A powder metallurgy manufacturer running continuous sintering furnaces was experiencing frequent hearth plate replacement due to warping under sustained thermal load.
The Challenge
Pure molybdenum hearth plates were deforming after approximately 400 production cycles, forcing unplanned maintenance windows and production delays.
The Solution
Switching to TZM molybdenum alloy hearth plates, engineered to the plant's specific load and thermal cycle profile, significantly improved component durability.
The Result
The facility extended hearth plate service life well beyond the previous baseline, reducing unplanned downtime and lowering total cost of ownership despite the higher per-unit material cost.
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