A blank heating device having a heating furnace is provided and includes a plurality of heating members that heat a blank and a support fixture disposed within the heating furnace to support the blank. Further a transporting component is disposed beneath the support fixture and integrally displaces the support fixture and the blank to increase heating density of the blank. Consequently, a divisional heating occurs based on a size of the blank, which is a material for hot stamping, to improve heating density of the blank. Accordingly, marketability of a material is improved and a preheating time and heat loss is minimized. As a result, work convenience is improved and a consumption amount of energy is reduced.

A blank heating device having a heating furnace is provided and includes a plurality of heating members that heat a blank and a support fixture disposed within the heating furnace to support the blank. Further a transporting component is disposed beneath the support fixture and integrally displaces the support fixture and the blank to increase heating density of the blank. Consequently, a divisional heating occurs based on a size of the blank, which is a material for hot stamping, to improve heating density of the blank. Accordingly, marketability of a material is improved and a preheating time and heat loss is minimized. As a result, work convenience is improved and a consumption amount of energy is reduced.

An apparatus for loading/unloading workpieces, including a furnace heating a workpiece, and a robot loading and/or unloading a workpiece into/from the furnace. The robot may include a manipulator linkage and a fork at an end of the manipulator linkage. The fork may have an upper side on which a workpiece is placed while being loaded into and/or unloaded from the furnace. The fork may include a parallel arrangement of fork elements, each fork element in the fork having a length and rectangular cross section perpendicular to the length. Each fork element may have a workpiece carrying surface on which a workpiece is placed and an opposite surface to the workpiece carrying surface. The fork element may include a heat insulator disposed on the workpiece carrying surface at least over an area where a workpiece is placed to equalize longitudinal thermal expansions in the workpiece carrying surface and the opposite surface.

The invention relates to a process chamber (10) for carrying out thermal processes in the manufacture of an electronic assembly (30), comprising the following: at least one opening (20) for introducing and/or removing the electronic assembly (30); a device (40) for supplying a gas; a controllable protection device (50) which is arranged on the opening (20) in order to reduce a leakage of gas from the process chamber, wherein the controllable protection device (50) comprises a first movable element (50A) as an integral piece which covers the width between the total width of the opening and the width of the electronic assembly; a device for detecting data relating to the dimensions of the electronic assembly (30); and a controller (60) which can control the protection device (50) on the basis of the data relating to the dimensions of the electronic assembly (30) such that when the electronic assembly (30) passes through the opening (20), a defined spacing is constantly maintained between the electronic assembly and the first movable element (50A).

A system for heating substrates while being transported between processing chambers is disclosed. The system comprises an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed in the transfer chamber. The LEDs may be GaN LEDs, which emit light at a wavelength which is readily absorbed by silicon, thus efficiently and quickly heating the substrate. A controller is in communication with the LEDs. The LEDs may be independently controllable, so that the LEDs that are disposed above the substrate as it is moved from one processing chamber to another are illuminated. In other words, the illumination of the LEDs and the movements of the substrate handling robot may be synchronized by the controller.

A system for heating substrates while being transported between processing chambers is disclosed. The system comprises an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed in the transfer chamber. The LEDs may be GaN LEDs, which emit light at a wavelength which is readily absorbed by silicon, thus efficiently and quickly heating the substrate. A controller is in communication with the LEDs. The LEDs may be independently controllable, so that the LEDs that are disposed above the substrate as it is moved from one processing chamber to another are illuminated. In other words, the illumination of the LEDs and the movements of the substrate handling robot may be synchronized by the controller.

A method for heat treatment, a heat treatment apparatus, and a heat treatment system that is capable of performing highly precise and efficient control of heat treatment. A heat treatment furnace has in-furnace structures made of graphite and has a heat-treatment chamber in which heat treatment of materials to be treated is performed. A value of G.sup.0 (standard formation Gibbs energy) is computed with reference to the sensor information from respective sensors, and an Ellingham diagram, a control range, and a status of the heat treatment furnace in operation expressed by G.sup.0 are displayed on a display device. A control unit controls a flow rate of neutral gas or inactive gas as atmosphere gas or a flow velocity of the gas so that G.sup.0 is within the control range.

A method for heat treatment, a heat treatment apparatus, and a heat treatment system that is capable of performing highly precise and efficient control of heat treatment. A heat treatment furnace has in-furnace structures made of graphite and has a heat-treatment chamber in which heat treatment of materials to be treated is performed. A value of G.sup.0 (standard formation Gibbs energy) is computed with reference to the sensor information from respective sensors, and an Ellingham diagram, a control range, and a status of the heat treatment furnace in operation expressed by G.sup.0 are displayed on a display device. A control unit controls a flow rate of neutral gas or inactive gas as atmosphere gas or a flow velocity of the gas so that G.sup.0 is within the control range.

An apparatus to move and preheat metal material (M) to be fed to a container comprises a containing structure, having an internal compartment and provided with a support wall, a conveyor for the material (M), a fume transit section whose volume reduces as it is distanced from said container along the longitudinal development of said containing structure, and a collector for hot fumes (F) whose volume increases in a manner correlated to said reduction in the fume transit section. The collector is located below said conveyor inside the internal compartment essentially along the entire longitudinal development of said containing structure. Moreover, one or more through apertures are made in said support wall to put the conveyor and the collector into fluidic connection.

A blank heating device having a heating furnace is provided and includes a plurality of heating members that heat a blank and a support fixture disposed within the heating furnace to support the blank. Further a transporting component is disposed beneath the support fixture and integrally displaces the support fixture and the blank to increase heating density of the blank. Consequently, a divisional heating occurs based on a size of the blank, which is a material for hot stamping, to improve heating density of the blank. Accordingly, marketability of a material is improved and a preheating time and heat loss is minimized. As a result, work convenience is improved and a consumption amount of energy is reduced.