. The first digit is the most important, as it indicates the type of heat treatment applied to the alloy, while the remaining digits (if provided) indicate heat treatment variants or their modifications.
 
“T7 denotes the process of solution heat treatment and artificial aging to an overaged state in order to obtain specific properties, e.g. increased corrosion resistance. Sometimes, in addition to the digit denoting the standard heat treatment, an additional digit is used to denote modifications to the given treatment or stress relief procedures. For example, for 7xxx alloys, the symbol T77 denotes retrogression and re-aging. The use of this process improves the alloy’s corrosion resistance, which is so crucial in the production of aircraft parts. The applied technology will allow Taiwan Hodaka Technology to produce high-quality profiles used in the aviation industry in accordance with the AMS standard", added Tomasz Kaczmarczyk, Sales Manager, Aluminum Process and CAB Furnaces Team at SECO/WARWICK.

Partnership on the Taiwanese market

Hodaka Technology Co., Ltd., in operation since 2002, supplies high-strength aluminium parts and components for many industries, including the automotive and aviation industries.

 “The solution supplied by SECO/WARWICK will allow us to enter a new market segment. We are a partner for many key players in the aviation industry. The T77 aluminium aging furnace will enable us to serve customer requirements even better. At the same time, the new technology will support our commitment to reducing our impact on the environment,” said Dr Sam Chiang, Vice President for R&D, Taiwan Hodaka Technology Co. Ltd.

The project partner was PEERENERGY. Founded in 2011, it offers thermal process consulting, project management, and equipment supply for the aerospace, military equipment, and semiconductor industries. With expertise in processing metals and technical ceramics, it delivers precise, sustainable solutions backed by reliable after-market services and a commitment to innovation.