Kanthal, a global leader in electric heating technology, offers solutions and expertise that make high-temperature industrial processes cleaner, safer, and more efficient.
Let’s explore how Kanthal enables manufacturers across key industries.
Content:
Steel
Lithium-ion batteries
Wind power
Solar energy
Petrochemicals
Semiconductors
Glass
Ceramics
Aluminum
Electronics
Outro
Steel
Steel production is vital for modern life, yet it remains one of the most energy and carbon-heavy industries. Kanthal’s high-temperature electric heating solutions for upstream and downstream processes, enable steelmakers to transition to cleaner and more efficient production methods.
In downstream processes like annealing, galvanizing, and reheating, Kanthal's electric heating technology delivers precise temperature control, minimizing energy waste and enhancing product quality. The transition from gas to electric heating is driven by Kanthal's specialized materials and systems that accommodate various temperatures and atmospheres, allowing steelmakers to tailor solutions to their needs.
For upstream processes such as Direct Reduced Iron (DRI), Kanthal's Prothal® process gas heater portfolio offers reliable, high-temperature performance and optimized energy efficiency with zero emissions.
Kanthal provides comprehensive solutions that cover the entire steel production process, enabling steelmakers to achieve their sustainability goals while remaining competitive in a challenging industry.
Lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are essential for powering electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and consumer electronics. As demand for these technologies continues to grow, Kanthal supports the production of cathode and anode materials, as well as lithium refining and recycling.
Kanthal’s silicon carbide (SiC) heating elements ensure precise temperature control during cathode production, guaranteeing consistent quality and performance. For anode production, Kanthal offers tailored solutions to meet specific material requirements. In graphite-based anode production, Kanthal’s SiC heating elements are ideal for use in roller kilns, whereas, for silicon-based anode production, Kanthal offers Tubothal® metallic heating elements for reliable and efficient operation.
Furnaces equipped with Kanthal’s advanced heating elements are critical for lithium extraction and recycling of battery material. Operating at temperatures of 600–700°C (1,112–1,292°F), these furnaces enable efficient processing and recovery of valuable materials, supporting sustainable practices and contributing to a circular economy.
Wind power
Wind power is a cornerstone of the renewable energy transition, and ensuring the reliability of wind turbines is essential for their performance. Braking resistors and load banks are critical in maintaining turbine safety and efficiency. Braking resistors dissipate excess energy during high winds or emergency stops, while load banks simulate electrical loads to test and maintain wind turbines.
Kanthal advanced electric resistance materials excel in high-temperature applications, offering superior heat dissipation, high electrical resistivity, and exceptional thermal stability. Designed to withstand thermal cycling and resist corrosion, Kanthal’s materials ensure long-term reliability and performance in demanding environments.
By supporting turbine reliability through braking resistors and system maintenance through load banks, Kanthal helps enhance safety, efficiency, and sustainable wind energy growth worldwide.
Solar energy
Solar energy is crucial for achieving a sustainable future, with photovoltaic technology transforming sunlight into electricity via solar cells. Kanthal’s Fibrothal® diffusion cassettes and advanced materials are integral to this process, particularly in crystalline silicon wafer production for solar cells.
These cassettes equipped with top-tier Kanthal materials ensure consistent, high-performance results in demanding processes such as oxidation, diffusion, and nitriding, essential for achieving optimal electrical properties in solar cells. By facilitating scalable, efficient production, Kanthal plays a key role in driving the growth of clean energy systems worldwide.
Petrochemicals
The petrochemical industry relies on high-temperature heating for critical processes, and electrification can advance cleaner fuel production. Kanthal® Flow Heater is central in Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC) technology, a key enabler of Power-to-X applications. This technology converts renewable energy into green hydrogen and other synthetic fuels, vital for sectors like aviation and shipping. As these sectors cannot be electrified, they depend on alternative fuels to reduce their carbon footprint.
Kanthal’s electric heating systems deliver precision and efficiency, significantly lowering energy consumption and emissions compared to traditional gas burners. By providing durable and reliable solutions, Kanthal helps petrochemical producers meet their sustainability targets while maintaining operational excellence.
