Twice a month, Heat TreatToday publishes an episode of Heat TreatRadio, a unique-to-the-industry podcast. Whether it’s AMS2750 or CQI-9, these episodes will boost your knowledge about all things heat treat. Listen to these four episodes to gain confidence in compliance. Enjoy this original content, and happy listening!
Justin Rydzewski Director of Sales & Market Development Controls Service, Inc.
Heat TreatRadio: Justin Rydzewski on CQI-9 Rev.4 (Part 1 of 4) – Pyrometry
In this episode of Heat TreatRadio, hear directly from a committee member involved in updating CQI-9. Justin Rydzewski, director of Sales and Marketing at Controls Service, Inc. sheds some light on the automotive equivalent to AMS2750: CQI-9. From translation issues and formatting to new process tables and caveats regarding thermocouples, this episode of Heat TreatRadio provides all the necessary information heat treaters need to use the new revision. It's about more than just pyrometry; it's also about heat treat system assessment and heat treat operation.
To get the run-down on CQI-9, listen to this episode of Heat TreatRadio.
"How like is one test to the next one? What is your means of collecting data and what is your response plan when that data is unfavorable? Having that predetermined, so that you’re not doing in on the fly, can be incredibly helpful."
Heat TreatRadio: Andrew Bassett on AMS2750F (Part 1 of 3)
Andrew Bassett, President, Aerospace Testing and Pyrometry
In this three-part episode, Andrew Bassett of Aerospace Testing and Pyrometry discusses all things AMS2750F. Questions on thermocouples, calibrations and thermal processing classification, SATs, or TUSs? This series of Heat TreatRadio episodes has the answers.
In this first episode, Andrew focuses on thermocouples and sensors and the different thermocouple types that AM2750 Revision F addresses compared to past revisions. The use of nickel/nickel-moly thermocouples and the use of resistant temperature devices are just two of the additions found in Rev. F.
To get an overview of the changes to AMS2750 made in Revision F, as well as to hear a bit about the process for writing the specification book, listen to this series of episodes on Heat TreatRadio.
"I’m an end-user, so I’m able give my input and say, 'Hey, this doesn’t make sense. What you want to add into the spec is not real world.' It’s nice that people such as us get involved with these specifications."
Heat TreatRadio: Reimagining Furnace Compliance with C3 Data’s Matt Wright
Matt Wright Chief Marketing Officer, C3 Data Source: C3 Data
The future of compliance could be in the palm of your hand. Matt Wright, chief marketing officer at C3 Data, describes how C3 Data has encapsulated everything required to be AMS2750 or CQI-9 compliant into one platform: a user-friendly system that can run on a smart phone. No more clipboards, spreadsheets, or post-it notes. Using optical character recognition, heat treaters can complete SATs in real-time. With QR codes, operators can scan thermocouples and access the appropriate table within a specification book.
To learn more about what C3 Data is doing to make compliance easier, listen to this episode of Heat TreatRadio.
"When I look at our industry, one of the things that is the biggest challenge is the flow of information — getting information from where it resides to where it needs to be in the format that it needs to be."
Heat TreatRadio: Justin Rydzewski and James Hawthorne on CQI-9 Rev.4 (Part 3 of 4) – Process Tables & New Resources
James Hawthorne Corporate Heat Treat Specialist, Acument Global Technologies
There's more new material in CQI-9 Rev. 4 than just pyrometry updates. James Hawthorne of Acument Global Technologies, zooms in on changes to CQI-9's process tables and new resources. One of these new resources, a glossary of terms used within the document, was created specifically because of end-user requests. Maintenance request forms, helpful illustrations, and informative figures are just a few other new resources added to the latest version of CQI-9.
"Read the document. Read as much of it as you can and try to understand as much as you possibly can."
To hear more about what's new in CQI-9 Rev.4, listen to this episode of Heat TreatRadio.
Heat TreatRadiohost and Heat TreatToday publisher, Doug Glenn, talks with Matt Wright, the chief marketing officer at C3 Data, to hear how the company has reimagined furnace compliance to fit in your pocket.
Below, you can watch the video, listen to the podcast by clicking on the audio play button, or read an edited transcript.
The following transcript has been edited for your reading enjoyment.
Doug Glenn: Matt, Welcome to Heat TreatRadio. This is your first time on.
Matt Wright: It’s good to be with you.
DG: I do want you to spend a little bit of time giving our listeners a little bit about your background and then, also, if you don’t mind, a quick summary of what C3 Data does, just so our listeners have a concept.
MW: I’ve been in the heat treat industry now for about 15 years. My brother, Nathan, and I together, we own a few — twenty-five — accredited pyrometry labs. C3 Data really comes as an outgrowth of that. Looking for an opportunity or way to reduce errors, a human element, and to save time with all of our technicians doing all the work that they’re doing. And so, it really became something that we did for ourselves and realized that it could be something that the industry as a whole could use.
When you look at our industry, there are two ways that you can comply with the AMS2750 CQI-9 specifications. One is what I would call the “roll your own method” which is what everyone has been doing from the beginning: that is using a whole panoply of different technologies, whether that’s an Excel spreadsheet, a clipboard, post-it notes, or what have you — anything and everything that you can do to try to remember to do all the things that need to be done, and then you go to the audit and hope that nothing fell through the cracks. What C3 Data does is takes all of those requirements and starts with the spec and encapsulates everything in one platform, one system, so you don’t have to think about and remember to do those things, you just follow what we have you do, and you come out and you’re ready for your audit.
DG: I want to jump back onto the labs you were talking about. Very briefly, how many where are they?
MW: We’ve got one in Ohio and one in Mexico that has three different offices in Mexico.
DG: And these are metallurgical labs, or did you say testing labs?
MW: They are labs that go on site to perform temperature uniformity surveys, system accuracy tests, instrument calibrations and those types of things.
DG: Let’s talk about compliance. Compliance with AMS2750 CQI-9 NADCAP is really an issue that is important to a lot of our listeners and readers, primarily those manufacturers who have their own in-house heat treat and have their own furnaces. Let’s talk about some of the latest developments, the latest technologies in that field. What are you seeing out there, Matt?
MW: When I look at our industry, one of the things that is the biggest challenge is the flow of information — getting information from where it resides to where it needs to be in the format that it needs to be. I think the technologies that have been successful in our industry are technologies that help lubricate that flow, if you will. A good example, I think you had mentioned some of the specs, but one of them is ITAR, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations specifications. In that case, you’re trying to prevent information from going to malign influence and so they’re going to use things like the Cloud and mobile technology. And those are the platforms that we’ve been built on, as well. But we’re kind of using it in reverse; we’re trying to disseminate information and getting it there as quickly as possible. So, the Cloud and mobile technology, I think, are the two biggest forms of technology that have been really helpful.
A couple other ones that we’re actually using that we’re seeing a little bit more and more of is OCR- optical character recognition. This is the ability to take a static document that has information on it and digitize it and get it to where it needs to be. We’re using that to be able to scan, for example, thermocouple cert, so that our customers, irrespective of who they’re buying their certs from, can just take a cert, scan it and build it right into their platform so they can use it to do an SAT in real-time.
Another one is the QR code. You know, with the things that are going on, it’s kind of made a comeback in recent days. Now you can get your wine list by scanning a QR code at the restaurant. Well, we’ve been using it since before it was cool to do that; we’ve been using to scan your thermocouples or your field test instrumentation, so you don’t have to go and look up something in a database or a table, you can just scan it in and, boom, you’re ready to go.
DG: This OCR is interesting regarding the certifications on the thermocouples. So, a thermocouple comes in, it’s got its stats and whatever you’re scanning, that becomes part of your data, if you will, correct? And are they using it for anything else? For example, I’m thinking in my mind, a company who wants to transition over to using a system like yours, perhaps they’ve got a lot of historical documents that, at least, would be helpful. Is that also an application?
MW: Certainly, a potential application could exist for that. We’ve got other tools with forms and things that we’ve put in place to make that transition from going from, what I call the “roll your own” in the static thing and pulling all of that information in. We’ve really made it, and strive to make it, more and more seamless every time.
DG: And the QR codes? Are you using those on furnaces, on thermocouples, or where are you using those?
MW: Any equipment that you use, whether it’s a thermocouple, a field test instrument, a data logger, any certification data that is associated with that, you can print a QR code and affix it to that. You’re not having to go and enter that in manually, you’re just scanning it in using our mobile app that has a QR code scanner built right in — it’s pulling that directly in. The whole idea is to reduce that bottle neck, if you will, and to get that information flow in so that these guys can do more value at a time out on the plant floor.
DG: I also wanted to ask you, because you mentioned about Cloud-based and mobile apps and things of that sort — let’s talk about security for just a second. I just got done doing an interview with a guy by the name of Mark Mills that hasn’t been released yet. He’s a fascinating guy and I’m going to give that one a plug right here- you need to listen to that when it comes out. But he was talking about cybersecurity- he wrote a book called The Cloud Revolution. I’ve also heard at some of the industry meetings that there have been real concerns where some of the larger companies are not wanting their data to go “outside,” if you will- they don’t want to break the ceiling and get into the Cloud, they want it on site. Are you guys seeing much of that? If so, how are you handling that?
MW: It’s a mix. We do see that. Every corporation has their own policies and procedures and what they’ve determined is a safe way to operate. So, on one side of the spectrum, we’ll get people that will be concerned and say, “Nothing in the Cloud,” and we have to have that conversation. Usually, the conversation revolves around what is the purpose of this information? And really, when you peel back and look at it, if someone were able to access the information in our system (which we have very tight security around), the only thing they’re going to find out is the very thing that those same preparations are bragging about on their website, and that is that they’re NADCAP compliant. There is no process-related data, there is no secret sauce involved in anything that we’re doing and so, it’s not something that we believe, and most people do end up seeing it our way that needs to be curtailed from a Cloud perspective.
