Automatic asphalt binder-content tester using the ignition method for ASTM D6307 and AASHTO T308 workflows.
LS-TC30 Asphalt Content Ignition Furnace is a asphalt content ignition furnace and asphalt extraction equipment for ASTM D6307, AASHTO T308 workflows. Built for ASTM D6307 and AASHTO T308 workflows, it handles up to 3,500 g with a 0.1 g internal balance and automatically detects the test endpoint.
Specifically engineered for high-throughput laboratory environments with real-time loss and temperature curve visualization on a large-scale touch interface.
An internal calibration weight supports routine balance checks without dismantling the weighing system.
Seamlessly switch between international localized interfaces, supporting global laboratory standards and multi-national operator teams.
The integrated afterburner reaches 900°C to oxidize combustion gases before exhaust; laboratories should still confirm local ventilation and operating requirements.
A built-in USB interface supports direct Excel-format export for laboratory records and downstream review.
Store up to 30 unique ignition profiles (OGFC, SMA, etc.) to optimize test cycles for varying mixture skeleton types and binder contents.
LS-TC30 Asphalt Content Ignition Furnace is an automatic asphalt content ignition furnace for determining binder content in asphalt mixtures under ASTM D6307 and AASHTO T308. The ignition oven continuously monitors sample mass while the binder burns off, detects the endpoint, and records the mass loss used in the laboratory's corrected binder-content calculation.
A prepared asphalt-mixture sample is weighed, heated in the furnace, and monitored as combustible binder is removed. The integrated balance tracks mass loss and the control system ends the cycle when the configured stability criterion is reached. The laboratory then applies the validated correction factor required for its aggregate, mixture, and equipment combination.
Some aggregates gain or lose mass at ignition temperatures, so raw mass loss is not automatically equal to binder content. Laboratories should establish and document a correction factor in accordance with the applicable method and their own mix/equipment combination, then confirm it when aggregate source or mixture design changes.
NCAT furnace is a historical industry term associated with early adoption of the ignition method for asphalt binder-content testing. Today, laboratories also use asphalt content ignition furnace, asphalt ignition oven, and burn-off oven for equipment based on the same principle: determining binder content from corrected mass loss during ignition. LS-TC30 is Lithostek's implementation of this equipment type, configured for ASTM D6307 and AASHTO T308 with integrated weighing, endpoint control, and a high-temperature afterburner.
The chamber operates up to 600 °C and the integrated afterburner up to 900 °C to oxidize combustion gases before exhaust. The furnace still requires suitable installation clearances, ventilation, electrical service, heat-resistant handling procedures, and site-specific risk controls defined by the laboratory.
Before ordering, confirm sample baskets and trays, basket quantity, heat-resistant tools, ventilation connection, 380 V three-phase supply, calibration route, balance verification weights, data-export format, spare heating elements, installation, training, and any destination-specific documentation. Included and optional items should be confirmed in the quotation rather than assumed from a generic list.
| Factor | Ignition furnace | Solvent extraction |
|---|---|---|
| Measurement principle | Binder is burned off and content is calculated from corrected mass loss. | Solvent extraction dissolves binder before aggregate and solution separation. |
| Solvent use | No extraction solvent is required for the binder-content cycle. | Requires a method-compatible solvent and recovery controls. |
| Recovered binder | Binder is consumed and cannot be recovered for further testing. | Binder can be recovered when the selected workflow supports recovery. |
| Recovered aggregate | Aggregate remains for gradation checks after cooling and correction. | Aggregate and mineral filler are separated, dried, and recovered. |
| Typical selection reason | Routine binder-content QC with automated mass monitoring. | Binder recovery, solvent-based specification, or mixtures requiring extraction analysis. |
An asphalt content ignition furnace heats a weighed asphalt-mixture sample until the binder is removed, monitors mass loss, and uses the corrected mass change to determine binder content.
The furnace continuously weighs the sample during ignition, detects a stable endpoint, and calculates mass loss. The laboratory applies its validated aggregate correction factor before reporting binder content.
NCAT furnace is the historical industry term for ignition-method binder-content equipment. LS-TC30 applies the same ignition principle in a Lithostek platform with its own integrated balance, control software, endpoint logic, afterburner, and ASTM D6307/AASHTO T308 workflow configuration.
In asphalt laboratory purchasing, ignition furnace and ignition oven usually describe the same equipment family: a high-temperature system used to determine binder content by ignition.
LS-TC30 is configured for ASTM D6307 and AASHTO T308 workflows. Laboratories should confirm the current official method edition, local agency requirements, and requested documentation before purchase.
The applicable method and the aggregate's behavior determine the correction procedure. Laboratories should validate the factor for their aggregate source, mixture design, and furnace, then review it when those conditions change.
The maximum sample capacity is 3,500 g, with a recommended working range of 1,200–1,800 g. The laboratory should select sample mass according to the method, nominal maximum aggregate size, and validated procedure.
Use solvent extraction when the governing method requires it, when recovered binder is needed for further testing, or when the mixture and laboratory procedure are better suited to closed-loop extraction and recovery.
Request a customized configuration or speak directly with our application engineers.
