June 1, 2026, Souderton, PA – 51���� Eastern PA facility recently commissioned a new 12’ horizontal vacuum furnace. The furnace was designed primarily for Hydriding and Dehydriding (HDH) of titanium. The furnace can also perform the standard gamut of heat-treating processes typical of Solar’s extensive customer base. The furnace features a working zone of 54” x 54” x 144”. It is equipped with a 15,000-pound conventional load car arrangement. Other features include a 300HP external forced cooling system with VFD control, Solar Manufacturing’s Polaris control system, and dual mechanical pumping systems.

“This new furnace adds much-needed capacity to support growing HDH demands” states Mike Moyer, Vice President of Sales. “With dual mechanical pumping systems, we are able to more efficiently process larger degas loads and improve our delivery metrics”. “The new 12-foot furnace is also well equipped for all the standard vacuum heat treating process that we currently employ. From annealing and stress relieving to solution treating and aging, the new furnace adds considerable capacity to meet customers’ growing demands.”

For additional information, contact Mike Moyer, VP of Sales, 51���� at 215-721-1502 x1207, or mikem@solaratm.com.

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This weekend, 51���� Eastern PA employees and their families enjoyed a fantastic evening together at Coca-Cola Park, home of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs!

The night featured a fun-filled Star Wars theme, great baseball, and an exciting fireworks show after the game. Events like these are a great way to celebrate our team and spend quality time with the families who support us every day.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for an unforgettable evening!

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Last week, Josh Isaak, Vice President of Information Technology & Security, presented “From Chaos to Control: Cybersecurity, Ransomware & CMMC” at the California Metals Coalition’s 53rd Annual Metals Industry Conference.

Key takeaway:

CMMC is no longer theoretical—it’s here, and it’s already shaping the future of doing business.

But this isn’t just about compliance. It’s about survival in an evolving threat landscape.

Companies that treat CMMC like a checklist to pass an audit are missing the point. At its core, CMMC is a framework designed to strengthen your defenses, reduce risk, and protect the country and your business from real-world cyber threats that already exist today.

The biggest shift? Moving from reactive security to a culture of security—where every employee plays a role, and protection is built into everyday operations.

Even if you don’t support DoD programs, CMMC provides a powerful starting point to evaluate and improve your cybersecurity posture.

Start early. Make it part of who you are—not just something you do for an audit.

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51����, the largest American-owned heat treater in the United States, is proud to support NASA’s Artemis II mission. Our expertise spans thermal processing of raw materials, nickel-based tubing, and critical aerospace components—playing a vital role in bringing next-generation space technology to life. At the core of some of these components is the 6Al–4V titanium Launch Abort System (LAS), one of the most complex safety systems ever engineered. The LAS aboard the Orion spacecraft functions as a rocket capable of outrunning another rocket in an emergency. In the event of a catastrophic launch anomaly, its manifold enables the abort motor to ignite and safely propel the crew module away from the rocket. Designed to endure extreme conditions with zero margin for error, the LAS represents the pinnacle of aerospace safety and performance. 51���� is honored to contribute to this mission-critical technology, providing the precision, reliability, and advanced thermal processing that space exploration demands.

The success of Artemis II is set to energize this month’s Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. Visit us at Booth 705 to discover how 51����’ advanced thermal processing solutions are helping shape the future of space exploration.

Space Symposium Information

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This past weekend, our 51���� team had a fantastic time participating in the Souderton Holiday Parade! With the help of our amazing employees and their families, we shared smiles, festive greetings, and lots of candy with our wonderful community.

We’re grateful to be part of such a joyful tradition and to celebrate the season together. Here’s to spreading holiday spirit, goodwill, and cheer all month long!

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The 7th Annual 51���� Sales & Marketing Summit took place this year near our Souderton, PA facility, bringing together sales managers from all six 51���� commercial heat-treating locations. The team collaborated on sales forecasts, shared updates on new processes and plant developments, and aligned on key strategies for the year ahead. Following the meeting, the group enjoyed a team-building outing at Topgolf.

No matter the region—North, South, East, or West—our mission remains the same: deliver exceptional customer service and provide meaningful value to every customer we serve. With over 200 years of combined experience in thermal processing and metalworking, our sales team is equipped to support your most demanding heat treating needs.

Reach out to any of our sales managers to discuss your next project.

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1. What are some of the first steps I should take before sending parts out for vacuum heat treating?

Before vacuum thermal processing, ensuring the parts are free of foreign object debris (FOD) is essential. This includes removing contaminants like manufacturing oils, coolants, and machining residue. It’s also important to communicate whether the coolant used was water-based or oil-based—this helps your heat treater select the most effective cleaning method.

Many vacuum heat treaters use solvent degreasers for oil-based coolants and hot water/soap-based rinses for water-based coolants. Providing this information up front helps determine how to best prepare your parts for heat treatment.

Bottom line: Failing to address FOD can result in spotting, discoloration, or worse—surface contamination.

