The furnaces have an operating temperature of up to1,200 or 1,600°C. With their help, our laboratory staff can carry out experiments including, for example, studying techniques for casting of fused cast basalt. The knowledge gained from such tests will contribute to ensuring the quality of our production procedures and to enhancing the wear resistance of our ABRESIST material.

The new furnaces will also help to implement sintering experiments for aluminium oxide ceramics. These, too, will be carried out to improve wear resistance.The higher the degree of sintering, the harder a ceramic becomes, although it is possible to “over-sinter”. That causes the material to become brittle. Various experiments concerning smelting, heat treatment and thermal stresses will also be carried out by our technologists using the new furnaces at the laboratory.