Custom industrial furnaces: design, manufacturing and maintenance
SAS FOURS has been designing and manufacturing industrial furnaces for over 85 years. Each furnace is developed in close collaboration with the customer to integrate seamlessly into an existing manufacturing process and meet precise requirements for temperature, atmosphere and productivity.
Our engineering department has expertise in both gas and electric furnaces, and supports projects from requirements analysis through commissioning and maintenance.
Our range of industrial furnaces
SPECIAL FURNACES
Our engineering department is able to adapt industrial concepts to highly specific requirements:
- vacuum furnaces
- glass melting furnaces
- furnaces for ceramics and advanced materials
- furnaces for the cosmetics, space and aerospace industries
Examples of special industrial furnaces installed at our customers’ sites:
HEAT TREATMENT FURNACES
SAS FOURS designs custom heat treatment furnaces (electric or gas) for quenching, annealing, carburizing or nitriding. We advise you from the requirements specification stage on the optimal heating method.
- Fixed or mobile hearth furnaces
- Bell furnaces
- Car-bottom furnaces (batch)
- Continuous furnaces (tunnel, roller, beam)
Example projects for heat treatment furnaces
MELTING FURNACES
We design and manufacture aluminium melting furnaces for refiners and foundries. We also work on all types of existing furnaces (Striko, Gauchi, Botta, etc.) for annual refractory overhauls.
- Electric or gas aluminium melting furnaces
- Holding furnaces (molten aluminium bath)
- Refractory relining on existing furnaces
A few examples of melting/holding furnaces built for our customers
SAS FOURS offers a wide range of furnaces as well as complete processing lines to meet all your needs. If you need information about our furnaces, contact us or consult our technical data sheets.
Furnace refurbishment / maintenance
In addition to the design and execution of new flue and ducting works, SAS FOURS provides refurbishment of older flue systems using efficient, fast techniques.
Working with large-scale industrial groups, we strive to address energy consumption issues, in particular by optimising the energy balance of melting or heat treatment furnaces during our refurbishment work.
SAS FOURS offers both preventive refurbishments and corrective maintenance, such as repairing furnace walls.
Our method: from requirements specification to commissioning
Industrial sectors equipped
Do you have an industrial furnace project? Describe your application – response within 24 hours.
Industrial Furnaces FAQ – Frequently asked questions
What types of industrial furnaces does SAS FOURS manufacture?
SAS Fours et Réfractaires manufactures several categories of custom industrial furnaces: heat treatment furnaces (gas or electric), aluminium melting and holding furnaces for refiners and foundries, batch (cell) furnaces, vacuum furnaces and glass melting furnaces. For highly specific needs, our engineering department also designs special furnaces to specification, adapted to exceptional industrial applications.
Does SAS FOURS manufacture custom furnaces?
Yes. Each SAS furnace is designed according to the customer’s production constraints. Our engineering department contributes to drafting the requirements specification, selects the most suitable heating technology (gas or electric) and integrates the furnace into the existing manufacturing process. We support projects from design through installation and maintenance.
What is the difference between a gas-fired furnace and an industrial electric furnace?
A gas-fired industrial furnace generally offers lower energy costs at high throughput and rapid heat-up. An industrial electric furnace enables more precise control, a controlled atmosphere (oxidising or reducing) and is better suited to applications requiring high thermal uniformity. SAS Fours et Réfractaires delivers both types and helps you choose the solution best suited to your process and energy constraints.
Can SAS FOURS refurbish or repair an existing industrial furnace?
Yes. Furnace refurbishment is one of our core areas of expertise. We work on older flue systems, carry out annual refractory overhauls (Striko, Gauchi, Botta and other furnace brands), repair damaged furnace walls and optimise the energy balance to reduce consumption. We offer both preventive refurbishments and urgent corrective maintenance.
Which industrial sectors use SAS FOURS for their furnaces?
SAS Fours et Réfractaires supports industrial customers in demanding sectors: iron, steel and aluminium foundries, automotive and mechanical subcontracting, aerospace and space, mining, cosmetics, glassmaking and ceramics. Our ability to design complete heat treatment lines enables us to meet a wide variety of processes.
How does SAS FOURS optimise a furnace’s thermal efficiency?
For each design or refurbishment, our R&D team analyses heat losses, optimises the refractory lining (material selection, thicknesses, positioning) and adapts the heating elements to the power actually required. The objective is to reduce maintenance costs while increasing furnace service life and temperature consistency.
What is a batch furnace (cell furnace) and what is it used for?
A batch furnace, also known as a cell furnace or discontinuous furnace, is a furnace in which the load (the parts to be treated) remains stationary throughout the heating cycle. Unlike continuous furnaces, the temperature changes according to a time-based programme. This type of furnace is particularly suited to heat treating small and medium series of parts: quenching, annealing, tempering, sintering. SAS Fours et Réfractaires designs and maintains these furnaces for many industrial customers.
What is SAS FOURS’ response time for a furnace repair?
SAS Fours et Réfractaires relies on an automated manufacturing tool and a high-performance ERP system, enabling it to maintain one of the shortest response times in the industry. With a stock of refractory raw materials and a network of qualified technicians, we can respond quickly to urgent repairs or schedule preventive maintenance campaigns. Contact us for a response within 24 hours.