Heating apparatus for a welding operation

摘要

A heating apparatus and method for welding a superalloy article are described. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus and method entail welding a superalloy article within en enclosure equipped with a thermal radiation generating device that preheats the article to a temperature of at least 1500°F prior to welding. The invention more particularly provides a thermally-reflective coating (14) on a reflector member (10) positioned adjacent the thermal radiation-generating device for the purpose of reflecting thermal radiation emitted by the device into the enclosure. The device is then operated to heat the superalloy article to a suitable temperature, e.g. 1500°F or more, after which a welding operation is performed on the superalloy article.