This partner is an expert in components, subsystems, and system solutions for thermal management in cars. It provides energy-saving and high-performance products for regular petroleum and diesel fueled cars, as well as solutions for new electric vehicles.

“The EV/CAB line on order is designed specifically for the production of “Snake” type battery coolers. The superior heating and cooling design contributes to the final product’s exceptional quality using our unique technology that achieves excellent temperature uniformity across the width of the belt, which is the key to successful production. The fact that we are delivering the eighth furnace for controlled atmosphere brazing to this Partner is a consequence of our product quality and good cooperation,” said Piotr Skarbiński, Vice President of the Aluminum Process and CAB Business Segment in SECO/WARWICK.

Continuous brazing lines for the automotive industry

The controlled atmosphere brazing (CAB) line on order will include a convection preheating chamber, a radiation furnace and two cooling chambers. The entire system will be equipped with a dedicated control system.

Controlled Atmosphere Aluminum Brazing (CAB) is the preferred technology for aluminum heat exchanger production in the automotive industry, hence SECO/WARWICK has created a brand dedicated to this industry – EV/CAB. SECO/WARWICK sells a similar solution on the European market. This dedicated line has been tailored to the requirements of this battery cooler manufacturer.

“This cooperation opens new perspectives for the SECO/WARWICK Group development in our region. The excellent heating and cooling design contributes to perfect temperature uniformity across the 2300 mm belt width, which is the key to successful production. We have already sold over 20 such solutions in China, and the demand for them is constantly growing,” commented Liu Yedong, Managing Director of SECO/WARWICK China.

Around the world, the demand for battery coolers is increasing due to the increasing production of electric vehicles. SECO/WARWICK, a leader in CAB line production, cooperates perfectly with the automotive industry by providing solutions which support the development of electric vehicle production technology. In this way, this technology indirectly fits into the trend and obligation to reduce exhaust emissions, which in turn is a step in the right direction towards protecting the natural environment.

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SECO/WARWICK development in India

This year, the SECO/WARWICK’s company in India started the production of continuous lines for aluminum brazing and will soon deliver the first furnace to heat exchanger manufacturer – Narain Cooling Technologies. Ultimately, SECO/WARWICK India will also produce vacuum solutions, meeting the demand for these furnaces in this part of the world. Last week, we held the official opening of a new production hall, which will significantly increase SECO/WARWICK’s efficiency in this region.

„In India, we are focusing on the production of vacuum equipment, and  CAB lines, as well as service support. We have launched the production of a CAB line, and the first made-in-India vacuum furnace which will be delivered to customers in early 2025. Ultimately, we will be able to produce four continuous brazing lines in one cycle or 23 vacuum furnaces. The maximum length of the CAB line produced in our plant will be 63 meters. This will meet the needs even of our largest Partners,” commented Binoy Koshy, Managing Director of SECO/WARWICK India.

The factory in India by the numbers

The new plant has an area of 4,000 m2, the ceiling height is as much as 12 meters, and the hall is served by two overhead cranes with a lifting capacity of 15 tons. The SECO/WARWICK India location is strategic. The factory is located in a special economic zone, near Pune, where many industrial plants, which are potential SECO/WARWICK customers, are located.

“The investment in the new hall is an investment in the Group’s development in this region. India is one of the fastest developing countries in the world with gigantic production needs. Owning production here means that we have to organize expensive logistics and transport for our furnaces. It is very important that products with the SECO/WARWICK logo fulfill the promise of high quality, regardless of where they are produced. That is why we have conducted a very reliable and long training process that guarantees that the equipment meets our highest standards,” explains Sławomir Woźniak, the CEO of SECO/WARWICK Group.

India, one of the world’s largest emerging markets

India is a member of the G20 group. As one of the largest emerging markets, it can effectively pursue its interests internationally, even on a global scale. The demographics are a huge advantage with this Asian country. India currently ranks first in the world in terms of population. Over 1.4 billion citizens live in India, of which approximately 35 percent live in metropolises with millions of inhabitants. And compared to European countries, Indian society is very young. Almost half of the inhabitants are under 30 years old, and over 60% of the society is of working age. Rating agencies forecast that the GDP of India will grow by an average of over 6% per year by 2030, which is impossible for European countries.

It is also assumed that the country’s economy will double within a decade. India is still classified as an emerging economy, but because it is the fastest-growing large economy in the world, according to some analyses, it may in the future – in the near future, become the third largest economy in the world, after China and the United States. It is therefore not surprising that European companies are increasingly expanding on this market. Such an investment cannot fail to pay off.

