We've just posted a new video over at our YouTube Channel featuring Kanthal Heating Systems. This one is a case study that was done for Swedish speciality steel manufacturer SSAB. SSAB makes some pretty interesting product that is used in the heavy equipment industry (e.g. big buckets for mining equipment) (thanks to ssab.com for the image):
Kanthal was able to upgrade their old heating system to use our Tubothal elements and APM tubes (pictured):
Our proprietary APM material is able to handle far higher surface loading than a traditional NiCr or stainless tube, and as a result, we are able to design elements, such as Tubothal, that have a high power density for their size. Often times, we are able to increase production with fewer elements.
In terms of ROI, APM (especially its higher-strength brother APMT) has extremely low creep-rate and spalling characteristics as compared to traditional tubes, and coupled with our Tubothal elements, element and tube life are both extended significantly. PM is reduced, and element/tube usage are reduced, resulting in quick ROI and increased furnace uptime.