Patent ID: 6902635

Claim:
A multi cell thermal processing unit comprising: an air tight expandable common chamber module for containing an atmosphere other than ambient air, the chamber module comprising N ports; a loading cell linked to the first port of the common chamber module via a gas tight door for providing to and receiving from the common chamber module an iron-base alloy workpiece; a first thermochemical processing cell linked to the second port of the common chamber module via a heat insulating door for thermochemical processing the workpiece, the first thermochemical processing cell for providing substantially fixed first thermochemical processing conditions of a thermochemical process for improving material characteristics of the iron-base alloy material of the workpiece; a second thermochemical processing cell linked to the third port of the common chamber module via a heat insulating door for thermochemical processing the workpiece, the second thermochemical processing cell for providing substantially fixed second thermochemical processing conditions of the thermochemical process; a transport mechanism disposed within the common chamber module for handling and transporting the workpiece within the thermal processing unit; at least a processor in control communication with the first thermochemical processing cell, the second thermochemical processing cell, and the transport mechanism for: processing data related to the thermochemical process in order to divide the thermochemical process into at least two portions and to determine at least the first and second thermochemical processing conditions based on operational ranges of at least the first and second thermochemical processing cells for optimizing operation of the multi cell thermal processing unit; controlling provision of the first and the second thermochemical processing conditions; and, controlling handling and transportation of the workpiece within the thermal processing unit; and, N-3 sealing covers for airtightly sealing the remaining N-3 ports, the covers being removable for mating the common chamber module to a processing cell or another common chamber module.