Case Study: Tip-Up Box Furnace Rebuild
At Onex, every project is an opportunity to put our craftsmanship, engineering expertise, and commitment to American-made solutions to the test. In a recent collaboration with a long-time forging company, our team was brought in for a complete rebuild of a tip-up box furnace that had reached the end of its service life.
Project Scope
A tip-up furnace is a heavy-duty industrial heating system designed for easy crane access and fast loading of large parts. The entire furnace lid lifts vertically, exposing the full hearth so a manipulator can extract and quench the parts in one motion. Built for high-temperature applications like heat treating, forging, and stress relieving, tip-up furnaces feature rugged steel construction, precision combustion systems, and durable refractory linings that stand up to intense thermal cycling.
This wasn't a patch job—it was a total transformation. The scope of work included the demolition of the existing deteriorating furnace lining and a full installation of a new fiber refractory lining. To ensure longevity and optimal performance, our team also executed a complete shell replacement and structural steel repairs wherever necessary. The project was fully custom, as always, and completed as a turnkey solution.
Why Onex?
The client chose Onex for our ability to deliver not just materials, but results. Our team brought better refractory practices to the table—based on decades of hands-on experience in furnace rebuilds—and the ability to complete the job start-to-finish, eliminating the need to coordinate multiple contractors. Our customers reach out when they need a partner to rebuild, repair, or refresh in order to maximize efficiency, simplify maintenance, and deliver long-term reliability where uptime matters most.
Overcoming Challenges
Weather posed the biggest challenge to this project. A blast of winter cold swept through the north the week of the rebuild, freezing water lines and slowing progress. Rebuilding a furnace in freezing temperatures presents challenges that extend beyond mere discomfort.
First, refractory materials like castables and mortars require controlled temperatures to cure properly. If they freeze before they set, the material weakens, leading to premature failure. Steel components also react differently in the cold, becoming more brittle and harder to weld correctly. Combustion systems and gas piping can suffer from shrinkage and condensation issues during installation, increasing the risk of leaks or alignment problems.
Even basic construction tasks like aligning the furnace lid mechanism or sealing the hearth become more difficult, as cold air causes metals to contract unpredictably. We knew that tackling a major rebuild in the dead of winter would demand careful planning, heated enclosures, and modified installation techniques to ensure quality was not compromised. We adapted quickly, adjusted schedules, brought in heating equipment, and pushed through the cold to stay on track.
Despite the harsh conditions, our team completed the project on time and on budget. Steel repairs were executed with precision, and the new modular lining was installed to the highest standard. The client was pleased with both the process and the end result.
From demolition to rebuild, we delivered a solution built to last. This project stands as a testament to our ability to deliver turnkey furnace rebuilds—even in the toughest conditions.
About Onex Inc.
Onex Inc. is an employee-owned company headquartered in Erie, PA, serving industrial furnace customers across the U.S. We design, build, service, and supply high-temperature furnace systems using American-made materials and a hands-on, collaborative approach. Whether you're facing an urgent repair or planning a custom install, we’re here to engineer the right solution—for today and for the long haul.
For more information about our capabilities, please visit www.onexinc.com.
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