DTI-1253 Indexing Annealing Furnace System
Customer directive
Our customer wanted to create an indexing single part flow inert atmosphere production furnace system to match, and seamlessly integrate into, the customer’s entire existing manufacturing process at a production rate of 45 seconds part to part. The customer’s then existing process included inefficient batch furnace staging of parts at this point in the process.
Description
The DTI-1253 is an indexing furnace system for annealing automotive engine components that operates with a 99.8% pure inert atmosphere. Parts to be processed are placed on the oven entrance shuttle table, one at a time, with a production rate of 1-part every 45-seconds. The shuttle table conveys the part into a double door air lock style purge vestibule. Oxygen is then displaced utilizing a nitrogen purge system. An internal 3-axis pick-n-place system retrieves the part from the purge vestibule and places it in the proper location on custom designed, stainless steel furnace conveyor trays. Multiple parts are loaded onto each individual furnace tray prior to being index conveyed into the heated chamber.
The furnace is equipped with two pneumatic vertical doors, one at each end, and divided into two heating sections: one ramp section and one soak section. The furnace utilizes top and bottom mounted electric elements with multiple zones of independent temperature control within each heating section. The placement and division of the heating elements allows the end user to fine tune the ramp and soak temperature profiles.
A forced cooling section is located at the exit end of the furnace structure, also within the inert environment of the machine. After cooling from ~600° C to near ambient temperatures, a 3-axis pick-n-place removes each part from the furnace tray and places the part in the exit end airlock vestibule, maintaining the atmosphere within the furnace. The part is then conveyed out of the airlock via the shuttle table and removed from the furnace system.
Specifications
| Product Being Processed | Cast components |
| Length, Width and Height | 23’-3″ L x 9’-6″ W x 11’-0″ H (7087mm x 2896mm x 3353mm) |
| Type of Heating System | Electric |
| Conveyor Width | 7′-7″ (2311mm) |
| Heating Zone Length | Zone-1 – 4′-2″ (1270mm) Zone-2 – 3′-0″ (914mm) |
| Cooling Zone Length | 4′-2″ (1270mm) |
| Operating Temperature | 1112°F (600°C) |
| Max Temperature | 1562°F (850°C) |
| Part Production Rate | 45 seconds |
Alternative capabilities
Davron Technologies, Inc. provides process specific industrial inert atmosphere oven applications, including the following:
- Industries Served: Automotive, Pharmaceutical / Medical, Aerospace, Glass, Composites
- Materials/Parts Processed: Castings, Glass, Plastics, Steel, Engine Components, Cast Steel/Aluminum
- Process Applications: Inert Stress Relieving, Inert Atmosphere Annealing, Inert Atmosphere Batch, Inert Atmosphere Conveyor/Continuous
