Siliocon Carbide Heating  Elements ( Rods )

Three Piece Straight Alpha Rods

The Alpha Rod Heating element is a resistance type silicon carbide heating element. The elements are rod shaped or tubular depending on the diameter. They have a central heating section referred to as a hot zone and two terminal sections called cold ends. The cold ends are impregnated with silicon metal to lower their resistance. This. Causes them to, operate at a lower temperature. The extremities of the elements are metailized with aluminum to provide a low resistance contact surface to which the electrical connections are made with braided aluminum straps.

Dumbell Shaped Alpha Rods

One of the earliest heating element designs, the enlarged cold ends of the Dumbell style element were originally made oversized to increase cold end cross section, lowering electrical resistance, thereby lowering cold end operating temperature.

U-Shaped Alpha Rods

The U type Alpha Rod is manufactured by taking two carefully-matched SiC rods and uniting them with a silicon carbide bridge.