SyncroTherm® from ALD-Holcroft enables the complete integration of vacuum heat treatment into the manufacturing work center. With this unit, case hardening requirements can be fully synchronized with the timing of soft-machining, therefore allowing a continuous “One-Piece Flow” . Or the SyncroTherm can be run in a "Fast-Batch" type mode for accelerated processing of small batches. The unique and patented designs of SyncroTherm dramatically accelerate processing speed so the process matches the cycle-time of soft-machining. Instead of big batches with multiple layers, the components are heat treated in one layer only. These so called “2D-batches” guarantee a rapid and very homogenous heat treatment for all heat treatment steps such as austenitizing, neutral hardening, low pressure carburizing (LPC) and high pressure gas quenching. This homogenous treatment guarantees optimum reproducibility of the heat treat quality. Advantages of SynchroTherm: A) Cost Reductions: 1. Reduced cost of production 2. Faster hardening synchronized with soft and hard machining centers 3. Significantly reduced cycle times 4. Total automation possibilities 5. Simplified logistics 6. Maximum availability 7. Reduced or eliminated hard machining due to minimal part distortion 8. Compact and space saving heat treatment system B) Quality Improvements: 1. Individual, part specific processes for each part number 2. Significantly reduced part distortion 3. Complete, traceable quality documentation for each load 4. High reproducibility easy process control 5. Machine tool control type operation 6. Clean and shiny part surfaces C) Environmental Benefits: 1. Extremely low emission technology; no CO2 emissions 2. Safe, ergonomic operation in the manufacturing work environment 3. High Pressure Gas Quenching; no disposal of oils or washing liquids 4. Low consumptions of electrical energy and process gases 5. High energy efficiency due to low thermal losses 6. On demand system operation 7. Low noise emission (<75 dB)

1. ®
ALD-Holcroft Vacuum Technologies
–Providing Profitability Through Technology
One-­piece-­flow with multi-­zone
vacuum heat treatment

2. Vacuum
heattreatment
Heattreatmentofpartsinvacuumpre-
ventsdamagingoxidationwhichoccursin
astandardprotectiveatmosphere.Case
hardeninginvacuumiscarriedoutthrough
lowpressurecarburizationusingacety-
leneasacarbonsource.Thepartsare
carburizedwithoutsurfaceoxidationina
clean,non-pollutingprocess.Subsequent
highpressuregasquenchingwithnitrogen
providesdryandcleanpartswithreduced
distortion.
New
perspectives
Modernheattreatequipmentforlowpre
surecarburizingandhighpressuregas
quenchingaregenerallyinstalledinthe
nearvicinityoftheproductionsite.How-
ever,theyarenotintegrateddirectlyinto
themechanicalproductionline.ALD-Hol-
croft,atechnologyleaderinvacuumcas
hardening,offersauniquesystemwhich
providesthemeanstointegrateheat
treatmentdirectlyintotheproductionline
Thisenablessynchronizationwiththeso
machiningproductionoperations,leadin
toentirelynewperspectivesinautomatio
andmanufacturingvelocity.
ALD-Holcroftleveragesmorethan40yearsoftechnologi-
calexperiencesintheproductionofvacuumheattreatment
systems. Now, for the first time, heat treatment can be inte-
grateddirectlyintothemechanicalproductionlinewiththe
latestdevelopmentinvacuumheattreatmentSyncroTherm.
Increasingcostsanddemandsonsmallpartsmanufacturing
require new solutions for more efficient production. The
SyncroThermvacuumheattreatingsystemprovidesthe
meanstooptimizetheprocesschain.Thecontinuousone-
piece-­flow leads to more effective and ecological production
—andimprovedquality.