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Retech (a SECO/WARWICK Group subsidiary) will supply them with a new VIM.  It will be fabricated in Retech’s Buffalo headquarters to capitalize on available schedule improvements. As custom equipment, Retech’s furnaces are not dependent on assembly-line style construction, so they can be fabricated and assembled just as easily in either location. It is a choice many of their industry partners appreciate for a variety of reasons.

“People tend to assume that significant capital expenditure equipment projects like this must move at a snail’s pace, unable to pivot to meet sudden shifts in market demands in metallurgy. However, Retech’s engineers, suppliers, subcontractors, along with the in-house fabricators and assemblers operate as a well-coordinated team.”  – Earl Good, Retech Managing Director.

While this Partner prefers not to divulge this VIM’s application, Retech’s solution can easily handle casting a wide range of materials used in everything from automotive and consumer products to critical, high-value equiaxed, directionally solidified, or single-crystal aerospace parts. Almost every furnace Retech makes is customized in some manner to meet the exacting specifications and associated applications of its customers.

The customer has had 2 VIM solutions serving as their “production workhorses” at this location since the mid-2000s, so they were already familiar with Retech equipment operation. When it came to sourcing and installing their new VIMs, they were confident Retech was the right choice.

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The CAB line on order is a furnace with a 1300 mm wide conveyor belt, which will be used to produce medium-sized heat exchangers. This is the first CAB line sold by SECO/WARWICK entirely made in India in the Group’s new factory. The production site was important to Narain Cooling Technologies.

“Starting continuous brazing line production in India is a milestone in SECO/WARWICK history. This allows us as a Group to optimize production and significantly reduce delivery costs and related emissions. India is a world leader in the production of heat exchangers, including those intended for the automotive market. SECO/WARWICK will provide significant support to companies from this region, thanks to the possibility of supplying high-class metal heat treatment furnaces, manufactured entirely in this region of the world,” says Binoy Koshy, Managing Director of SECO/WARWICK India.

“The key to success in this market is not only local production, but also ensuring competent on-site service. SECO/WARWICK has a professional team of engineers in this part of the world who provide support to our partners,” said Piotr Skarbiński, Vice President of the Aluminum and CAB Segment of the SECO/WARWICK Group.

“Last year was a breakthrough for us because we started production in India. Already this year, the first CAB lines will roll off the Indian assembly line and reach new customers. The first made-in-India CAB line will go to Narain Cooling Technologies. I believe that this will be the beginning of our long-term cooperation and a clear signal to the market about the Group’s readiness to provide first-choice solutions,” commented Sławomir Woźniak, CEO of the SECO/WARWICK Group.

SECO/WARWICK’s CAB lines manufactured in India are the first choice in this region

The CAB line ordered by the Partner is equipped with a 1.3 m wide belt. The furnace chamber design ensures perfect temperature uniformity, and the furnace has an innovative continuous atmosphere control system as well as a PLC control system.

CAB lines are an excellent solution for continuous brazing of products with similar dimensions and features. The temperature is distributed evenly over the entire width and length of the conveyor belt, thanks to several independent heating zones. The line ordered by Narain Cooling Technologies was adapted to its specific needs. The idea was to obtain sufficiently high efficiency within the constraints associated with limited access to power supply.

“This is our first cooperation with SECO/WARWICK. We set high and specific requirements for this furnace, which SECO/WARWICK met. The fact that the solution is manufactured in India is of great importance to Narain Cooling Technologies. It is not only a matter of reducing costs or better logistics, but also subsequent service issues and global support for the domestic market development,” sums up Deepesh Goyal, Managing Director from Narain Cooling Technologies.

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CAB continuous lines are used for protective atmosphere brazing aluminum of heat exchangers. Such solutions are used by leading automotive parts manufacturers and are used for mass production of battery coolers among other types of heat exchangers.

“We delivered the world’s first CAB furnace to the American market 40 years ago. Today, these solutions operate on all continents. There are dozens of systems in China alone. When it comes to this contract, the Partner’s path to a purchase decision was interesting. For several years, we have been supporting this customer in learning about CAB technology, which had not been used in their plants before.​ Thanks to tests runs in our R&D CAB furnace in Poland, we presented the process and enabled prototype brazing. This, in turn, helped the customer receive an order for the production of battery coolers. The purchased CAB lines will be the first solutions of this type in the customer’s factories”, explains Piotr Skarbiński, Vice-President of the Aluminum and CAB Product Segments in the SECO/WARWICK Group.

