High-temperature anneals (HTA) of grain-oriented (GO) electrical strip are used to form grains with magnetically advantageous Goss textures through secondary recrystallization. The high processing temperatures (above 1150 °C) and straight hydrogen atmospheres also remove sulfur and nitrogen. A coating of MgO, added in a previous step, inhibits the formation of stickers in the wraps.
The safety concept for processing in hydrogen has been adopted from HICON/H2 annealers. The charge is heated by thermal energy radiating from the heating bell and inner cover.