M. S. Boggs, N. Fuller, ALFE Systems Inc., Columbia City, IN
Not too long ago, aluminum heat treating was more of an art than a science. Achieving consistency from batch to batch required a skilled operator, a perfectly maintained furnace and a little luck. Documentation for each batch was limited to a hand-drawn chart and the assurance that “that’s how it ran” – not exactly the sort of reassurance you would expect in a critical automotive or aerospace application.
Then came computers. Some commercial heat treat companies quickly realized the potential of this new technology. They began using computers to control and monitor their heat treat furnaces.
The use of this technology has allowed for better control of the process and tighter tolerances. This step allowed some significant improvements to the heat treat process. With IT-based control systems, furnace operators can program the furnace before firing a batch. This means that the process can be programmed and repeated precisely, giving customers the assurance that their parts will be exactly the same – no matter whether they were heat treated in the same batch or years apart.
Today’s technology allows for positive tracking of each batch as it moves through the facility, making it easier to establish and maintain work schedules. Bar coding is a critical component of this tracking feature, allowing the heat treater to identify product in each container. With the advances in programming, today’s heat treat systems now have the ability to reject batches if certain criteria are not met.
I.T. - based furnace control systems lead to better quality heat treating. They allow for tighter tolerances and prevent scrap caused by faulty equipment.
IT-based furnace control systems offer significant advantages … better quality heat treating, tighter tolerances, improved reproducibility, reduced scrap to name just a few.
IT-based process control is clearly the future … a better way to heat treat aluminum.
Summary: Batch Tracking in Aluminum Heat Treating:
By Mike Boggs, Alfe Systems Inc. and Steve Carr, ALFE Heat Treat Inc.
Not too long ago, aluminum heat treating was more of an art than a science. Achieving consistency from batch to batch required a skilled operator, a perfectly maintained furnace and a little luck. Documentation for each batch was limited to a hand-drawn chart and the assurance that “that’s how it ran” – not exactly the sort of reassurance you would expect in a critical automotive or aerospace application.
Then came computers. Some commercial heat treat companies quickly realized the potential of this new technology. They began using computers to control and monitor their heat treat furnaces.
The use of this technology has allowed for better control of the process and tighter tolerances. This step allowed some significant improvements to the heat treat process. With IT-based control systems, furnace operators can program the furnace before firing a batch. This means that the process can be programmed and repeated precisely, giving customers the assurance that their parts will be exactly the same – no matter whether they were heat treated in the same batch or years apart.
Today’s technology allows for positive tracking of each batch as it moves through the facility, making it easier to establish and maintain work schedules. Bar coding is a critical component of this tracking feature, allowing the heat treater to identify product in each container. With the advances in programming, today’s heat treat systems now have the ability to reject batches if certain criteria are not met.
I.T. - based furnace control systems lead to better quality heat treating. They allow for tighter tolerances and prevent scrap caused by faulty equipment.
IT-based furnace control systems offer significant advantages … better quality heat treating, tighter tolerances, improved reproducibility, reduced scrap to name just a few.
IT-based process control is clearly the future … a better way to heat treat aluminum.
