Product Details

Silicon carbide (SiC) heating elements are rods or tubes made of silicon carbide, a very hard ceramic. They are one of the most common heating elements in industrial electric furnaces and kilns, because they are strong, work at high temperatures and cost less than molybdenum disilicide elements.

Main features

High working temperature. SiC elements are usually used up to about 1,400–1,500 °C furnace temperature in air.
Strong and rigid. They keep their shape at high heat and can be fitted horizontally or vertically without sagging.
Good in many atmospheres. They work in air and, with some limits, in other furnace atmospheres.
Many shapes. Straight rods with thicker cold ends, U shapes, W (three-phase) shapes and spiral (SG/SGR-type) tubes.

How they age

The resistance of a SiC element slowly rises as it is used. This is normal. To keep the furnace power steady, the power supply is usually able to raise the voltage over time (a multi-tap transformer or thyristor control). When you change elements, it is best to replace them in matched sets, or to choose new elements with a resistance close to the ones still in the furnace.

Where they are used

Ceramic and tile kilns
Glass annealing and glass bending furnaces
Heat treatment of metals
Laboratory furnaces and test equipment
Electronic and powder-metal sintering

Silicon carbide or molybdenum disilicide?

If your furnace works below about 1,450 °C, silicon carbide is often the simpler and cheaper choice. Above that, or when you need very fast heating, molybdenum disilicide elements usually do better. Our article Silicon carbide or MoSi2 explains the difference in more detail.

How to order

Please tell us: the shape, the total length, the hot-zone length, the cold-end length, the diameter, the resistance (if you know it), and the working temperature. A photo of the old element and its label helps a lot.