Major maintenance on this equipment began last summer. The furnace was completely disassembled, spirals and heat insulation were replaced, and new heating elements were installed. The forced air circulation system within the furnace's operating space was restored.
Initially, when planning the overhaul of Vertical Hardening Furnace No 5, the control system was intended to be upgraded in accordance with the international standard 'SAE AMS 2750 Aerospace Material Specifications'. This standard provides a rather strict definition for both the type and parameters of equipment used for the thermal processing of raw materials and semi-processed goods, as well as the production process itself, quality control and report documentation.
First of all, the Vertical Hardening Furnace is to meet the parameters of temperature evenness, which specifies a ±3°С temperature range. In the global industry, there are only a few examples of such systems that have been implemented for vertical furnaces with good output indicators.
Besides this, the standard defines the number of temperature sensors to be used for regulation, control and overheating protection. The new furnace will see their number double.
Specifications for upgrading Vertical Hardening Furnace No 5 based on AMS 2750 E have been developed and approved, defining the relevant parameters of the future control system.
The hardening process at Vertical Hardening Furnace No 5 will be completely automated - from feeding to discharging and hardening. The intervention of personnel will be required for preparing the load, selecting the mode, and entering the key parameters into the control system.