Strategic cooperation opens up new perspectives

 The SECO/WARWICK Group is a leader in CAB technology. Some manufacturers have several such furnaces in their plants. SECO/WARWICK values long-term cooperation and greatly appreciates it when a customer comes forward with further needs. Partnership and mutual trust are the foundation of over 40 years of cooperation with the automotive industry. This purchase was preceded by tests in the R&D laboratory, which resulted in the expansion of the Partner’s portfolio and offer.

 “The competitive advantage is the ability and willingness to support customers in the process of implementing new technologies. Thanks to this, we gain their trust and ensure risk minimization. Since customers often come back to us to expand their aluminum brazing departments, I also think that in this case, we have opened the window for further potential orders. We will deliver 2 CAB lines to two different continents, but in my opinion, this is only the beginning of cooperation”, said Maciej Stempniewicz, Deputy Director of the CAB Furnace Team Sales Department.

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As Mexico’s second-largest city, Monterrey is convenient to major road, rail, and air transportation hubs. Major Gulf Coast ports and US points of entry are not far either. As one of Mexico’s steel production epicenters, the region is also a major manufacturing center. All of these position the city as a perfect base to connect with regional heat treaters or serve the rest of Mexico, along with Central and South America.

The new office is just the beginning of a larger expansion.

“Once the office has established a foothold as a self-sustaining base of operations for sales and field service, the next step will be to build on existing relationships we have with local contract manufacturers and mechanical contractors to fabricate furnaces and supplement field service staffing through outsourcing, respectively,” says Marcus Lord, Managing Director for SECO/WARWICK USA.

Leading the expansion is longtime SWC engineer Luis Barragan, who will continue to manage the establishment of the business until it is on solid footing. At this point, he will pivot to managing sales while Marcus Lord will resume operations management. The Mexico office will also have its aftermarket segment, taking on aftermarket support for customers throughout Latin America.

“We’ve always had furnaces and heat treat Partners to support, from Mexico down to Chile. That demand has grown to the point that it is time to open a base of operations dedicated to that market”, concludes Sławomir Woźniak, SECO/WARWICK Group’s CEO.

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Big Capabilities, Small Footprint

Retech (a SECO/WARWICK’s Group subsidiary) will deliver a two-gun Electron Beam (EB) Melter to a research facility based in South Korea. Primarily, this 2-gun system will be used for conducting academic research on commercially pure titanium and titanium alloys.

“The customer chose Retech because they liked the customizability that we offer, along with the potential for future modifications should they want to extend its capabilities,” said Earl Good, Retech’s Managing Director.

Retech offers many of their melting technologies in smaller, lab scale sizes, which makes them ideal for academic research institutions, commercial research and development departments, prototyping, or any application where exploring the metallurgy takes priority over production volume. Trials on smaller units also help to inform design decisions on full-size equipment for production scale programs.

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JUPALCO is a newly established aluminum factory which will be part of the Jupiter Group. The aim of establishing the new plant will be to achieve the highest level of domestic aluminum production in history and to create an ecosystem of comprehensive aluminum-based solutions. This is the first cooperation between SECO/WARWICK and the Jupiter Group.  

Vortex 2.0 – the technology that significantly shortens cycle time

Vortex® is a very effective system for annealing aluminum coils. In the latest 2.0 version, heat transfer efficiency has increased within the furnaces that are equipped with an improved system of straight nozzles. Thanks to the use of patented air flow technology, aluminum coil annealing systems from SECO/WARWICK operate with process cycles that are significantly shortener than traditional technologies. This in turn ensures energy savings, increased efficiency, and improved surface quality of the finished coils. The systems key feature is the increased heat transfer coefficient, achieved by directing high-velocity air to both sides of the coil. This allows air to flow over the coil edges, not just through its outer layer. 

“In the case of coil annealing, the challenge is to optimize the process by reducing the cycle time as much as possible while maintaining the desired metallurgical properties throughout the entire load. The components used in the SECO/WARWICK furnace for annealing aluminum coils provide both greater efficiency and better quality. In the latest, patented 2.0 version, Vortex systems, thanks to a system of properly directed nozzles, ensures higher production volume with lower energy consumption. We are pleased to have become a partner in equipping a new, very modern aluminum factory in India.” – explains Piotr Skarbiński, Vice-President of the CAB and Aluminum Products Segment in the SECO/WARWICK Group. 