DG: I know a lot of companies’ concerns are not so much that something will get out about them as it is this Cloud connection is a gateway for the nefarious amongst us to break in and get it. I’m sure you’re seeing that, right? Let me ask you it this way: What percentage of your clients are actually saying to you, “Listen, we want this to not be Cloud-based, we want it to be just on-site.”
MW: If I could swag, I would say maybe 5–10% ask the question, “Hey, is this something that we can just have locally because we would just like to have it for ourselves?” And the answer is, it’s not; it’s not something that we can have locally, just by nature of what it is — it’s an ongoing, continually improving and updated thing.
DG: Let’s talk about another hot point that we have here besides internet security. I don’t know if you guys have been affected by this, but it has to do with supply chain issues. We’ve got Covid to blame, we’ve got Russia to blame, we’ve got all kinds of things as far as supply chain. Are you experiencing any of that yourself for your business or are you seeing it from any of your customers?
MW: I think we are fairly isolated from that in that we’re not producing a tangible product; we’re a software company. Happily, we’re not experiencing that so much. I will say that, from our customers’ perspective, the big catchphrase now is “flexibility.” With those things that you mentioned, the ability to be able to adapt to not knowing from one day to the next if the guy that was supposed to do your SATs or TUSs today is even going to show up because he might test positive for Covid, or something else, really drives home the need to be flexible — to not put all your eggs in one proverbial basket. We’re striving asymptotically, if you will, to get closer and closer to that point where someone who’s never done a calibration before, can pick up an app and literally, the same day, start doing calibrations. There are a lot of hills to climb and obstacles to overcome, but we’re pretty close and we’re going to strive to keep doing that so that people don’t have to worry about what if this guy quits, or what if this guy gets a promotion? The system is going to run, and they can pick up and run with it with the next guy.
DG: When we talk supply chain, I start to think to myself, to a certain extent, I start to think internationally a little bit because a lot of the issues are bottlenecks at the border and things of that sort. But it makes me wonder — how about you guys, C3 Data, are you just North America or are you seeing business outside?
MW: Being a software company, one of the benefits of it is that you don’t have to ship anything anywhere. Being a U.S.-based company, we started out here and most of customers are here. We have a fair number of customers in Mexico, we have a few in the United Kingdom and we’re expanding currently, bringing on customers in France. Right now, we’ve got about four or five different languages that the website and the app is translated into, and we’re interested in expanding. It’s a great question and one that we’re really excited about — being able to not just be so parochial in the United States, but to expand into Europe.
DG: Tell me a bit about the mobile app. Let’s say you’re a manufacturer and you’ve got an in-house heat treat department. How often are you going to be using that mobile app as opposed to how often are you going to be using a desktop application, and how is the mobile app used?
MW: The decision to go with the mobile app came from our experience as a heat treat lab. Having to schlep around a laptop in a laptop bag or a cart with a computer on it, it’s really kind of a pain, quite frankly. Virtually everyone owns a cellphone. So, if we can put this into the power of a cellphone and enable that person to carry one less thing and to have the flexibility to not need to have to have that to do an SAT, to do a calibration, to change a sensor and those types of things, that’s what we wanted to do. You can use the app, you can run it on a laptop if you wish, and we have a few customers that just do that, but most of our customers (I would say over 90%), use the app, and depending on how fat their fingers are, they might go to a tablet.
DG: On a typical day when they’re using the app, they’re using it to do what? Run us through what would be a typical application.
MW: The mobile is primarily just used to do instrument calibrations and system accuracy tests. When you go out to do these tests, there is a whole lot of information that you need to have, and you need to be able to record information. Everything that you need is on the app, whether it’s defining what test sensor you’re using, what field test instrument you’re using, what furnace class the furnace is — everything is there. So, they’re using it just to record information. As they’re using that app and putting that information in, their reports are literally being generated in real-time and waiting for the quality manager to review whenever he or she wants to.
DG: I wanted to ask you about the different standards that you guys are covering. The three biggies we always think about are NADCAP, AMS2750, and CQI-9, and I’m sure you’ve got compliance with all of those. Are there any other major ones that you think any of our captive heat treaters might be interested in? I know the commercials will be interested in all of them, but any our captives might be interested in?
MW: Yes. Those two are the big ones — the AMS2750 spec and CQI-9 — that’s going to cover your aerospace and your automotive specification. We have the ability to give our customers, and a lot of our users do take advantage of it to create their own custom specs. They can just define their custom specs, their criteria, their frequencies, and then use the same platform that we built for these two specs, out of the box, to drive the compliance to whatever spec they want. So, it’s very open — it’s kind of agnostic in that regard. But we just built in those two AMS2750 and CQI-9 specs because that’s going to hit over 90% of what everybody wants.
Just a thing about those specs: Whenever those specs revise, like when CQI-9 went from rev 3 to 4 and when AMS2750 revision from E to F, and now, coming up in June when it revises to G, one of the benefits of having a Cloud-based solution is that all of our customers, when it went to F, all they had to do was log into the portal, find their furnace and go from E and select F and they’re off and running. That’s all they had to do. No training is required. It saves a lot on time of training, and you don’t have to redo the paperwork. The reports and all those things are now current revision.
DG: And Rev G of AMS2750 is probably out. I was just at some industry meetings and the big stink about the AMS2750 is going to a tenth of a degree on some measuring tools and things of that sort. Are you guys are able to handle that? I assume, being the software guys, it probably doesn’t really matter to you whether it’s a tenth or a hundredth or whatever. But you can cover that?
MW: Yes, absolutely. Now the tenth of a degree thing, I believe, is going to be extended for another year so that users are going to have one more year for that. The date we’re hearing and looking at is the end of June, so I think June 29th, which I think is the two-year anniversary of Rev E to F, so it will be coming out then, if nothing else changes.
DG: The fellows I was hearing from were saying basically there is talk of the extension, but they’ve got to get it passed to actually get the extension, otherwise end of June is the date that most people are going to have to nail that with.
Your C3 Data tool is basically Cloud-based, portable, whether it’s website, phone, tablet or whatever, to help people comply. When the auditor walks in to get the information they want, how easy is it for your clients? What do they need to do? I assume this is where the real time and money-savings come in, correct?
MW: Correct. What we like to tell people is, in a nutshell, C3 Data is going to save you time and help you pass your audits. The time saving is happening all during the year. Every SAT you do, you’re saving an enormous amount of time because you’re not writing in your reports, you’re not doing any calculations — you’re aggregating and gaining time throughout the year.
You’re also going to gain time in your audit preparation because, as you mentioned, when you log into your portal, your ability to find all of your documentation, along with our furnace dashboard which shows you, furnace by furnace, the compliance status of each one of them. You can see, in real-time, the compliance status is a huge timesaver and a real peace of mind that you can walk in with your hand on your heart and know from the auditor’s perspective, you’re going to have a good experience, because if he wants to see something, it’s very easy to find and you’re well prepared.
DG: Timesaving has got to be enormous. I know there are a lot of companies investing a lot of time in these audits and in compliance-related things.
You guys do a lot of work in this area. Are there any good tools out there for any of our viewers/readers if they want to go and find out more information, whether it’s dealing with compliance, what is AMS2750, what is CQI-9, any of that kind of thing? Any suggestions from you on where people might want to go?
MW: On our website, c3data.com, we’ve got a portion there that you can look up for training. We have a curriculum of training courses where they can come and educate themselves, whether it’s, like you say, to learn about what the spec is or maybe take a deeper dive into some of those fields — we have those available. We love talking to our customers and our prospects, too.
One of the things I will mention: In going back to the web as a software service model, one of the things that’s ongoing is the ability to support. We’ve been through so many of these audits and we know the spec probably more than the next guy and when you look at some of the testimonials on our website, you’ll see that they obviously love the product, but they love the ability to call one of us, and if we don’t know the answer, we’ll find out the answer and get them plugged into what they need. We enjoy talking about it.
This year, we’re going to be at the Furnace North America show in Indianapolis which is my hometown which will make it quite easy for me to get there. But we’re going to have a special guest, Doug Shuler, who’s going to be joining us at our booth. So come on by the booth and get all your questions answered by Doug.
DG: If his name is Doug, he can’t be all bad.
Matt, thanks a lot. I really appreciate your time. I’m looking forward to seeing you guys continue to grow and you’re offering a great service to heat treaters, so best of luck to you.
Precise temperature regulation is undoubtedly the top variable in the industrial process that influences the quality of the final product. Using intelligent power control and predictive maintenance, silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) play a major role in temperature regulation and in improving the industrial heat treating process. What are SCRs and how do they improve the industrial heat treat process?
In this Technical Tuesday feature, written by Tony Busch, sales application engineer at Control Concepts, Inc. and Meredith Barrett, manager of Marketing and Business Development at Weiss Industrial, discover how SCRs can help you improve temperature regulation.
(This article was originally published in Heat Treat Today’s November 2021 Vacuum Furnaceprint edition.)
Introduction
Meredith Barrett Marketing and Business Development Manager, Weiss Industrial
Tony Busch Sales Application Engineer Control Concepts, Inc.
In manufacturing metals and in the heat treat industry, temperature regulation is crucial. SCR power controllers regulate the flow of electricity from the grid to a major heating element in a manufacturing process. Usually, the major heating element is a furnace, kiln, or oven, and the SCR is often connected to the heating element directly or to a transformer connected to the heating element.
The ability to calculate resistance in a furnace can provide information on the overall condition of an element. The SCR collects data and communicates it back to the network. Predictive maintenance is knowing when an element has reached its useful life. This article will define what an SCR power controller is, how it functions, and the different firing modes.
Digital Thyristor/SCR Power Controller Overview
“Thyristor” is a Greek-derived word for “door.” The term is a hybrid of the word thyratron and transistor. As defined by ElectricalTechnology.org, a thyratron is a gas-filled tube that works as an SCR. SCR and thyristor are interchangeable terms in describing a device with four semiconductor layers or three PN junctions with a control mechanism. These small machines are known as latching devices. In the context of electrical engineering, a latch is a type of switch where once it’s on, it will remain on after removing the control signal.
