The integral-quench furnace automatic line consists of multiple integral-quench furnaces, cleaning machines, tempering furnaces, cooling tables and automatic transfer vehicles. The automatic line control system is responsible for material basket scheduling, interlocking between equipment, process issuance and data collection. The goal is to reduce human intervention, shorten waiting time, ensure that each material basket flows according to the correct process and leave complete records. The key is scheduling logic, safety interlocks and integration with furnace controllers, MES.
- Composition: integral-quench furnace, cleaning machine, tempering furnace, cooling table, transfer vehicle, material basket
- Scheduling: Automatically allocate according to process and equipment status to reduce waiting
- Interlocking: transfer car and furnace door, quenching, safety signal interlocking
- Integration: process release, heat data, basket traceability
- Value: Capacity, consistency, fewer people
The composition of the automatic line
A typical integral-quench furnace production line includes:
- loading and unloading dock;
- Front cleaning machine;
- Pre-oxidation/preheating furnace (optional);
- Multiple integral-quench furnaces (heating, carburizing, quenching);
- After cleaning machine;
- tempering furnace;
- cooling table;
- Automatic transfer vehicle (transports baskets between equipment).
Control system responsibilities
| Responsibilities | Description |
|---|---|
| Material basket scheduling | Based on the process route and equipment idle status, decide which equipment to go to next. |
| Process distribution | Send the process parameters corresponding to the material basket to the target furnace |
| Equipment interlock | The transfer car is interlocked with the furnace door, lifting and quenching actions |
| Data collection | Record the equipment, time and process curve of each basket |
| Exception handling | Rescheduling or pausing in case of equipment failure |
| Human-computer interface | Display line status, basket position, alarm |
Key points of scheduling logic
- Process priority: The process duration of different baskets is different, and scheduling should avoid equipment being left idle;
- Quenching time window: After carburizing is completed, it should be quenched as soon as possible, and the dispatch of the transfer vehicle should not cause delays;
- Tempering timeliness: After quenching, enter tempering within the specified time to prevent cracking;
- Equipment maintenance window: Equipment under maintenance is automatically excluded;
- Emergency order: Support manual intervention and recording.
Safety interlock
- The furnace door can only be opened after the transfer vehicle is confirmed to be in place;
- The flame curtain, purge and atmosphere are interlocked before and after the furnace door is opened;
- The lifting and lowering of the quenching oil tank and the action of the furnace door are interlocked;
- Emergency stop covers the entire line;
- Combustible gas alarm linkage.
Data integration
Automatic line control systems should be able to:
- Receive tasks from MES or work order system;
- Send the process to the furnace controller;
- Collect process data of each equipment and summarize it by basket;
- Returns completion and quality data to MES.
The GS2025 automatic line software of Gauss Control Product Center is geared towards such scenarios. It can be used with controllers such as CARBMATE™-18 and charge tracking software to achieve traceability from the basket to the curve.
Frequently asked questions
Can old lines be upgraded to automatic scheduling?
Most can, provided that the transfer vehicle and each equipment have automatic interfaces. Communication and interlocking conditions of equipment control systems need to be evaluated.
What is the biggest benefit of automatic lines?
Increased production capacity (reduced waiting), improved consistency (strictly enforced time), complete records, and fewer night shift personnel.
How complex does the scheduling algorithm need to be?
Most production lines can be satisfied by rule scheduling (priority + equipment status); when there are many types of products, more complex optimization algorithms can be considered.