2. You made sure the parts are clean; now, how about the vacuum furnace?

Much like a home oven, vacuum furnaces require periodic cleaning—referred to in our world as a “bake-out.” This process removes residual FOD or contaminants left from previous runs.

Typical bake-out temperatures:

• Austenitic (300-series) steel grids, fixtures, and baskets: ~2150°F
• Furnace-only bake-out: ~2300–2400°F

Reaching these temperatures ensures even entrapped moisture in graphite components is eliminated—crucial for maintaining a clean process environment.

3. Okay, so the parts are clean and the furnace is clean. Are we ready to run?

Almost! One final but critical step: check the furnace leak rate.

• For most steels, aim for 20 microns/hour or less
• For reactive metals (like titanium), 5 microns/hour or less is ideal

Remember, all vacuum furnaces leak to some degree—perfection doesn’t exist in commercial heat treating. But keeping leak rates low is key to producing bright, shiny, contamination-free parts.

4. Now for the easy part: the thermal cycle. Right?

Well… not quite!

If you’re using partial pressure gas or backfill gas (nitrogen, argon or helium), you must also monitor the dew point and oxygen content of the process gas. When treating alloys that oxidize easily—even small traces of water vapor or oxygen can cause surface issues.

While dew point measures moisture, it does not measure oxygen. Using oxygen sensors alongside dew point monitoring provides a more complete picture of gas purity, ensuring optimal conditions for clean, bright results.

Also, consider the vacuum level:

• For 300/400 series stainless steels or PH alloys, a vacuum in the 10⁻⁴ Torr range (graphite hot zone) is typically sufficient.
• For titanium or reactive alloys, you’ll need a 10⁻⁶ Torr vacuum, which usually requires an all-metal (molybdenum) hot zone.

While graphite furnaces are capable, all-molybdenum systems offer superior part cleanliness for highly reactive materials.

Lastly, ensure proper thermocoupling of the load. Use contact thermocouples directly in a part or in a heat sink that represents the maximum cross-section. Poor thermocoupling can lead to a false sense of temperature stability—you may think the load is cool, but when the door opens, parts could still be hot enough to oxidize instantly (turning blue).

5. I followed all your recommendations, and the parts are still discolored! Why?

Even with every precaution, discoloration can still occur—and it’s understandably frustrating. But it’s important to distinguish between:

• Discoloration, which is superficial and doesn’t impact performance
• Surface contamination, which is detrimental, as it alters the surface microstructure

To confirm the difference, consider sending a representative part to a metallography lab. These labs can characterize the near-surface condition, helping you determine next steps—ranging from simple Scotch-Brite cleaning, to a chemical or mechanical etch that removes a few thousandths of material.

And featured in Today’s Medical Developments Magazine:

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During their visit, students had the opportunity to explore real-world applications of materials and processes used across a variety of industries—from aerospace to medical to energy. They were introduced to the fascinating world of heat treating and advanced manufacturing, gaining insight into how cutting-edge technology is transforming centuries-old processes.

By stepping inside a live manufacturing environment, these future leaders experienced firsthand how innovation, precision, and science come together to shape the products we rely on every day.

We’re proud to support STEM education and spark curiosity in the next generation of engineers, technicians, and manufacturers!

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Recently, we had the privilege of hosting Dr. Navin Manjooran, President of ASM International, and Al Singmaster, Director of ASM Philadelphia Liberty Bell Chapter, for an exclusive tour of both 51���� and Solar Manufacturing.

During the visit, Dr. Manjooran presented both companies with a commemorative plaque, recognizing our invaluable support, dedication, and contributions throughout his presidency at ASM International. This honor highlights Solar’s ongoing commitment to advancing materials science, fostering innovation, and making a lasting impact on ASM’s Mission and Community.

We are grateful for this recognition and remain dedicated to driving progress in materials engineering, manufacturing, and beyond!

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January 13, 2025, Souderton, PA – 51���� in Souderton, PA, is currently commissioning two additional 2-bar vacuum furnaces, expanding its capabilities to meet increased demand in the aerospace, industrial gas turbine sectors, and for specialized hydride/de-hydride processing of Titanium, Tantalum, and Niobium. These vacuum furnaces, produced by Solar’s sister company, , feature large working hot zones (45” x 45” x 72”) and are rated for operations up to 2400°F with a precise temperature uniformity of ±10°F.

Mike Moyer, Solar’s Vice President of Sales, commented, “We’re thrilled to add these advanced furnaces to Solar Souderton’s lineup. Equipped with Solar Manufacturing’s latest control systems, they ensure efficient, safe operation—meeting our customers’ needs for competitive pricing and fast delivery. This installation reinforces our commitment to consistently high-quality service.”

For additional information, contact Mike Moyer, VP of Sales, 51���� at 215-721-1502 x1207, or mikem@solaratm.com.

Visit our aerospace heat treating page for additional information.

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