Figure 1. Current flow
The actual power control module is an advanced electronic device with LED indicators and I/O terminals. The main internal components of an SCR power controller include:
• Semiconductor power devices (SCRs and Diodes)
• Microprocessor-based control circuits normally referred to as the firing circuit
• Heat sink (a means to dissipate the heat generated from semiconductor devices)
• Protective circuits (fuses and transient suppressors)
The diagram below is a very basic model showing one leg of an SCR controller. However, in all electrical designs of power controllers, such as the popular Control Concepts MicroFUSION series featured in this article, each controlled leg requires SCRs back-to-back within the power control module because of alternating current.
Figure 2. Basic model of one leg of SCR controller
How are Digital SCR Power Controllers Superior to Their Analog Predecessors?
“Digital” SCR power controllers are basically a concise way of referring to a power controller unit that utilizes a SCR switch (as opposed to a different switching method such as an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)) and has all the above components. Additionally, these units contain microprocessors that make them more of a smart device. They are scalable, and easily paired with other digital units, whereas pairing analog power controllers results in potential emitter gain and bias.
Digital SCR power controllers can provide flexibility unmatched by analog units. This flexibility includes various communication options and the ability to switch through fi ring modes with ease, all without requiring the unit to be changed or rewired. The adaptable nature of digital SCR power controllers allows them to be incorporated into an industrial heat treat process much more effortlessly.
Older analog units are not highly configurable like their digital replacements. Newer SCRs not only have configurable faults and alarms, but also savable configuration files which can easily be loaded onto another unit.
Digital SCR power controllers can obtain accuracy and repeatability previously impossible with analog controllers. Digital units have power regulation capabilities that adjust for both variations from the mains voltage and resistance from the heating element. This form of power regulation is not only the most precise way to regulate temperature, but it also allows for process repeatability.
Synchronization of two units connected to the same power source, firing in zero-cross mode, is not ideal. This means that modules should not sync up so that they are on and off in unison. If this should happen, the process would require a large amount of current to be drawn from the source while the controllers are all on, and none when they are off.
The company’s SYNC-GUARD™ feature, not previously available on older SCR controller modules, reduces the peak current draw required from the source over time by causing each controller to attempt to find a time to turn on when fewer, or no other, controllers are firing. However, it has its limitations. The more controllers that are added to application, the probability of them syncing increases. Once ten or more controllers are utilized in an application, it becomes impossible to not have some sync up despite this feature.
Another key difference is that digital SCR power controllers are always calibrated and will never change. This allows the convenience of being able to “set it and forget it.” Newer models have an option of a digital display which was previously unavailable with analog controllers.
How the Latest SCR Power Controllers Improve Industrial Furnace Operations
SCRs can calculate electrical resistance in a furnace and provide precise power control. Intelligent power control has embedded algorithms which teach functions to calculate data and predict what is likely to happen next in the life of a heating element. This capability can determine partial load loss, resistance change, and complete load loss.
Partial load fault detection is a “watchdog” feature that monitors the system for change in resistance. This is useful for detecting an element failure for loads with multiple parallel elements. The feature monitors a user-set tolerance value that determines the drift from the target resistance in the system.
Therefore, an operator can enter the resistance manually or use the innovative “teach function” with a digital SCR controller. This is a form of artificial intelligence that will allow the SCR to learn the heating element through algorithms. The teach function auto-ramps and intelligently saves different resistance values at various setpoints in a process, eliminating guess work.
SCR power controller units attached to industrial furnace
Heater bakeout is an aspect of industrial furnace operations where digital SCRs offer a great amount of control. Industrial furnaces, kilns, and ovens are often lined with some sort of refractory or ceramic material that allows them to withstand extremely high temperatures. Typically, this material can get stressed and crack if heated too quickly, particularly in some submersion heaters where moisture can be present.
Modern SCR power controllers have an actual heater bakeout mode that will increase the temperature to the heating element gradually, allowing the furnace to slowly equalize in temperature. If any moisture is present in the heating element, it is baked away, and either way, slowly ramping up the temperature prevents damage to the refractory. This can prevent both costly furnace repairs and downtime.
Another major advantage of digital SCR controllers is tap change indication that informs the operator when to change voltage taps. Some loads, even if they remain the same, still can influence and change the element resistance over a period of time. Because this affects the power factor, a transformer with multiple voltage taps can be used.
Additionally, digital SCR controllers can also be utilized to achieve a constant output power. The tap change indication feature signals the operator when to adjust the voltage taps to a higher or lower setting on a digital display or digitally via the alarm monitor panel.
Predictive vs. Preventative Maintenance
Predictive maintenance has become a popular buzz word related to “Industry 4.0” as we now enter what is known as the fourth industrial revolution, or digitization of a manufacturing process utilizing an interconnected network of smart devices. The goal of both predictive maintenance and preventative maintenance is to increase the reliability of assets, such as an industrial furnace, oven, or kiln used in the heat treat manufacturing process. This not only avoids costly downtime but increases the life of an asset resulting in substantial savings in maintenance costs.
The main difference between the two is preventative maintenance is simply regularly scheduled upkeep, such as a temperature uniformity survey (TUS) on an industrial furnace. Think, for example, of how you have the oil changed every 3,000 miles in your vehicle because it is common practice for extending the life of your engine: that’s preventative maintenance.
Predictive maintenance is more condition monitoring or intelligence gathering on the health of an asset. It is based on present time and continuous data monitoring from smart devices on an industrial network. Predictive maintenance is knowing when an element needs to be fixed or has reached its useful life and needs to be replaced. Knowing the life of the element allows for a structured shut down preventing expensive unscheduled downtime.
How Do SCRs Achieve Intelligent Power Control?
In the instance of intelligent power control, the SCR acts similarly to a dimmer switch on a lighting fixture. It regulates the amount of electricity going into the furnace, just like the dimmer controls the amount of brightness going into the light bulb. The purpose of regulating the electricity to the heating element is to maintain the desired temperature and prevent damage to the asset from power surges or voltage inrush.
“Resistance” is an electrical engineering term that relates to the amount of current that can flow through a heating element of a furnace, machine, or other electronic device that heats up. Technically, this can be something as simple as your household toaster. When the heating element is cold, the resistance to electricity is lower, allowing more current to pass through. When it is hot, its resistance is higher, blocking the incoming current.
Figure 3. AC supply (left) and load voltage (right)
Both variations in the electricity coming from the grid (the mains voltage) and furnace resistance can cause temperature fluctuations. SCR power controllers accommodate for both variations from the mains voltage and furnace resistance by regulating output current utilizing different firing modes.
Firing Modes of SCRs: Phase-Angle & Zero-Cross Explained
What technically is a “firing mode” when it comes to SCRs? As noted in the SCR diagram, the topology of an SCR includes a control circuit also known as a “firing circuit.” The SCR has feedback and logic to determine how it is going to fire the electric sine wave. Thyristors, as SCRs are more commonly known outside of the U.S., have two basic control modes: phase-angle and zero-cross.
Phase-Angle
When a SCR power controller adjusts the voltage using the firing angle, it is known as phase-angle mode. This is analogous to a dimmer switch on a light fixture. The SCR is acting as a dimmer switch on an industrial furnace. Using phase-angle control, each SCR in a back-to-back pair is turned on for a variable portion of the half-cycle that it conducts. This trims every single half sine wave, giving a very smooth output, hence getting the correct kilowatts to the needed load.
In a heat treat application where the SCR is firing directly into the transformer, phase-angle mode will need to be employed. This protects the transformer from saturation. (See Figure 3.)
Zero-Cross
In zero-cross firing mode, the power controller adjusts the duty cycle to regulate the voltage. Each SCR is turned on or off only when the instantaneous sinusoidal waveform is zero. In zero-cross operation, power is applied for several continuous half-cycles, and then removed for a few half cycles, to achieve the desired load power.
In other words, zero-cross is best described as a blinking on and off. You’re firing a certain amount of full wave cycles, then it is going to turn off for a period of time, and then return to the on mode. An average is taken of the cycles that fire versus do not fire, which gives you control.
The on and off nature of zero-cross is beneficial for power factor, and the overall cost is lower than running SCRs in phase-angle applications. Simply stated, running SCR power controllers in zero-cross mode versus phase-angle mode consumes less energy and saves money on the electric bill. Zero-cross also produces little to no harmonics. As illustrated below in Figure 4, you can run SCRs in two-phase versus three-phase mode using zero-cross. If the resistance is varying less than 10%, zero-cross can be applied to the heat treat process.
SCR Power Controller Configurations
Single-Phase
In a single-phase configuration, SCRs are running back-to-back to the load, which is looping back up to L1 and L2. This is the most basic SCR set up.
Figure 4. Single-phase configuration
Three-Phase/3-Leg (6SCR)
Three-phase is wired in a delta or wye and involves three SCR modules connected in a circuit. This is great for phase-angle control where the SCR is firing into transformers. The topology is beneficial for direct firing as well. Three-phase is effective in high inrush current loads that require a current limit, and it also enables the system to phase without blinking on and off.
Figure 5. Three-phase/3-leg (6SCR) configuration
Three-Phase/2-Leg (4SCR) Zero-Cross Only
This configuration involves two SCR modules controlling two of the legs, and the third leg is connected to the delta or wye but going directly back to supply voltage. This can be more cost effective for an application since it is run in zero-cross mode.
Figure 6. Three-phase/2-leg (4SCR), zero cross mode
Inside Delta
Inside delta configuration is double the wiring. However, it reduces the size of the SCRs needed. Where the SCRs are placed in the circuit in the inside delta configuration will draw less current at the point. This is a more uncommon configuration, and it is found infrequently in the field.
Figure 7. Inside delta configuration
What SCR Is Right For Your Application?
Weiss Industrial, a manufacturer’s representative company, chose to partner with one of the top OEMs to help provide their customers with uninterrupted and efficient plant operations. They teamed up with Control Concepts Inc. (CCI) on their MicroFUSION Power Controllers because they found their product to be the most reliable and their customer service superior. The company’s power controllers are manufactured in the USA in their 54,000 square foot, company-owned facility in Chanhassen, MN.