3. Conventionalproduction
Heattreatment,
centralhardeningshop
One-­Piece-­Flow production: Totalautomation
HardmachiningSoftmachining
Multi-­zone processing: Semi-­automated
HardmachiningSoftmachiningHeattreatment
TheSyncroThermvacuumheattreatingsystemisequipped
withaneasy-to-operatesystemtocontrol,monitoranddocu-
mentallprocesses.
SyncroThermControl
ThisdatabasehostedbyaPCsystem
supportsthefollowingfunctions:
systemcontrol
operatingmodes
recipecreationandmanagement
databack-up
loadrecordgeneration
alarmmanagement
touch-PC-solutions,integratedin
switchcabinet
optional:
redundantPCsolutions
connectiontoseveralrecipeclients
Plantcontrol
ASiemensPLCmanagesallactivities
withintheSyncroThermsystemincluding
temperature, pressure and gas flow. The
systemisoperatedviatouchpanelwhic
communicateswithahostcomputer,
installedintheswitchcabinet.Thehost
computermanagesalldocumentation
andsecuresthetraceabilityofindividual
processes.
TheProcess
Anexternalhandlingsystemplacessingle
partsontheworkpiececarrierandtrans-
portsitthroughthefrontopeninginthe
quenchchamber,whichinitiallyservesas
aloadingchamber.Thechamberisevacu-
atedofallunwantedoxygen.Thetele-
scopingloader,integratedinthetreatment
chamber,placestheworkpiececarrierinto
avacanthotzone.Inthehotzone,the
strongradiantheatrapidlyandhomo-
geneouslyheatsthepartstotreatment
temperatureaccordingtotheindividual
recipe,suchascarburization,annealing
anddiffusion.Temperatureandprocess
gassuppliesarecontrolledindependently
ineachhotzone.Aftercarburizing,the
telescopingloaderreturnstheworkpiece
carrierwiththeprocessedpartstothe
quench chamber. The chamber is flooded
withquenchgas(nitrogen)toamaximum
pressureof6bar.Thehighpoweredgas
blower directs the quench gas flow over
thepartsforrapidandhomogeneous
quenching.Subsequently,thechamberis
ventedtoatmosphereandthecarriercon-
tainingtheprocessedpartsistransported
outofthechamber.Theexternalhandling
systemdisassemblestheworkloadsand
transportsthemtotherespectivestations
forfurtherprocessing.

4. Operating efficiency
more effective and efficient production
rapidhardeninginthesequenceofsoft
andhardmachining
reducedcycletimes
simplified logistics
maximumavailability
reducedhardmachiningdueto
minimalpartdistortion
easymaintenancewithinshortesttime
possible
24/7operation
lowconsumptioncostsduetohigh
energy efficiency and small gas
quantities
compact,spacesavingheattreatment
module
TheSyncroThermopensupentirelynewopportunitiesfor
moreeffectiveandeconomicalproductionofhigh-quality
parts.Thisnewanduniquetechnologyimprovesproductivity
andtreatmentquality—inadditiontoprovidinghighenviron-
mentalcompatibility.
Quality
individualprocesses,customizedfor
variousparts
reductionofheattreatdistortion
completequalitydocumentationfor
eachload
highreproducibilitywitheasyprocess
control
optimalpartsurfaces
hightemperatureuniformity
highcarburizationuniformityonthepart
andinthecharge
TheSyncroThermcanbepreciselycustomizedtoproduction
requirements.Themostimportanttechnicaldataislistedas
follows:
ChargedimensionsLength600mm(24”)Width500mm(20”)Heigh
ChargeweightMaximum50kg[includingworkpiececarrier](110.lbs)
MaximumtemperatureNeutralhardening1250°C(2280°F)Low
Numberofhotzones3-6
Maximumquenchpressure6(10)bar
SpacerequirementLength6m(20’)Width4m(13’)Heigh
Cycletime/workpiececarrier7.5minutes
Integration of the SyncroTherm vacuum heat treatment module
in the FELSOMAT FlexLine®productionline.

5. SyncroTherm® is a registered trademark of ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH.
Specifications subject to change without notice.
© 2012 All rights reserved. ALD-Holcroft Vacuum Technologies Co., Inc.
WG-3297 04/12 3M www.ALD-­Holcroft.com
Advantages at a glance
The high production and process flexibility are creating new
ways to individually adapt production to the respective
demands. The results are reduced production costs,
improved efficiency, increased productivity and
environmental compatibility.
49630 Pontiac Trail
Wixom, MI 48393-2009 USA
Ph: 248.668.4130
Fx: 248.624.3710
E-mail: sales@ald-holcroft.com
ALD-Holcroft Vacuum Technologies Co., Inc.
Your reliable partner
The SyncroTherm heat treatment system
is designed for a 24/7 operation. In order
to guarantee smooth continuous opera-
tion, ALD-Holcroft is part of a worldwide
network of experienced specialists who of-
fer universal service for the entire process
chain. Repairs, installations, preventive
maintenance and remote services are
always performed in a highly professional
manner. We have established warehouses
at strategically favorable locations, which
store original spare parts to reach each
ALD-Holcroft SyncroTherm heat treatment
module fast and reliably.
Our service overview
supply of spare parts and consumables
repair service
service and inspection
modern factory installations
operator training
preventive maintenance
professional support in emergencies