Mesh Belt Heat Treatment System Advancements for Automotive Fastener Production

Manufacturers of high volume, high strength, precision automotive fasteners have constantly faced increased product quality standards, delivery and price pressures over the last decade. These pressures force manufactures to seek out new developments and creative methods for improving their long-term competitive positions. This paper will discuss two areas of mesh belt heat treatment system development that has been successfully integrated and exploited by manufactures to maintain their competitive position.

Methods for heat treating threaded fasteners have evolved significantly over the last 20 years. Earlier versions of low capacity shaker hearth, rotary hearth and plate belt systems have now become extinct in favour of modern highly efficient, continuous soft handling mesh belt heat treatments systems.

Design innovations for improving the accuracy of tempering furnace tolerances bands and integrating inline zinc phosphate removal systems will be discussed along with the feature benefits which these new design innovations provide manufactures of automotive fastener systems.