Tony Busch, sales application engineer, notes that one of the bigger factors to consider in selecting the right SCR power controller is the load type. Some loads require zero-cross fi ring modes, others phase angle only, and in certain cases it does not matter. It can be either zero-cross or phase angle.
The main rule of thumb is to never use zero-cross on fast responding loads, such as infrared lamps and low mass heaters. In this instance, zero-cross will cause too much of an inrush current and can burst lamps and/or fuses down the line. On the other hand, loads in which the resistance changes are less than 10%, such as nickel and iron chromium, zero-cross must be used. Operators also prefer zero-cross in instances where low harmonics are required, as it produces less harmonics than phase-angle firing mode.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SCRs help achieve an integral part of an industrial network that improves the modern heat treat manufacturing process by providing precise and intelligent power control. They also achieve predictive maintenance previously impossible with their analog predecessors. Their advantages are numerous in improving industrial furnace operations and the heat treat manufacturing process.
Other major advantages of SCRs are their high reliability. Since they are solid-state devices, there is no inherent wear-out mode that can be associated with other industrial mechanical machinery that has gears or moving parts. This means little to no maintenance of the SCR power controller.
They have infinite resolution, which means if there is an incoming supply voltage of 480 volts, sequentially, 480 volts will be returned out of the SCR when it is turned on fully. There is no trim back or load loss involved. You can go from zero to 100% if you want to control your voltage, power, or current.
SCRs also have an extremely fast response time, which allows the operator to turn the device on and off very quickly. In North America, voltage is mostly running on 60hz at 120 half cycles per second. SCRs allow you to target a particular half cycle and turn it on and off very quickly. This is a great feature for loads that have high inrush current, acting as a soft starter, to keep from saturating the heating element.
Want to learn more?
Weiss Industrial has partnered with Control Concepts Inc. to produce a PDF document entitled A Guide to Intelligent Power Control & Temperature Regulation Utilizing SCR Technology, which you can obtain by contacting Meredith Barrett, Marketing and Business Development manager at Weiss Industrial: meredith.barrett@weissindustrial.com.
About the Authors:
Tony Busch, a graduate of Dunwoody College of Technology with a degree in Electrical Construction, began his career atControl Concepts, Inc.’s headquarters in Chanhassen, MN as a test technician, quickly transitioning to field service and repairs. In 2014, he began his current position as a sales application engineer and became Bussmann SCCR training certified. Contact Tony at tony.busch@ccipower.com
Meredith Barrett has a Communications degree from Penn State University and over twenty years of experience in sales, corporate communications, marketing, and business development. While her journey into the industrial and manufacturing sector began in 2014 with Siemens Industry, Meredith joined Weiss Industrial in January of 2020 as the Marketing and Business Development manager to assist in building a new marketing department and lead generation program, while also supporting business development. Contact Meredith at meredith.barrett@weissindustrial.com.
Do you always feel confident when selecting heat treating equipment? ¿Se siente siempre seguro cuando selecciona equipos de tratamiento térmico?
There are many factors involved when making a purchase. Often, key considerations may be missed. Read this guide on how to select and buy new equipment by Carlos Carrasco, founder of Carrasco Hornos Industriales.
This original content article was originally published inHeat TreatToday’s November 2021 Vacuum Furnaceprint edition in English and Spanish.
Carlos Carrasco Founder Carrasco Hornos Industriales
Why Is This Guide Helpful?
There are many reasons to select industrial furnaces carefully. One is the cost of the furnace. Another is realizing heat treating will affect the product and the bottom line. There is more specialized engineering in heat treating equipment than is apparent from the outside.
The purpose of this guide is to help engineers make the best equipment selection. The decision will affect not only the project, its budget, and results, but will also reflect the buyer’s knowledge. After the heat treating equipment is selected, the realization may occur that perhaps insufficient thought was given to potential maintenance problems or the work required to keep it in top working condition.
The following steps, gathered from more than 50 years of experience in the fields of manufacturing, sales, and maintenance, will be a useful guide to selecting heat treating equipment that will please both management and operators.
Vacuum high-pressure hardening furnace
Step One: Quote Request
When requesting a quote, management knows the exact requirements the heat treated products must have. A reliable supplier should be able to understand all requirements for a quote. Requests must be clear, concise, and contain at least the following information:
Heat treating processes that will be carried out on the equipment
Shape, general dimensions, and weights of the product(s) to be heat treated
Production volumes per hour, day, or month
Number of hours available for heat treating
Part material
Fuel type, or if the heating will be done with electricity
Voltage available in the plant
Space available for installation of equipment
Special considerations for handling loading and unloading
Furnace manufacturers need the above information to begin to create a series of options for the equipment that will be most suitable for the required processes. For example, hourly production defines: the dimensions of the space to heat the load, the type of furnace (continuous or batch), the amount of heat to be released in the furnace, the loading and unloading method, and the devices for accommodating or transporting the load such as trays, baskets, or conveyor belts. All these considerations influence both the initial cost and the operating cost, because in the end, the cost of the proposed equipment and its functionality are directly related to the specifications of the request for a quote.
It is difficult to attempt to use one furnace for all heat treating processes or to attempt to take into account future production needs that may not be necessary. It is impractical to carry out several processes that require different temperatures or have different production volumes. Trying to do so leads to oversized and over-budget equipment.
Vacuum low-pressure carburizing furnace
Step Two: Supplier Selection
Quote requests should only be submitted to manufacturers with the technical capacity and experience to prepare an offer that satisfies the request. Always use references from previous installations with similar quote requirements.
Considering the potential for financial gain, the cost of heat treating equipment can be appealing. The design and construction of heat treating equipment involves a considerable amount of engineering resulting from expensive investments in research and development. This research and development is influenced by user feedback detailing equipment failure. This feedback creates opportunities for manufacturers to fix equipment issues. Without the added benefit of other heat treater’s feedback, equipment failure is more likely. Finding a manufacturer with experience is crucial.
Only suppliers with experience and solid technical capacity will be able to guarantee results from the start. The goal is to receive equipment that requires no corrections after the first load leaves the furnace and to not have to rework the design.
Step Three: Study and Evaluation of Offers
A failed project is too much to risk, and so the responsible supplier will invest time and money in the study and preparation of the offer.
Every responsible supplier has been disappointed by an offer read backwards — when the potential customer reads the price first. Is the overriding need to stay within a certain budget or for heat treating equipment that is capable of processing parts to meet specifications? A careful reading of the offer may justify the cost of the furnace in relation to production needs. If there is a confusing section of the offer, it is important to clarify with the supplier. Investment in production equipment is very important, but it is even more important that the investment be profitable.
The heat treating equipment must satisfy a production need and certain metallographic specifications. Consequently, the dimensions of the space where the parts will be placed may be the main factor in the design of the furnace. This is because metals are only capable of heating up to a certain temperature at a rate that is determined by the heating method, geometry, and load arrangement. Only experienced vendors can make the correct calculations to meet the production needs of the project. Be sure to understand the calculations that lead to the sizing of the proposed system.
How are the parts supported and/or transported within the furnace? This is a point of great importance for the initial cost of these components and for the costs of future maintenance. Keep in mind that any mechanism that works at high temperatures will always be problematic for maintenance and replacement. Cast link belts, for example, have a higher initial cost, but they withstand heavy loads longer than metal mesh belts. However, there is a notable difference in the cost of components made of chromium-nickel alloy and those of carbon steel. Since chromium-nickel materials are able to withstand higher temperatures, their use is recommended and almost essential.
Furnaces tend to deteriorate rapidly where the heat is being lost. Make sure the door design is the best possible to avoid heat loss. Be sure that all doors included in the design are necessary. Doing so will save maintenance costs.
When it comes to quenching, oil or water circulation systems are extremely important, as is tank capacity. Otherwise, the quenching medium may overheat, causing unsatisfactory results.
In an oven intended for low temperature operations 356°F–1,112°F (180°C–600°C), for example tempering processes, it is necessary to have a fan to recirculate the hot air from the furnace. The uniformity of the temperature in the parts and the speed at which they heat up depends on the speed of recirculation, the weight of the air, and the design of the furnace, which must force the passage of air optimally through the load with the use of deflectors, screens, or distribution plenums. In high temperature furnaces, 1,292°F–2,192°F (700°C–1200°C), the heat transfer depends on the radiation toward the load and its exposed surface, so a recirculation fan is not necessary. Heat treatment is a critical process and temperature pyrometers must have the necessary precision.
List any doubts about the offer and ask the supplier to clarify at length in writing. The answers will make it easier to do a second analysis of the offer and compare it with other offers. In addition, the written clarifications will be a record for review by other collaborators on the project. Ask for feedback and observations on the proposals to get a second opinion.
Ask suppliers to provide a list of similar installations. Industry colleagues are generally unbiased in their comments about their experience with a particular supplier.
Finally, make a comparison chart in the most objective way possible. Keep in mind the fact that offers often do not include some subjective issues that may be important for a final selection. For example, some vendors are likely to have greater knowledge and experience in certain processes, simply because they have invested time and money to fi nd the best solutions to the process and those experiences could be beneficial.
Step Four: The Price
Understanding the scope of the received proposals that meet production and quality requirements is not all that goes into selecting heat treating equipment. After all this, there are still significant differences between various suppliers. Price is one of these differences. At this stage, the industrial furnace manufacturer will need to justify costs. It will be easy to tell if the manufacturer is thinking of the buyer as a future satisfied customer, or only of the economic benefits the sale will bring.
Conclusion
There are innumerable cases in which the equipment was poorly selected: “The substation and/or the cooling tower did not have the capacity;” or “The equipment is not what we expected;” or “They never told us that the furnace needed gas in those capabilities.” These are just a few of the possible comments everyone has heard.
Selecting heat treating equipment should be done slowly, analyzing all the options, weighing the differences between providers, and seeking clarification. Ask the supplier for multiple equipment options like requesting spare parts for the first year of operation.