Semiconductors
Semiconductor manufacturing is the backbone of the digital age, relying on high-temperature processes such as oxidation, diffusion, and annealing to produce high-quality devices. Kanthal’s Fibrothal® diffusion cassettes are engineered to ensure precise and uniform heating during these critical stages. Specifically designed for Atmospheric and Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (LPCVD) systems, these cassettes deliver exceptional linear temperature uniformity, enabling reliable dopant diffusion, precise oxidation layer formation, and consistent annealing outcomes. The result is enhanced electrochemical performance and superior device quality.
Kanthal’s advanced electric resistance materials improve process efficiency, reduce energy consumption, lower maintenance requirements, and enhance operational reliability. By providing customized heating solutions and dedicated technical support, Kanthal empowers semiconductor manufacturers to optimize their production processes and stay competitive in a fast-paced, innovation-driven industry.
Glass
Kanthal offers a comprehensive portfolio of heating elements, such as Globar® silicon carbide (SiC) elements, Kanthal® Super high-power electric molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) heating elements, and Superthal® heating modules, engineered to withstand high temperatures and deliver consistent performance in extreme environments.
The glass industry spans diverse applications, from flat glass and container glass to specialty optical and fiberglass products. These processes demand precise high-temperature solutions for melting, shaping, annealing, and other critical stages.
Kanthal offers a comprehensive portfolio of heating elements, such as Globar® silicon carbide (SiC) elements, Kanthal® Super high-power electric molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) heating elements, and Superthal® heating modules, engineered to withstand high temperatures and deliver consistent performance in extreme environments.
Kanthal’s ceramic heating elements operate at temperatures of up to 1,850°C (3,362°F), making them indispensable for melting and refining the glass. For processes like annealing and tempering, which require lower temperatures ranging from 500°C to 700°C (932°F to 1,292°F), metallic heating elements provide efficient and precise heating solutions.
Ceramics
Kanthal offers a broad range of products for the ceramics industry, supporting the production of traditional, functional, and advanced engineering ceramics. This portfolio includes heating elements and furnace components crafted from ceramic materials, ensuring precision and reliability across diverse industrial applications.
Although often associated with decorative uses, ceramics are vital for industries that rely on their outstanding thermal, electrical, and optical properties. Kanthal’s offerings support applications such as bioceramics, electroceramics, ferrites, and piezoelectrics, driving innovation and ensuring high-performance results in the industrial ceramics sector.
Aluminum
The aluminum industry faces the critical challenge of balancing growing demand with the need to reduce its carbon footprint. High-temperature processes, such as melting, holding, and recycling, are essential to aluminum production, and Kanthal’s advanced electric heating technologies are tailored to meet these demands with precision and efficiency.
Kanthal offers a versatile range of heating solutions tailored to aluminum production. Flow heaters are ideal for maintaining high temperatures in launders and rapidly preheating degassing units and ceramic foam filters (CFFs). Tubothal® and Globar® heating elements effectively dry and preheat transport crucibles and clean filters between casting cycles, with Globar® also supporting launder heating. Fibrothal® modules ensure consistent launder heat, while Superthal® modules specialize in drying and preheating casting molds, stub holes in anode blocks, and graphite coating studs.
With innovative solutions and advanced materials, Kanthal enables aluminum producers to optimize energy use, enhance process reliability, and support sustainable production practices.
Electronics
Materials that deliver exceptional performance under exacting conditions are paramount in the rapidly evolving electronics industry. Whether it’s powering consumer devices, advancing industrial applications, or driving energy storage technologies, the need for reliable, high-precision solutions has never been greater.
Kanthal® alloys are meticulously engineered to address these challenges. Available as wires, ribbons, and strips, these alloys are tailored for critical applications. They enable devices to operate at maximum potential, providing the consistency and efficiency needed for cutting-edge electronic advancements. By equipping manufacturers with these innovative solutions, Kanthal supports the electronics industry in setting new standards of excellence.
Outro
High-temperature applications, once synonymous with inefficiencies, wastages, and high emissions, are leading in innovation thanks to Kanthal's electric heating solutions. With a legacy spanning over 90 years and a strong commitment to innovation and collaboration, Kanthal is tackling today's challenges and electrifying the future of industrial heating.