Vacuum Furnace Engineering Limited - The Specialists in Vacuum Furnace Technology

Rotorode® Non - Consumable Melting
The Rototrode® is a unique, non-consumable melting system developed by Retech for the melting and recycling of reactive and speciality metals. It is used in both aerospace and commercial applications and in recent years this innovative technology has been applied to casting VAR bar stock and powder as well as near net shape products.

Rototrode® utilises a rotating, water-cooled Copper, non-consumable electrode. Melting is performed by a high current DC arc. Retech designed the Rototrode® system to melt vacuum melted metals and related alloys in a single operation. One big advantage is that the technology allows direct feeding of a wide range of raw materials.

Rototrode® technology can be applied to tilt-pour crucibles for parts casting, static crucibles for ingot production or bottom-pour crucibles for powder production. Complete alloying and melting are enhanced by the furnace's ability to achieve and hold higher pool temperatures for controlled periods of time. Ultimately, most forms of scrap can be readily upgraded to ingot quality.

Processing Applications:

Ingot casting
Electrode consolidation
Powder production
Parts casting
Investment casting
Permanent moulds
Graphite moulds
Static casting
Centrifugal casting
Sporting goods
Sponge & scrap consolidation

Material Applications:

Titanium & Titanium alloys
Nickel-based alloys
Speciality steels

Advantages:

Typical pour capacity for cold wall crucible: 225kg (500 pounds)
Typical pour capacity for cold wall/hot wall crucible: 1360kg (3000 pounds)
Currents up to 30,000 amps
Eliminates traditional process costs of compacting, welding and consumable re-melting
Operable under vacuum, partial or atmospheric pressure
Direct feeding of a wide range of raw materials

The Ultimate in Vacuum The Ultimate in Service

Vacuum Furnace Engineering Ltd - The Specialists in Vacuum Furnace Technology