Ultimately, time will tell if the furnace selected was the right choice. These recommendations provide a guide to making that decision. We sincerely hope that these recommendations will guide you in the selection of industrial furnaces for heat treating.
About the Author:
In addition to being the founder of Carrasco Hornos Industriales — furnace experts, consultants, and independent sales representatives for various furnace companies and spare parts — Carlos Carrasco is the founder and former president of ASM International, Mexico Chapter with more than 50 years of experience in the heat treat industry.
¿Se siente siempre seguro cuando selecciona equipos de tratamiento térmico? Do you always feel confident when selecting heat treating equipment?
There are many factors involved when making a purchase. Read this guide on how to select and buy new equipment by Carlos Carrasco, founder of Carrasco Hornos Industriales. The Spanish version is below, or you can check out both the Spanish and the English translation of the article where it was originally published: Heat Treat Today'sNovember 2021 Vacuum Furnaceprint edition.
¿Se siente siempre seguro cuando selecciona equipos de tratamiento térmico? Hay muchos factores involucrados cuando se hace una compra. Consulte este artículo para conocer los pautas que lo ayudarán en el proceso de selección y compra. Autor: Carlos Carrasco, fundador de Carrasco Hornos Industriales.
Carlos Carrasco Fundador Carrasco Hornos Industriales
¿Por qué es conveniente esta guía?
Este artículo ayuda a los ingenieros a comprar equipos de tratamiento térmico. Hay muchas razones para seleccionar cuidadosamente los hornos industriales. Uno, es el costo del horno en sí y otro, es que el producto que se está tratando térmicamente afectará los resultados de su empresa.
En un equipo para tratamiento térmico, hay más ingeniería especializada de lo que parece en el exterior. Hay varias y muy sólidas razones, para hacer una cuidadosa selección de estos equipos, pues sus componentes son inherentemente de alto precio y en la mayoría de los casos, los resultados del tratamiento térmico tienen un importante efecto en la economía de su empresa.
El objetivo de esta guía es el de tratar de ayudarle a hacer la mejor selección del equipo; porque su decisión afectará no sólo al proyecto, su presupuesto y resultados, sino también a su capacidad como ejecutivo. No será la primera vez que escuche usted comentarios respecto a equipos adquiridos por la empresa en etapas anteriores a la suya o en la misma, y es común en la industria, tanto nacional como internacional, que los operadores o el personal de mantenimiento, comenten: “Cuando adquirieron este horno, nadie pensó en los problemas de mantenimiento [. . .] Como ellos no son los que lo usan día con día, no se dieron cuenta de cuánto trabajo se requiere para mantenerlo o bien para trabajar confi ablemente con él”.
Déjese ayudar, pues como ingenieros consultores en hornos y experiencia de más de 50 años en este ramo; tanto en la fabricación, venta y mantenimiento, con buenos resultados, los comentarios siguientes seguramente pensamos le serán útiles.
Horno de temple al vacío
Primer paso: solicitud de la cotizacion
Al solicitar una cotización, nadie mejor que Ud. puede conocer los requisitos que deben tener sus productos tratados térmicamente. Un proveedor confiable, debe ser capaz de entender todas sus necesidades de tratamiento térmico a partir de la solicitud de cotización que le presente. Consecuentemente, su solicitud deberá ser clara, concisa y tendrá como mínimo los siguientes datos:
Proceso de tratamiento térmico a efectuarse en el equipo.
Forma, dimensiones generales y pesos del (los) producto(s) a tratar térmicamente.
Volúmenes de producción por hora, día o mes.
Número de horas disponibles para el trabajo de tratamiento térmico.
Material del que están construidas las partes.
Combustible disponible o en su caso, si la calefacción será por medio de electricidad.
Tensión eléctrica disponible en la planta.
Espacio disponible para la instalación del equipo.
Consideraciones especiales del manejo de la carga y la descarga.
Es conveniente que Ud. sepa que los fabricantes de hornos necesitan la información anterior para empezar a definir una serie de opciones del equipo que podría ser el más adecuado para sus procesos. Por ejemplo, la producción horaria define: Las dimensiones del espacio para calentar la carga, el tipo de horno, continuo o por lotes, la cantidad de calor a ser liberada en el horno, así como el método de carga y descarga y los dispositivos para acomodar o transportar la carga como charolas, canastillas o bandas transportadoras. Todo lo anterior influye, tanto en el costo inicial como en el de operación, porqué, a fin de cuentas, el costo del equipo propuesto y su funcionalidad, están en relación directa a las especificaciones de su solicitud de cotización.
Ah, y por favor, no trate de llevar a cabo todos los procesos de tratamiento térmico habidos y por haber en un único horno, ni tampoco quiera tomar precauciones de futuras necesidades de producción, de las cuales no tiene ahora ninguna certeza, ya que es difícil llevar a cabo en un solo horno varios procesos que involucran diferentes temperaturas, volúmenes de producción, etc. Un enfoque en este sentido conduce a equipos sobredimensionados y posiblemente fuera de su presupuesto.
Horno de vacío para carburizado a baja presión
Segundo paso: selección de proveedores
Presente su solicitud de cotización, solamente a quien tenga la capacidad técnica y experiencia para preparar una oferta, que satisfaga dicha solicitud. Utilice siempre referencias de instalaciones previas, y de preferencia similares, o mejor aún, iguales a la que usted requiere.
El costo de los equipos para tratamiento térmico es elevado y representa un atractivo a empresas e individuos que consideran la posibilidad de obtener beneficios económicos. La verdad, es que el diseño y construcción de estos equipos involucra una considerable cantidad de ingeniería, resultado de costosas inversiones en investigación y desarrollo con retroalimentación de casos prácticos (los fracasos enseñan) que han sido aprovechados en beneficio de los clientes potenciales. En suma, no permita que sus necesidades sean el método de aprendizaje de un proveedor. Aquí es donde no hay sustituto a la experiencia.
De hecho, el proveedor con experiencia y sólida capacidad técnica es el único que estará en posibilidad de garantizar resultados desde el principio. Desde luego, a Ud. le interesa obtener resultados dentro de especificaciones, desde la primera carga que sale del horno, y no comprar excusas, promesas y retrabajos para corregir lo que de inicio está mal hecho. Quizá, con buenas intenciones, pero poca y en algunos casos, nula experiencia.
Tercer paso: estudio y evaluación de las ofertas
El proveedor responsable invertirá tiempo y dinero en el estudio y preparación de la oferta, porque no puede correr el riesgo de que su proyecto no cumpla su cometido. Ahora la responsabilidad de evaluar las propuestas recae sólo en Ud.
No hay proveedor responsable, que no haya sufrido la decepción de que su oferta sea leída de atrás para adelante. Nos referimos a que el precio es la primera línea que lee el cliente potencial. Hágase una pregunta: ¿Su necesidad primordial es, un precio o un equipo de tratamiento térmico que sea capaz de procesar las piezas para que cumplan sus especificaciones de su tratamiento térmico? La lectura cuidadosa de la oferta, le dará la respuesta a sus necesidades de producción y a la justificación del costo del horno. Si hubiese alguna sección que no sea de su completa comprensión, no dude en llamar al proveedor para que haga las aclaraciones correspondientes. Por favor, no malentienda. La inversión en equipos de producción es muy importante, pero más importante será que la inversión sea rentable.
El equipo para tratamiento térmico debe satisfacer una necesidad de producción y de ciertas especificaciones metalográficas. Consecuentemente, las dimensiones del espacio en donde serán colocadas las partes, quizá sea el factor principal en el diseño del horno. Esto se debe, a que los metales sólo son capaces de calentarse hasta una cierta temperatura, a una razón que está determinada por el método de calefacción, la geometría y acomodo de la carga. Sólo los proveedores experimentados, pueden hacer los cálculos correctos para que su propuesta satisfaga las necesidades de producción del proyecto, del que Ud. es responsable. Solicite al proveedor le muestre y explique la memoria de cálculo que conduce al dimensionamiento del sistema propuesto.
¿Cómo se soportan y/o transportan las partes dentro del horno? Éste es un punto de gran importancia, por el costo inicial de estos componentes y también por los costos del mantenimiento futuro. Conviene tener en cuenta que, cualquier mecanismo que trabaje a alta temperatura, siempre será problemático su mantenimiento y reposición. Las bandas de eslabones fundidos, por ejemplo, (de mayor costo inicial) soportan mejor y durante mayor tiempo, cargas pesadas en comparación con las bandas de malla metálica. Sin embargo, hay notable diferencia en los costos de componentes de aleación Cromo-Níquel, comparados con los de acero al carbón, pero su uso es prácticamente imperativo.
Los hornos tienden a deteriorarse rápidamente en cualquier lugar en donde haya fuga del calor. Asegúrese de que el diseño de las puertas sea el mejor posible para evitar esta fuga de calor y también de que su horno no tenga puertas que no necesita. Esto le ahorrará costos de mantenimiento.
Por lo que respecta al temple, los sistemas de circulación de agua o aceite son de extrema importancia, lo mismo que la capacidad del tanque. De lo contrario, el medio de temple puede sobrecalentarse y los resultados de su proceso, podrían no ser satisfactorios.
En un horno destinado a operaciones de baja temperatura (180 a 600° C), por ejemplo, procesos de revenido, es necesario disponer de un ventilador para la recirculación del aire caliente del horno. La uniformidad de la temperatura en las partes y la rapidez a la que se calientan las mismas, depende de la velocidad de la recirculación, del peso del aire y del diseño del horno que debe forzar el paso del aire en forma óptima, a través de la carga, con la utilización de mamparas deflectoras o plenos de distribución. En los hornos de alta temperatura (700 a 1200° C), la transferencia de calor depende de la radiación de éste hacia la carga y su superficie expuesta, por lo que un ventilador de recirculación no es necesario. El tratamiento térmico, es un proceso crítico en lo que se refiere a temperatura. Los pirómetros reguladores de temperatura deben tener la precisión necesaria.
