Mesh Belt Conveyor Furnace and Controls System

Infrared Heating Technologies recently designed, manufactured, and shipped two (2) Woven Mesh Belt Furnaces to a customer for annealing brass and other small metal parts. The furnace implements short-wave electric infrared elements with stainless steel alloy axial blade mixing fans for infrared/convection combination heating. These mesh belt conveyor furnace system are implemented for a variety of thermal processes including annealing, tempering, sintering, calcining, drying, pre-heating, and several others. The axial blade mixing fans increase convective heat transfer and temperature uniformity, assist with combustion/oxidation of reagents, and ensure through heat of product. The furnace has a maximum operating temperature of 1,400 Deg F and includes a stainless steel alloy compound balanced weave mesh belt with 3” plate side for parts containment. The mesh conveyor belt is friction driven and features a pneumatic take-up with rack and pinion alignment for automatic tensioning and tracking. Conveyor belt support through furnace is 3/8” thick stainless steel 3” wide slats for long wear. These conveyor slat slider supports are designed for expansion and heat stability (no warping). The furnace structure consists of 3/16” x 2” x 2” steel angle and includes 3/16” plate external skin that has been internally coated with high temperature paint. The furnace support structure is 3” x 3” x 3/16” welded tube. All external welds are ground and sanded flat. The furnace internal structure includes 4” channel support stiffeners for rigidity and insulation board stand-off supports. Insulation fasteners are high temperature alloy hangers for supporting the internal insulation. All furnace structure internals are coated with a high temperature paint prior to insulating. Levelling feet are included for plus/minus 2” adjustability of pass height. Insulation is graded with a 2” hot face pressed high temperature (2,300 Deg F) insulating board and ceramic wool backing insulation. Controls meet UL508A and include a PLC with HMI with recipe generation for ease of operation. Temperature control is adaptive tuning PID feedback with phase angle SCRs for proportional power control. An FM-approved over-temperature limit controller is included for each heat control zone. Communications are Ethernet and include an Ethernet switch. Wiring includes ferrule crimps of all control and output power connections. All IHT oven and furnace systems are designed using 3D modeling software. Documentation includes the 3D Model, ACAD mechanical and electrical schematics, electrical panel layout, operation and maintenance manuals, safety requirements, bill of materials (BOM), spare parts list, fuse chart, and component manuals. All design and operation documentation are supplied as a hard copy in a 3-ring binder and electronically as a link to cloud storage and our local server. Included with the purchase of any IHT oven or furnace system are the complete system assembly, wiring, and testing at factory prior to shipping, FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing), and customer training at our facility prior to shipping.