of the furnace according to example 3 corresponds to that of the device from example 2 the furnace is operated in warm and switched on condition permanent electrical power of 1 5 kw and used for a continuous sintering process for this purpose a component coated on the upper side with gold for example a quartz glass tube having dimensions of l u00d7 w u00d7 h 1 000 u00d7 34 u00d7 14 mm is guided appropriately through the furnace to burn in the coating such that the component moves through the hot process chamber of the furnace at a speed of 200 mm min and is guided out on the opposite side the component is moved through the furnace using a holder situated outside the furnace the tube is moved keeping a distance of 60 mm to the heating field of the floor plate downstream of the furnace the coating on the tube has a visually homogeneous surface with very good surface adhesion the adhesion of the gold to the surface was determined using the adhesive tape tear off test said test encompasses applying a commercially available adhesive tape for example a scotch adhesive tape made by 3m onto the gold coated surface and then tearing the tape off suddenly in one motion if the adhesive strength of the gold is insufficient metallic residues will be seen to remain on the adhesive surface of the tape the metal coated surface shows no imperfections due to particles or foreign substances since the novel furnace lining made of sio 2 is free of contamination and works without generating particles a conventional muffle annealing furnace comprises an installed electrical power of 24 kw a furnace lining in the form of a brick lining and a process chamber of.