Escriba sus dudas sobre la oferta y pida al proveedor que las aclare en forma extensa y por escrito. Las respuestas le facilitarán el hacer un segundo análisis de la oferta y compararla con otras ofertas; además, tendrá un registro para revisión por parte de otros colaboradores en el proyecto. Pida opinión sobre sus observaciones a las propuestas, pues uno tiende a pensar en círculos.
Solicite a los proveedores, le entreguen una lista de instalaciones similares a la suya en las que hayan intervenido. Generalmente, los colegas industriales se muestran imparciales en sus comentarios sobre la experiencia que hayan tenido con un determinado proveedor.
Finalmente, haga un cuadro comparativo, en la forma más objetiva posible. No pierda de vista que, frecuentemente las ofertas no incluyen algunas cuestiones subjetivas, que pueden ser importantes para una selección final. Por ejemplo, es probable que algunos proveedores tengan mayores conocimientos y experiencia en ciertos procesos, sencillamente porque han invertido tiempo y dinero para encontrar las mejores soluciones al proceso y Ud. podría verse beneficiado con esas experiencias.
Cuarto paso: el precio
Seguramente, ahora que ha comprendido el alcance de las propuestas que ha recibido y que cumplen con sus necesidades de producción y calidad, se dará cuenta que aún así habrá diferencias entre sus distintos proveedores que podrían llegar a ser significativas.
Este es el momento en que un fabricante de hornos industriales podrá justificar sus costos. Y usted sabrá si ha realizado su oferta pensando en Ud. como un futuro cliente satisfecho o únicamente en los beneficios económicos que la venta le reportará.
Conclusiones
Son innumerables los casos en que los equipos fueron mal seleccionados: “La sub-estación y/o la torre de enfriamiento no tuvieron capacidad”, “El equipo no es lo que esperábamos”, “Nunca nos dijeron que el horno necesitaba gas en esas capacidades”. Estos son sólo algunos de los comentarios que todos hemos escuchado.
Tómese todo el tiempo que requiera para analizar sus opciones, piense el porqué hay diferencias de un proveedor a otro y solicite que le sean aclaradas. Pida a sus proveedores las opciones a las que puede acceder con el equipo que está solicitando y que éstas sean cotizadas como eso: opciones. No se olvide de solicitar las refacciones que pudieran ser utilizadas durante el primer año de operación de su horno.
Para finalizar, sólo el tiempo dirá si al seleccionar sus hornos, éstos funcionaron como se esperaba.
Sinceramente, esperamos que estas recomendaciones le orienten en la selección de hornos industriales para tratamiento térmico y estamos seguros, que así será. Seguro que debe haber más preguntas relacionadas con este tema, no dude en contactarnos para obtener ayuda.
Sobre el autor:
Expertos en hornos. Representantes de diversas compañías fabricantes de hornos industriales, partes de refacción y equipo de combustión. Con más de 55 años de experiencia en la industria y consultores. Carlos Carrasco es fundador y expresidente del capítulo México de la ASM International.
Carburizing. It must happen sometimes, and if your heat treat division truly understands the impact of the atmosphere, more power to them. In this article by Jim Oakes of Super Systems, you will learn how seeing simulated data with real-time data can help you predict the amount of carbon available to the steel surface.
An excerpt:
“It is important to understand the model and specific variations caused by temperature, furnaces, agitation, fixturing, and part composition. Variations include alloying effects on the diffusion modeling based on certain alloy components, such as chromium and nickel.”
No matter what causes poor quality and adds to your waste, scrap, and rework, the result is the same: it ties up resources, wastes time, and costs money. Reducing scrap and rework must be a priority in dealing with your quality control issues.
To drive consistent and sustainable yield, you must create a seamless workflow and understand the role that it plays in throughput, yield, energy, and quality control issues.
In this Technical Tuesday feature written by Bluestreak | Bright AM, learn about common mistakes that lead to quality control issues.
1. Misunderstanding Product Specifications
Information disconnects related to job processing are all too common and problematic. If part-processing specifications aren’t effectively communicated to everyone in the production chain, mistakes canwill happen. Paperwork can get lost or be outdated. Change orders may not be updated and communicated all the way to the individual frontline operator level. Corrective actions might be taken one time, but fail to become part of the standard operating procedures, as sometimes they should be.
Each of these avoidable quality control issues is solvable by creating an integrated end-to-end solution for production control, with everyone using the same database of information in real time.
2. Using Improper Tools
A common problem that will create quality control issues is when the wrong tools or improperly calibrated tools are used, including:
Equipment, furnaces, etc. that are not appropriate for the job
Equipment/machines that do not comply with the appropriate specification requirements
Machines and equipment that are not maintained properly (or timely)
Employees who are not qualified/certified/trained to operate a furnace or piece of equipment
Testing tools that are inadequate
3. Using Manual Processes
Exceptio probat regulam in casibus non exceptis. This Latin phrase translates to, “The exception confirms the rule in cases not excepted.” But you may be more familiar with the colloquialism, “lost in translation.” When you’re doing things manually, it’s easy for critical details to be either overlooked or lost in translation.
Quality control issues are extremely difficult to manage (and document) when you’re doing things via mostly manual processing. Your processing system must allow for capturing the appropriate information throughout the entire work order operation steps.
4. Failing to Plan
Failing to adequately plan out your work or using generic institutional knowledge, rather than your own actual production facility facts and operational data to make decisions, can lead to waste and ineffective decision-making.
Planning should include having an eye on continuous improvement in every department and production work center. Proper prior planning precludes poor performance (the 6 P’s of planning). This cannot be done unless you have the right system in place. One that provides the right information to the right people at the right time and collects the right information (in real time) as the work is being done.
5. Failing to Document
Companies that effectively improve their overall quality, reduce rework, and improve throughput and equipment utilization involve everyone in the production chain to document and evaluate each step in your processes. Bottlenecks and the cause of continuous processing errors cannot be determined and alleviated without properly documenting what actually happens in each step of processing.
It is crucial that you have an effective heat treat-specific manufacturing execution system and quality management system (MES/QMS) implemented in your organization that successfully addresses all five of these more common quality control issues. Also, using electronic job travelers (work orders) will reduce the amount of error-prone paper documents that flow throughout your production facility, while allowing your operators to enter the required information that feeds continuous improvement and verifies/validates compliance adherence. Additionally, outside auditors are always looking for better and meaningful documentation for your various production processes.
How to Tell If Your Quality Control Plan Is Failing
Unacceptable levels of scrap and rework may be two of the most obvious signs, but there are other warning signs that you should look for that indicate that your quality control plan needs work.
These include:
Missed deadlines and budgets
Higher than normal maintenance and/or support costs
Defect related repairs or rework
Failed audits (or too many audit findings)
Customer complaints
Failure to meet customer demands (or compliance with specification requirements)
These are often symptoms of an inefficient quality control and production Process. You’ll need to attack the root cause of the symptom if you expect to effectively change things. Don’t just mask the symptoms with temporary workarounds.
And don’t continue to ‘limp’ along with inadequate production control and quality management systems when, deep down inside, you know your business needs a better software system implemented as soon as possible. When the quality control plan is flawed (or lacks individual operator accountability), your operation ultimately pays the price.
Practice Proactive Quality Control
An integrated quality control/quality assurance system helps you better manage the many service-based heat treating processes for many different types of parts and sets the stage for continuous improvement. If you wait to react until problems become obvious, it’s too late, and you may have already lost a key customer to your competition. Reducing quality control issues requires a proactive approach.
Conclusion
Avoiding quality control issues within the various types of heat treat processes requires a proactive approach. Look for early warning signs, and take steps to make changes before they grow into bigger problems.
It’s essential to look at quality control issues holistically. Examine the entire production process from start to finish, analyzing each step along the way. It can be extremely challenging when you’re doing things manually on spreadsheets or utilizing software that’s been adapted from another industry. That’s because using the wrong software, i.e., ERP/MRP systems where the primary focus is inventory management or other outdated systems, typically requires expensive customizations (if they are even possible) to adequately handle the various heat treating workflow requirements.
About the Author: Bluestreak’s QMS was designed 15 years ago exclusively for the heat treating industry to drive quality control management from the front office directly to the production floor, with additional functionality added monthly, based on heat treat customer feedback. For more information, contact Bluestreak.
One of the most important advances in batch integral quench (BIQ) furnace systems has been the development of innovative control systems. Many BIQ manufacturers have developed their own highly sophisticated and cutting-edge control systems.
This Technical Tuesday, we explore one such system written by Daniel Hill, PE, sales engineer at AFC-Holcroft. This original content article was originally published in the February 2021Air and Atmospheres, the IQ Edition.
Daniel Hill, PE Sales Engineer AFC-Holcroft Source: AFC-Holcroft
With continuing advancements of smart devices, integrated controls systems, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), we have at our fingertips an abundance of data, both the traditional and newly developed. How to convert that data into useful information, and more importantly how to leverage that information into day-to-day operations to reap the benefits, becomes the difference maker in a competitive landscape.
Recognizing these trends, AFC-Holcroft has built upon a suite of software modules that includes Remote Diagnostics™ to also offer Maintenance Module™ and Calibration Mode™. All three modules are in commercial service having been integrated with BatchMaster™ controls system features on Universal Batch Integral Quench (UBQ) furnaces. End-user response and adoption have been positive with new synergies and feedback leading to ongoing enhancements. In this article, we will discuss how these advancements are affecting the future of furnace diagnostics and some examples of their benefits in many day-to-day situations.
Dynamic Furnace Calibration & Diagnostics
Perhaps the most interesting of the three modules is the Calibration Mode, a patent-pending diagnostics software designed to dynamically test furnace operation for verification of proper functionality over a wide range of subsystems and devices. Notably, furnace and quenchant heating/cooling thermal loads are strategically cycled for response monitoring of typical production needs. Likewise, furnace atmosphere is cycled for response and stability. Additional systems and metrics such as agitation attributes, tray motion and positioning, time to quench, and elevator operation are activated and evaluated.
