Furnaces process high-tech ceramics

Irisys systems are used by many of the world’s leading retailers, banks, transport hubs and leisure facilities to improve customer service, operational efficiency and profitability. Some 8% of its products are exported, and in 2011 the company was awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of its export performance.

At the heart of the Irisys systems are small wafers of specially formulated lead zirconate titanate (PZT), a pyro-electric ceramic that develops a voltage difference across two of its faces when it experiences a temperature change.  As a result, when bonded to a read-out circuit, it can be used as a sensor to identify and count people.

PZT is produced initially in powder form and then subjected by Irisys to a two-stage process to densify and compress it so that it will provide the required performance.  The first stage involves cold-pressing the powder and then sintering in one of six Carbolite chamber furnaces at the site at temperatures in excess of 1000ºC for several hours to form discs 50 or 75mm diameter.

After cooling, the discs are pressed at up to 40t in conjunction with precisely controlled temperatures in the Carbolite furnaces.  This involves using the inbuilt process controller to ramp the furnace temperature between ambient and up to 1200ºC, dwell for a number of hours, followed by a controlled cool to ambient.

The furnaces are in two sections, one fixed and the other removable, to provide a vertical cylindrical chamber that fully encloses the base and ram of the press while also allowing the PZT discs to be loaded easily. The front half of each furnace is handled using a wheeled lifting mechanism. Various guides and locking mechanisms are incorporated to ensure safe, secure attachment of the two halves before operation.  Temperature controllers and associated power control equipment are housed in separate cabinets.

Consistent, accurate processing throughout the cycle is provided by double spiral silicon carbide heating elements suspended vertically in the chamber and controlled by a PID instrument suitable for the air pressure and hydraulic values. In addition, an over-temperature control system linked to an independent thermocouple automatically cuts power to the elements if an over-temperature condition occurs.