Compensating heating element arrangement for a vacuum heat treating furnace

摘要

A heating element arrangement for a vacuum heat treating furnace is disclosed wherein the heating elements that make up the heating element arrays have different electrical resistances or watt densities at different locations in the heating element arrays. This arrangement allows for placement of heating elements having electrical resistance selected to provide more or less heat as needed in the furnace hot zone to provide better temperature uniformity in the workload. The electrical resistances and watt densities of the heating element arrays are varied by using a first heating element having a geometry in one segment of a heating element array and a second heating element having a different geometry from that of the first heating element in another section of the heating element array.