The equipment comprises the Main Furnace with its Control Panel, Charge Loading and Unloading Arrangement and Water Quench Tank Arrangement.

The Furnace is an Elevated Furnace mounted on a raised platform. It has a cylindrical construction. It has a shell constructed in mild steel plates and reinforced with rolled members. It has a lining of appropriate grades of low-density ceramic fibre insulation. A stainless-steel baffle is provided inside this for guided circulation of air flow. A Centrifugal Fan constructed in stainless steel material is provided at the top of the furnace. This has an indirect drive. Heaters are located in the space outside the baffle. These are made from Kanthal wire coils and supported on ceramic supports.

The Furnace has a bottom door. This is mounted on a motorized Trolley and can be slide away from the furnace. The Door is closed by pneumatic actuation.

Water Quenching Arrangement: This comprises a Water Tank mounted on a motorized Trolley with rails on ground. Another trolley on rails is provided to support the charge at the ground level. A circulation arrangement is provided for the water for uniformity of quenching.

Charge Loading and Unloading Arrangement: The charge is kept in mild steel baskets [two set of baskets] provided along with the furnace. Chains are attached to the hooks of the baskets. The chains are connected to a winch that raises the charge up and into the furnace. After the temperature cycle is over, the charge is lowered into the Water Tank.

Control panel: The furnace is provided with a stand-alone Control Panel. The MCBs, Contactors, Temperature Indicator and Controllers, Ammeters and Voltmeters, Switches and Indication Lamps are mounted on the Panel. All components used are industry-standard.

Temperature measurement: Four thermocouples are provided with the furnace - one for control, the second for back-up safety and the third for indication and the fourth for Temperature Recorder (solid-state data Logger). Respective Temperature Indicator and Controllers and Temperature Recorders are also provided in the Control Panel.

Ageing is a process used to increase strength by producing precipitates of the alloying material within the metal structure. Solution treatment is the heating of an alloy to a suitable temperature, holding it at that temperature long enough to cause one or more constituents to enter into a solid solution and then cooling it rapidly enough to hold these constituents in solution. Subsequent precipitation heat treatments allow controlled release of these constituents either naturally (at room temperature) or artificially (at higher temperatures).