In June of this year, an order was placed with EBNER Furnaces for an extensive modernization package for a HICON/H₂ bell annealer facility, used to heat treat steel strip coils in hydrogen atmosphere. 

The original facility was comprised of 6 workbases, which will be replaced by four next-generation HICON/H₂  workbases. The heating bells, cooling bells and inner covers will remain in service.

In the future, the facility will be capable of heat treating steel strip coils up to 2 m in diameter and with a total weight of up to 73 tons, at temperatures up to 750 °C. The special design of the workbases will increase the maximum stack height from 4.2 to 4.35 m.

The scope of supply also includes a hydraulic power unit for the inner cover clamping system, as well as electrical components and the latest version of the VISUAL FURNACES 6 process control system – which will be supplied with a variety of special add-on modules. These modules include, among others, the ATMOSPHEREperfect module to optimize hydrogen consumption and the SURFACEperfect module to prevent damage to the surface of the strip.

The facility is scheduled to start production in June, 2022.