Once the calibration cycle is complete, the data and responses are compared to original commissioning data and design thresholds to generate a time-stamped diagnostic report with straightforward pass/fail results. With this module, the operator can ensure proper operation at a moment’s notice without additional external testing devices and have the data available to back it up.
It was designed to integrate optional device packages to elevate its diagnostics capabilities exponentially by targeting efficiency and optimization of operation including:
Combustion efficiency monitoring
Vibration monitoring
Power consumption monitoring
Process Troubleshooting
As its base premise, this module was created as a means for operators to proactively verify that the furnace is both fully operational and responding as designed. But what happens if it is not? Calibration Mode can be initialized at any time for deeper analyses by first reporting the current status of subsystems and devices and then for further comparison against initial commissioning data or cumulatively against any previous calibration iterations, making it a powerful tool for rapid diagnostics.
With the auto-generated reports and comparison tools in hand, operators or maintenance team members can pivot directly into troubleshooting any deficiencies identified for quick resolution. Once more, a follow-up can be run to ensure the deficiency is corrected after making appropriate adjustments or repairs. This saves valuable time and resources, improves availability, and likely increases profitability.
Calibration Mode™ Screen Source: AFC-Holcroft
Compliance with Industry Specifications
Whether following automotive (CQI-9), aerospace (AMS2750), military, energy, or other specifications, universal themes requiring the user to implement regular assessments, surveys, and the monitoring of the process equipment are paramount. Today, the Calibration Mode is being used to supplement these efforts in a number of ways:
Creating reports with Calibration Mode for job audit in annual Heat Treat System Assessments (HTSAs)
Producing objective evidence for process equipment validation before and after a major rebuild or modification
Collecting and analyzing data over time and reacting to it
Running with TUS as another layer of equipment verification
Running with Quench System Monitoring as another layer of verification
PPAP, Control Plan, & PSW Inclusion
The production part approval process (PPAP) must be a collaboration between the customer and heat treater to ensure a clear understanding of all elements before, during, and after the processing. Calibration Mode can be utilized as a verification tool initially when processing parts for a PPAP to document the furnace capability and that it is meeting original OEM specifications. If repair or rebuilds are required while that PPAP is still valid, Calibration Mode can be run to demonstrate the equipment in operational condition on a Part Submission Warrant (PSW). Moreover, Calibration Mode can be incorporated into control plans both as a control method for ongoing production and also as part of a reaction plan to diagnose nonconformance.
Dedicated Equipment Vs. Changeover of Equipment Running Multiple Processes
A major benefit of batch processing equipment is the inherent flexibility it offers–especially to commercial heat treaters who are serving multiple customers with many different processes. Often customer specifications for heat treating include clauses preferring dedicated equipment with strict allowances on changeover of equipment. Typically, changeover of equipment for multiple processes requires customer personnel to review and approve the heat treater’s changeover procedures and must include verification prior to start of production (including atmosphere). This changeover process must be documented in the heat treater’s process control plan. Consider running Calibration Mode at changeovers as a means to consistently verify conditions and provide documentation to the benefit of all involved.
Intelligent Preventative Maintenance
Maintenance Module™ also takes advantage of the latest advancements. This module is designed and pre-programmed to include the OEM recommended preventative maintenance tasks based upon pre-defined intervals, sometimes utilizing conditional statements, or where appropriate, predictive algorithms based upon operating time, temperatures, and number of cycles. This database of tasks and report queries provides an intelligent roadmap for the preventative maintenance of the furnace. As such, maintenance task statuses are elevated and flagged for action complementary to accrued usage and actual conditions so that all-important resources can be prioritized and best served.
Maintenance Module™ Screen Source: AFC-Holcroft
Leveraging Diagnostics through the Cloud
Finally, Remote Diagnostics™ was conceived to increase furnace uptime and availability through the analysis of equipment performance data. Real, data-driven reliability and maintainability (R&M) information supports continuous improvement efforts. As a first step, the abundance of data delivered through the IIoT is aggregated to effectively parse, diagnose, and highlight operational inefficiencies.
Next, virtual conference sessions are led by AFC-Holcroft personnel to collaborate with users on best practices, identify training needs, aid in knowledge capture, and provide optimization plans moving forward in a classic continuous improvement cycle.
Interestingly enough, it has become a source of synergy for continuous improvement efforts by allowing us to better understand users’ needs and incorporating them into designs and equipment of the future.
Addressing important day-to-day situations, Calibration Mode, Maintenance Module, and Remote Diagnostics are helpful tools for the forward-thinking BIQ furnace operator.
About the Author: Daniel Hill, PE, is a sales engineer with AFC-Holcroft, based in Wixom, Michigan. AFC-Holcroft is a leading North American manufacturer of industrial furnace systems used in the heat treatment of ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
State of Industry 4.0 in the North American Heat Treat Market: What’s Being Done and Who’s Using It?
What is “Industry 4.0” and how is this new technology being used in the heat treat industry? Industry experts spoke with Heat Treat Todayabout their involvement with this cutting-edge application of technology. To learn how you can implement Industry 4.0 at your plant, read what experts have to say about the problems, solutions, and the future of Industry 4.0.
In this Heat Treat Today Original Content article, Peter Sherwin at Eurotherm, AymericGoldsteinas at Ipsen, Robert Szadkowski at SECO/WARWICK Group, and Dan Herring at The HERRING GROUP, Inc. bring varied perspectives as they tackle this topic.
“I think IoT should be better applied – period!”
– Peter Sherwin, Global Business Development Heat Treatment Executive, Eurotherm
Industry 4.0 and “the internet of things” (IoT) were hot topics in the crammed online chatrooms of this year’s heat treat events. But exactly what are these technologies in the world of heat treat? What are the current applications that three leaders in Industry 4.0 have applied? What are some problems and solutions that this new tech brings? And lastly, what is the future of Industry 4.0?
This article will begin by explaining and defining a few prominent technologies before answering each of these questions. Then, read a few thoughts from The Heat Treat Doctor® as you think about application to your heat treat process.
What Is It and Why Does It Matter?
Basically, the term “Industry 4.0” refers to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. See the chart for a breakdown of major topics of the first three industrial revolutions.
Infographic of the four industrial revolutions. Source: Heat Treat Today (images ref. 11)
The idea of new communication is sometimes referred to as cyber-physical connections. This is occurring right now! For example, a sensor (cyber) can monitor a furnace (physical) and send information about the furnace’s conditions to a central data sorting location (connection) for a human to synthesize and respond. The Fourth Industrial Revolution – Industry 4.0 – refers to how the communication between the physical world and the digital world are seamlessly connected.
Click the image to learn more
A key feature of Industry 4.0 is the internet of things (IoT), but other technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and machine learning also play a part. Let’s define a few of these Industry 4.0 terms that you will see later in the article:
IoT: refers to the physical networking of objects via internet-supported software. Similarly, the “industrial internet of things” (IIoT) refers to these systems supporting industrial purposes, like synthesizing information from furnace sensors on a central app.
artificial intelligence (AI): machines which can process and perform complex directions in a way that mimics natural intelligence.
augmentedreality (AR): digital enhancement of a real-world environment. Think of phone apps which can portray a digital overlay on a video feed, like Snapchat lenses.
virtual reality (VR): digital experience that may be interactive with the real-world environment, or completely simulated.
machine learning: an extension of AI, machine learning describes the result of computer algorithms which modify their performance based on repeated input.
While engineers have been pursuing these new applications for several years, COVID-19 has been a driving factor for businesses to pursue technical options in their daily operations due to limits on travel and physical contact.
[blockquote author=”Robert Szadkowski, VP of Aftermarket Sales, SECO/WARWICK Group” style=”1″]Remote acceptance testing is a highly requested service today. I could say that the financial rationale for such action has always existed, while the epidemiological threat has been the catalyst for change. It is a win-win action.[/blockquote]
According to Aymeric Goldsteinas, project development manager at Ipsen, customers are becoming more willing to implement Ipsen’s Industry 4.0 endeavors, even cloud-based solutions, a willingness that was not present just one decade ago. So how is the heat treat market responding?
Current Applications
We asked suppliers how they implemented Industry 4.0. What follows is how they responded.
Ipsen | PdMetrics
PdMetrics Dashboard Source: Ipsen USA
Ipsen launched a software system in 2016. The company continues to develop and improve its predictive maintenance capabilities to service many of their current customers.
Part of the system’s customer appeal, said Aymeric Goldsteinas, product development manager at Ipsen, is that it can “minimize high-cost events and maximize furnace up-time.”
This is done by using sensor technology and gathering data in their PdMetrics database, which then anticipates future furnace problems. This reduces unplanned downtime and could help heat treaters avoid scrapping loads of high-value parts.
From a consumer perspective, this IoT technology solution leads to improved part quality and part performance.
How it works: PdMetrics assigns a variety of sensors to each system in the heat treat process. For example, a quench system sensor checks vibrations, cooling motor temperature, and water temperature.
Source: Ipsen Harold Click the image to read 5 case studies on PdMetrics.
On Ipsen’s client digital dashboard via PdMetrics, Goldsteinas showed the heat treating systems depicted with a green-yellow-red gauge to portray the working condition of that system. Green indicates that the system is well-maintained, yellow indicates a system needs to be maintained soon, and red means that maintenance is needed immediately. This easy-to-use display is also an example of how Industry 4.0 technologies create user-friendly experiences and cut out excess human input.
This product was used by an aerospace manufacturer to update their systems, integrating this software with their heat treatment process. The results were noticeably increased efficiency of parts and less unplanned downtime. The company was able to schedule maintenance at off-peak hours and plan for future needs by using the platform’s ability to identify maintenance trends, deteriorating conditions, and more.
Check out the post to the side to see how a heat treater was able to save thousands to tens of thousands of dollars with PdMetrics system.
While this company has set the pace with their early adoption of IoT in the heat treat industry, it is worth noting that other companies also offer similar products.
In 2013, Eurotherm began their transition to IoT technologies.