New Rolling mill in India made more productive with three Vortex units

The equipment ordered by the Jupiter Group includes three Vortex 2.0 furnaces for aluminum annealing, two cooling chambers and one loader. A system configured in this way will ensure the optimal production volume of the Indian rolling mill.  

SECO/WARWICK supplies custom-designed furnaces for annealing aluminum coils and foil with various capacities – from single-roll furnaces to multi-zone furnaces with strict zone control. These solutions are used by aluminum producers from all over the world – from North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Vortex furnaces are equipped with dedicated control systems and load transport units. Vortex guarantees better heating temperature uniformity and the absence of local overheating on the coil surface, which significantly affects the aluminum coil’s final quality. The Vortex system, in addition to the uniform temperature distribution of +/- 3^oC, ensures a significant reduction in the total process time compared to traditional systems offered by the competition.  

The Jupiter Group of companies were founded in the late 90’s by Mr. Sandeep Bajaj. From humble beginnings as a small flexible Packaging products company, it has grown to become a recognized player in the industry, operating on global markets in Flexible packaging, Aluminum foil and other products. The Jupiter Group plans to recycle over 50,000 tons of aluminum scrap every year once fully operational. This scrap will come from both in-house and customer scrap, purchased scrap, and recycled cans/foils etc. The new rolling mill in India will help the Group expand its footprint in the aluminum industry and produce Made in India products which will be known for its quality and reliable products and services. 

“Since the 1990’s the Jupiter Group processes aluminum as a partner of the converting and packaging industries. Ecology is an important value for us. It is included in our mission, just like our Partner’s. The rolling mill in India will be one of the most modern facilities of this type in this region, which is why we are equipping it with the best solutions available on the market. And that is why we chose three Vortex 2.0 systems which will fully meet the needs related to the JUPALCO aluminum heat treatment facility,” commented Mr. Sandeep Bajaj, CMD, of Jupiter Aluminum Industries, JUPALCO. 

“Vortex combines ecology and economy. An efficient nozzle system will make production more efficient while maintaining excellent load parameters.
We are glad that India has noticed the power of this solution,” concluded Binoy Koshy, the new Managing Director of SECO/WARWICK India. 

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A universal furnace with many possibilities

The technological line on order consists of an electric chamber furnace, a washer, a cooling station, and an endothermic atmosphere generator. “This comprehensive solution meets the Partner’s needs. The key aspect in choosing SECO/WARWICK as the solution’s supplie, was the result of technological tests carried out in a service hardening plant that the customer was acquainted with. This convinced voestalpine Fastening Systems that we would meet the high requirements of the contract. The line is configured in such a way that if the volume of the company products decreases, the customer can also offer commercial processing due to the wide technological spectrum of this main furnace unit,” said Mariusz Raszewski, Deputy Director of the Aluminum Process and CAB Furnaces Team at SECO/WARWICK.

The process will be carried out in a controlled atmosphere with temperatures up to 950°C.

Additionally, the technological line includes an electric chamber furnace designed for the heat treatment of steel parts in a protective nitrogen atmosphere at temperatures up to 700°C, along with a washer, cooling station and endothermic generator. The line will include a loader operating in automatic mode, a set of roller tables and a closed-loop water system. The number of the supplied technological line units is selected to ensure the quality of manufactured components.

The whole solution will be supervised by a master system, which is used to continuously monitor the heat treatment equipment operation and provides advanced data analysis for the production processes.

The railway industry is developing

“The universal furnace solution will allow to process various parts in various configurations. Apart from technological parameters, it is important for us to limit processed part deformations, which is possible with the solution on order. SECO/WARWICK presented a partnership and flexible approach to the challenges of this order,” said Mariusz Fogtman, COO, voestalpine Fastening Systems Sp. z o. o.

voestalpine Fastening Systems (part of the voestalpine Group) has been a leading manufacturer of rail components for over 40 years. The company produces high-quality fastening systems using modern production technologies. In 2018, SECO/WARWICK delivered a 15-bar vacuum furnace with high-pressure gas hardening and a retort tempering furnace to voestalpine High Performance Metals.

“Constant investments in technology development and many years of cooperation with the largest steel producers allow SECO/WARWICK to maintain its leading position among reliable suppliers, meeting the required standards and offering modern solutions,” commented Piotr Skarbiński, Vice President, Aluminum Process and CAB Business Segment (ATM).

