Custom 1.4849 Heat Treatment Baskets for a French Customer

Customer Case Study | Engineering Design, Manufacturing, Inspection & Delivery
Customer Location: France
Product: Custom Heat Treatment Basket
Material: 1.4849 Heat-Resistant Stainless Steel
Overall Height: 100 mm
Usable Internal Height: Approx. 60 mm
Quantity: 7 pcs
Project Scope: Engineering Design → 3D Modeling → Manufacturing → Final Inspection → Delivery
Manufacturer: Wuxi Junteng Fanghu Alloy Technology Co., Ltd. (FH® Alloy)

Project Overview
FH® Alloy received an inquiry from a French customer for custom heat treatment baskets manufactured from 1.4849 heat-resistant stainless steel.
Rather than supplying a standard furnace basket, the customer required FH® Alloy to develop a customized structure according to the specified usable space and overall height.

The key dimensional requirements were:

• Overall basket height: 100 mm
  
• Usable internal height: approximately 60 mm
  
• Material: 1.4849
  
• Quantity: 7 pcs
  

Based on these requirements, the FH® Alloy engineering team developed the basket structure and completed the final 3D product model shown in this case.
After design confirmation, the project proceeded through manufacturing, final quality inspection and shipment.

Customer Requirements
The customer needed a relatively low-profile heat treatment basket while still maintaining sufficient usable internal space for loading workpieces.

The challenge was therefore not simply to manufacture a basket with a 100 mm height, but to achieve the required internal usable loading height while maintaining a practical and stable heat treatment fixture structure.

Engineering Design by FH® Alloy
Based on the customer's dimensional requirements, FH® Alloy developed a custom basket with an open load-bearing base and reinforced surrounding frame.

The final 3D model incorporates several important structural elements.
1. Open Grid Base Structure
The bottom of the basket uses an open grid-type design.

This structure helps provide:

• distributed workpiece support,
  
• reduced unnecessary basket weight,
  
• improved furnace atmosphere circulation,
  
• and a practical load-bearing framework.
  

The interconnected supporting sections also help distribute loads across the basket rather than concentrating them in isolated areas.

2. Low-Profile Side Frame
Because the total basket height was limited to 100 mm, the side structure had to be designed carefully.

The basket needed to maintain approximately:
60 mm of usable internal height
while leaving sufficient structural section for the bottom, frame and supporting components.
The final design therefore balances:
Overall Height + Usable Loading Space + Structural Stability
rather than simply maximizing side-wall height.

3. Reinforced Peripheral Structure
The surrounding frame provides additional rigidity to the basket.
The final model uses vertically supported side sections connected to the base structure, helping maintain the geometry of the basket during handling and furnace service.
The side structure also helps prevent workpieces from moving outside the loading area.

4. Internal Support / Positioning Points
The final design incorporates several vertical internal support positions.
These features can assist with:
fixture positioning,
internal support,
stacking or assembly requirements,
and maintaining the required structural relationship between basket components.
Their locations were incorporated into the 3D model during the engineering stage rather than added after production.

Why 1.4849 Was Selected
The customer specified 1.4849 heat-resistant stainless steel for this project.
1.4849 is commonly used for industrial furnace components and heat treatment tooling where elevated-temperature performance is required.

For furnace basket applications, the material offers advantages such as:

• good high-temperature strength,
  
• oxidation resistance,
  
• thermal stability,
  
• and suitability for repeated heat treatment cycles.
  

For heat treatment tooling, however, material selection alone is not sufficient.
The basket structure, section thickness, support layout and load distribution also play important roles in determining service performance.
For this reason, FH® Alloy evaluates material and structure together during the fixture design process.

From Customer Requirements to Final 3D Model
The project began with the customer's dimensional and material requirements.
FH® Alloy then converted these requirements into a production-ready basket design.

The engineering workflow included:
Customer Requirements
↓
Dimensional Analysis
↓
Structural Design
↓
3D Modeling
↓
Design Confirmation
↓
Manufacturing
The final 3D model allowed the customer and FH® Alloy production team to clearly review the basket structure before manufacturing.

Manufacturing Process
After the design was confirmed, FH® Alloy proceeded with production of the 7 custom heat treatment baskets.
The manufacturing process was controlled according to the approved design, with attention given to:

• overall dimensions,
  
• structural geometry,
  
• connection positions,
  
• frame alignment,
  
• and final assembly condition.
  

The objective was to ensure that the finished baskets matched the engineering model and customer requirements.

Final Quality Inspection
Before shipment, FH® Alloy carried out final inspection of the completed baskets.
Inspection focused on key items including:
Dimensional Inspection
Verification of the main basket dimensions, including the specified 100 mm overall height and required internal loading space.
Structural Inspection
Checking the basket frame, base structure, supporting members and connection areas.
Appearance Inspection
Inspection of overall manufacturing quality and surface condition.
Drawing Conformity
The finished products were checked against the approved engineering design before shipment.
Only after completing final inspection were the baskets prepared for delivery.

Project Specifications

Project Highlights
Custom Engineering Design
The structure was developed according to the customer's actual dimensional requirements rather than adapted from a standard basket.
100 mm Low-Profile Structure
The basket was engineered to maintain a compact overall height while providing approximately 60 mm of internal usable space.
1.4849 Heat-Resistant Material
The specified material was selected for demanding heat treatment applications.
Complete Project Execution
FH® Alloy managed the complete workflow:
Design → 3D Drawing → Manufacturing → Inspection → Shipment
Small-Batch Custom Production
A total of 7 baskets were produced according to the customer-specific design.

More Than Build-to-Print Manufacturing
Many heat treatment fixture suppliers only manufacture according to completed customer drawings.
For this French project, FH® Alloy supported the customer from the engineering design stage.
The customer provided the key dimensional and material requirements, and FH® Alloy developed the basket structure and final 3D model before moving into production.

This capability allows us to support customers who need:

• new fixture development,
  
• structural optimization,
  
• custom basket dimensions,
  
• special loading heights,
  
• material-specific furnace tooling,
  
• and low-volume customized production.
  

Custom Heat Treatment Baskets by FH® Alloy
Wuxi Junteng Fanghu Alloy Technology Co., Ltd. (FH® Alloy) designs and manufactures customized heat treatment tooling for industrial furnace applications, including:

• Heat Treatment Baskets
  
• Furnace Trays
  
• Heat Treatment Fixtures
  
• Vacuum Furnace Fixtures
  
• Continuous Furnace Baskets
  
• Pit Furnace Fixtures
  
• Stackable Furnace Tooling
  
• Custom Heat-Resistant Alloy Components
  

Customers can provide a complete drawing or simply supply key project information such as:
Furnace Type + Basket Size + Working Temperature + Load + Material + Workpiece Information
FH® Alloy can then develop a customized furnace tooling solution.

Need a Custom Heat Treatment Basket?
If a standard furnace basket does not fit your loading space or heat treatment process, FH® Alloy can design a basket based on your actual requirements.

For engineering evaluation, please provide:

• furnace type,
  
• basket dimensions,
  
• usable internal height,
  
• working temperature,
  
• required load,
  
• heat treatment process,
  
• material requirement,
  
• workpiece dimensions,
  
• loading quantity,
  
• and existing fixture photos or drawings if available.
  

FH® Alloy supports customized heat treatment tooling from engineering design through manufacturing and final delivery.