A method of manufacturing a permanent magnet comprises a solution heat treatment. The solution heat treatment includes: performing a heat treatment at a temperature T.sub.ST; placing a cooling member including a first layer and a second layer on the first layer between the heater and the treatment object so that the first layer faces the treatment object; and transferring the treatment object together with the cooling member to the outside of a heating chamber, and cooling the treatment object until a temperature of the treatment object becomes a temperature lower than a temperature T.sub.ST200 C. In the step of cooling the treatment object, a cooling rate until the temperature of the treatment object becomes the temperature T.sub.ST200 C. is 5 C./s or more.

A load-moving system and a method for controlling the load-moving system for a heat treating furnace are described where the method includes detecting and transmitting signals and positions of the load-moving system as the load-moving system traverses a plurality of positions into, in, and out of the heat treating furnace. The signals being detected include one or more of: current, torque, or power used by the load-moving system at a determined position and/or time.

A method for moulding a sheet into a component of complex shape having areas with different mechanical properties, particularly a motor-vehicle component, includes a first heating step of the sheet carried out by a kiln, prior to forming the component. The kiln has a main body with a roller shape, having a plurality of sectors extending along a radial direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the roller body. The sectors are configured to each receive a sheet, so that the main body with a roller shape is arranged to simultaneously carry a plurality of sheets. The kiln includes a plurality of heating elements incorporated in the roller-shaped main body, so as to heat the sheets in contact with the roller body. The kiln includes at least one electronically-controlled drive motor, arranged to rotate the roller-shaped main body around the longitudinal axis of the kiln, so as to vary the position of the sectors with respect to the inlet and outlet ports. An additional heating step follows extraction of the sheets from the kiln, wherein the sheets are locally heated only at one area, so as to obtain sheets with areas heated to different temperatures.

A heat treatment system may include a heat treatment furnace configured to heat treat a material in a saggar; a conveyor configured to convey the saggar from an exit to an entrance of the heat treatment furnace; a recovery apparatus configured to recover the material heat-treated from the saggar; and a supply device configured to supply a non-heat treated material to the saggar. The conveyor may include a conveyor mechanism and a drive unit configured to drive the conveyor mechanism. The recovery apparatus may comprise a recovery unit disposed at a position where the conveyor mechanism is not disposed and configured to recover the material in the saggar; a transport device configured to transport the saggar between a placement position on the conveyor mechanism and a recovery position above the recovery unit; and an inversion mechanism configured to invert the saggar at the recovery position.

A heat treatment system may include a heat treatment furnace configured to heat treat a material in a saggar; a conveyor configured to convey the saggar from an exit to an entrance of the heat treatment furnace; a recovery apparatus configured to recover the material heat-treated from the saggar; and a supply device configured to supply a non-heat treated material to the saggar. The conveyor may include a conveyor mechanism and a drive unit configured to drive the conveyor mechanism. The recovery apparatus may comprise a recovery unit disposed at a position where the conveyor mechanism is not disposed and configured to recover the material in the saggar; a transport device configured to transport the saggar between a placement position on the conveyor mechanism and a recovery position above the recovery unit; and an inversion mechanism configured to invert the saggar at the recovery position.

An apparatus for heating steel products, in particular billets, includes a heating chamber, a plane of advance defined inside the heating chamber and feed and extraction components for the steel products.

An apparatus for heating steel products, in particular billets, includes a heating chamber, a plane of advance defined inside the heating chamber and feed and extraction components for the steel products.

A method of thermally processing work pieces including providing an insulated chamber having a first end, an opposing second end, and a middle portion disposed between the first and second ends, wherein the first end is inclined with respect to middle portion, creating a thermal gradient within an interior of the insulated chamber, and providing a means for gradually moving a workpiece from the first end to the second end within the created thermal gradient.

A carbon baking furnace has at least one vertical baking shaft with a system and method for positioning green carbon bodies to be baked at the top of the vertical baking path and ringing the green carbon bodies with a sacrificial medium such as packing coke. The disclosure provides a system and method for controlling the delivery and removal of the sacrificial medium used to surround the carbon bodies within the baking paths. A volatile extraction system and method are provided. A system and method for unloading baked carbon bodies is disclosed.

A carbon baking furnace has at least one vertical baking shaft with a system and method for positioning green carbon bodies to be baked at the top of the vertical baking path and ringing the green carbon bodies with a sacrificial medium such as packing coke. The disclosure provides a system and method for controlling the delivery and removal of the sacrificial medium used to surround the carbon bodies within the baking paths. A volatile extraction system and method are provided. A system and method for unloading baked carbon bodies is disclosed.