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A laboratory fit for the 21st century

SECO/LAB is also the name of the SECO/WARWICK R&D center and metallographic laboratory. The Polish R&D Department started in 2006 with 3 employees, and today it is a dynamic organizational unit cooperating with many universities and employing over a dozen highly qualified employees, including scientists, automation engineers and outstanding heat treatment, thermo-chemical and metallurgy specialists. The SECO/WARWICK Group’s second Research and Development Center is located in the United States in Buffalo, NY.

“The equipment in our laboratories and our excellent team of scientists allow us to research metal heat treatment technology and verify innovative ideas. We conduct a number of metallographic tests, which are then the basis for proposing appropriate technology to the customer, or in other words, verifying customer requirements. Using the laboratory equipment, you can quickly and professionally check the effects of tests and technological processes. The Research and Development Center provides extensive opportunities to create and test new or significantly improved solutions for the metal heat treatment industry. 

Together with the University of Zielona Góra, we decided that the almost identical SECO/LAB research laboratory should also be within the reach of students and allow them to acquire practical skills at this stage of their educational path. When designing our joint laboratory, we placed particular emphasis on the imperative of gaining practical knowledge in the field of heat treatment process automation and digitization. Universities should not educate only in theoretical terms. Today, in the era of automation and artificial intelligence, practical skills will be the main advantage on the labor market. At the same time, we hope that the best university graduates will want to continue their careers connected with metal heat treatment in the SECO/WARWICK Group,” said Sławomir Woźniak, President of the SECO/WARWICK Group’s Management Board.

SECO/LAB is the name given not only to the laboratory at the University of Zielona Góra, but also to the research and development center in Świebodzin. The SECO/WARWICK R&D Center is divided into two areas. In the first stage of development, technological tests are carried out using industrial equipment. During the second stage in the laboratory, test material preparation is carried out, i.e. material from technological tests is prepared for further examination and the prepared samples are analyzed.

SECO/WARWICK is a company producing equipment for metal heat treatment and has its own metallographic laboratories.

“Most often we conduct microscopic observations and hardness measurements. The properties of a given material result directly from its microstructure, which is why microscopic examination is so important. By viewing the material at appropriate magnification, you can assess the treatment correctness, detect possible errors, and sometimes also learn about its history. Important information about the heat treatment results can also be obtained from hardness measurements. The data acquired is used to develop technology and build innovative solutions, as well as obtain heat treatment with better technical parameters and in many cases, reduce production costs. Many solutions are implemented thanks to SECO/LAB; The lab has also been instrumental when developing and improving technologies to reduce the carbon footprint generated by metal heat treatment equipment,” said Łukasz Piechowicz, Director of the SECO/WARWICK Group’s R&D Department.

SECO/WARWICK and synergy with higher education

The cooperation between SECO/WARWICK and the University of Zielona Góra began almost 10 years ago. In 2021, a joint subsidized project entitled: “Autonomous system for monitoring and processing operating parameters of a pit furnace for the needs of Industry 4.0 in low-pressure carburizing processes” was completed. The obtained project results can be used in many industries, including the renewable energy sector. SECO/WARWICK and the University of Zielona Góra also cooperate within the international innovation network SUPRA, which was created by a community of industrial and research partners in the field of production technology. Currently, both SECO/WARWICK and the University of Zielona Góra focus on promoting practical knowledge and skills in the field of industrial process automation among students, hence, the idea to create SECO/LAB.

The cooperation with UZ is not the only one in the SECO/WARWICK Group’s broad portfolio of science and industry connections.

Scientific teams of the Lodz University of Technology, together with SECO/WARWICK, have carried out as many as 21 research projects for 25 years. As a result, these modern technologies were created — FineCarb® and PreNitLPC® vacuum carburizing. These technologies have been implemented into several hundred vacuum furnaces operating on five continents.

Together with the Poznań University of Technology, SECO/WARWICK has worked on the development of gas nitriding technology using the ZeroFlow method. Jointly with the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, the use of gas nitriding technology to extend the life of forging tools was investigated, and with the Rzeszow University of Technology – the development of single-crystalline technology for casting turbine blades using the DGCC (Developed Gas Cooling Casting) method became a reality.

SECO/WARWICK also cooperates with foreign universities and scientific institutions. For example, we worked with the German institution, TUB Freiberg, on the development of a simulator for heating aluminum coils – SeCoil.

There is no innovation without strong science

SECO/WARWICK, thanks to cooperation with science, can create and implement product innovations, as well as teach the future generation of innovators who will change the world for the better. Practical skills acquired by students of the Zielona Góra University can spark great ideas and inventions. To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin:  investing in knowledge always brings the greatest returns, and only a fool would disagree with this.

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