“One of our first true cloud-based solutions focused on improving the efficiency of the calibration process,” said Peter Sherwin, global business development heat treatment executive of Eurotherm. He continued, “This system connects third-party calibration providers with their end-customers and provides an enterprise-wide web view of the calibration status (via dashboards) and access to reports. The smart-tablet app provides an easy-to-follow workflow for conducting a compliant calibration and produces an instant report along with the associated QR-code label.”
Referring to their web-based systems and use of cloud platforms, Sherwin said, “along with our parent, Schneider-Electric, we have developed a range of edge-computing solutions to allow simple transfer of data from the plant-floor to cloud-based advisors and visualization software.”
Sherwin says that their systems are being used globally. “Our enterprise calibration platform,” he shared, “is being utilized by several partner companies as well as in Schneider Electric GSC (Global Supply Chain) Manufacturing plants worldwide.”
Sherwin also noted a variety of IoT applications that Eurotherm provides:
A cloud-hosted digital services platform, EcoStruxure™ Manufacturing Compliance Advisor uses asset compliance to “reduce testing costs, increase productivity and be audit-ready with a robust scheduling and testing process.”
A system called EcoStruxure™ Machine Advisor “allows OEMs to track, monitor and fix equipment remotely.” Additionally, operators can predict and execute maintenance schedules, which improves machine availability.
On a mobile device, EcoStruxure™ Augmented Advisor combines “contextual and local information… creating a fusion of the physical, real-life environment with virtual objects.”
Case in point: “An OEM machine manufacturer in the ceramics industry helps customers reduce their energy consumption by 30% by leveraging our IoT software,” Sherwin shared.
SECO/WARWICK | Remote Factory Acceptance and Activation Tools
Remote Control Source: SECO/WARWICK
Recently SECO/WARWICK publicized the fact that they successfully conducted several international and remote factory acceptance tests. Two customers from China, one from South Korea, and one from Mexico all participated. Each customer was able to remotely approve the furnace construction and performance work of their new furnaces while the furnaces were still on the shop floor in SECO/WARWICK’s European manufacturing facility. No customer engineers were involved on-site at the factory.
Recordings from individual cameras, sensors and viewfinders were downloaded to secure servers and made available to customers. The tests were successful, and the adopted procedures guarantee the reliability and completeness of the data, according the company report.
The company has been using these technologies for “internal device supervision for at least ten years,” according to Robert Szadkowski, VP of Aftermarket Sales at SECO/WARWICK. “In our work,” he continued, “we use remote supervision tools and applications, we report overall equipment efficiency (OEE) indicators, and we conduct optimization processes in terms of batch queuing or energy factor consumption.”
Szadkowski at SECO/WARWICK remarked that for most systems, distance furnace commission is very likely. He explained, “It starts at the stage of making arrangements regarding the expected technical and technological parameters, continues throughout the production and commissioning period, and then during the warranty and post-warranty period. The participation of the customer, the end user of the furnace, in the acceptance tests is required, as is training of the operating personnel […]. There are exceptions to this when dealing with high-risk systems, but for many systems this would be perfectly acceptable.”
Still, Szadkowski noted that “this will be primarily a challenge to our ideas and internal acceptance, rather than to technical limitations.”
C3 Data | End-User System Compliance
Finally, the C3 Data application for furnace compliance is an example of an interrelated, stream-lined, digital solution that provides customers with clear, “real-time” data.
Digitizing data ahead of time integrates testing processes. The system scheduler allows compliance tests to be planned ahead of time. Digitizing the calibration data allows for technicians to scan QR codes attached to test instruments and test sensors to access that data as they test for compliance.
When compliance is tested, the results are immediate for the technician and the quality assurance manager (QAM). The technician uses a portable device to complete these tests, scanning the test instrument and the test sensor, and then inputting the stabilized temperatures from the test instrument and the furnace instrument. In twelve seconds, a technician can complete a system accuracy test (SAT); watch the video above to see the SAT Additionally, the system automatically populates paperless reports to be signed and sent to the QAM. This allows the quality assurance manager to check the reports in real time.
Similar to earlier products, a digital dashboard depicts furnace compliance data. The graphic visualizations allow users to quickly evaluate which furnaces are in compliance, and, if not, why.
Problems // Solutions
Businesses have experienced a few problems with integrating the technology. But there are solutions.
Aymeric Goldensteinas Product Development Manager Ipsen Source: padtronics.com
The first problem is data storage. Like all storage, data storage is finite, and therefore costly. The use of interrelated systems that require high volumes of data to flow between sensors and central systems necessitates investment on the front end for storing data. Additionally, having limited bandwidth to keep digital communication lines open can cause blackouts and connectivity issues. But after acquiring storage, there are practices to use that storage as efficiently as possible.
A solution that Ipsen implements to alleviate this active/working storage stress is “the frequency rule.” This rule establishes a rate of data movement to allow data to move across system memory.
A second issue is privacy/security. It is necessary that the heat treater’s product or process data is properly secured, and while the supplier has certain responsibilities to mitigate this issue, heat treaters should be aware of ways to safeguard their intellectual property. One option, which Ipsen suggests, would be to purchase a unique VPN to ensure better data security. Some companies, including Ipsen, use a stand-alone system that works independent of the PLC, which ensures proprietary data is kept private while following secure industry software standards.
A third issue is user acceptance or, simply put, how comfortable you are with 4.0 technologies. If a heat treater is not comfortable with the technology itself, then Industry 4.0-related tech can be more difficult to implement. On the flip side, suppliers — regarding all processes — must be ready and able to meet the customer’s demands for new products, as Dan Herring, The Heat Treat Doctor®, has indicated. (Ref. 5) An example of digital demands is the AMS2750F requirement that paper chart recorders be replaced with digital data acquisition systems by June 29, 2022.
User acceptance relates to the final problem: relationship with the supplier. While not a bad thing in and of itself, if your relationship with your supplier is not good, then it will be a challenge to develop an effective Industry 4.0 solution process. Be sure you develop an open, communicative relationship with your supplier so that they can offer you unique solutions for your plant’s operation.
The Future of Heat Treat
Here are some interesting applications that people in the industry are looking to with the progression of Industry 4.0:
1. Increased Servitization
Robert Szadkowski Director, Vice President of the Aftermarket Sales Segment SECO/WARWICK Source: Robert Szadkowski
Szadkowski at SECO/WARWICK emphasized that these rapid changes to heat treat systems makes it likely that the servitization — the selling of services rather than products — of the heat treat industry is likely to develop in the near future.
“I am strongly convinced,” Szadkowski wrote, “that sooner or later the servitization will cover the heat treatment industry. When looking at the potential benefits, it’s basically inevitable. The customer, user of the furnace, will be able to focus on their core business instead of worrying about the operation of the furnaces. The manufacturer of the device will be keenly interested in ensuring that its furnace works flawlessly (so that the availability is as high as possible) and brings business benefits to the user. What’s more, with a correctly prepared PaaS (Product as a Service) contract, the OEM will also be interested in improving the operating parameters of such a device after delivery.”
He continues that “Such solutions have existed in the industry for years, e.g. the Rolls-Royce model of selling aircraft engines known as Power-by-the-Hour. The benefits are on both sides; both parties can focus on what they are best at and what is their core business, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. Both parties are interested in long-term cooperation, not a one-off transaction. In light of global problems with access to service engineers, including maintenance staff, the shift of responsibility for the operation of devices from the user to the manufacturer is a natural direction of change.”
There are a few hypotheses revolving around the use of AR service glasses. SECO/LENS augmented reality is currently being explored. This would help in providing remote field service support to the heat treater.
Ipsen’s Goldsteinas has also noted several benefits. He explains the application working by connecting a customer or field service engineer who is at the site with an expert from Ipsen or another service provider. This remote assistance wherein an informant is able to see a problem and give first-hand direction is a common example used to describe the benefits of AR. This application could, for example, decrease the down-time if a furnace were to unexpectedly fail.
Additionally, Goldsteinas envisions training sessions that are conducted in mixed reality. Using virtual reality with an oculus — a type of goggle that digitally enhance or recreate a digitally interactive, environment — companies could reduce training time by recreating experiences, like meetings or practical training sessions, that could be collaborative or solitary. Mixed reality devices like the HoloLens may also be integrated for similar purposes. (Watch video to the right to see examples of Microsoft’s HoloLens and other enhanced reality examples.)
The future could also involve virtual collaboration in the form of an augmented reality meeting room to allow employees from across different Ipsen facilities to discuss and interact with the same content in real-time
3. Efficient Cloud Capabilities
Peter Sherwin personally foresees that attention to the Cloud’s abilities and security will be leveraged in new ways: “An example of this is looking at some of the cost-effective modern-day instrument SCADA [supervisory control and data acquisition] offerings that can provide an on-premise hub for certain applications while managing security policies for linking to cloud based IoT offers.”
4. Increased Systemwide Application
Specifically looking at IoT technologies, Sherwin shared, “I think an expanded view of IoT that encompasses automation across the enterprise (termed as Intelligent Automation or Hyperautomation) is more useful if you really want to achieve significant returns on investment [of IoT technologies]. IoT solutions can improve speed and reduce costs across sales, operations, maintenance, quality, service and administration.”
Advice: To Use or Not To Use
Dan Herring The Heat Treat Doctor®
Dan Herring, The Heat Treat Doctor®, has written about Industry 4.0 and how thinking about seven considerations in any continuation of or change to one’s heat treating process is essential. Ask yourself:
Do I understand what I want to accomplish metallurgically?
Can I predict the outcome of the heat treatment operation?
Can I build repeatability into the process?
Am I using state of the art heat treating equipment?
Am I aware of changes to manufacturing operations?
Am I compromising on quality?
Do I know the costs?
At the end of the day, noted The Heat Treat Doctor®, heat treaters need to know that what they are doing is being done the right way, the first time with the best procedures and processes for their particular operation.
Reflections on The Heat Treat Doctor®
Peter Sherwin of Eurotherm commented on the seven-part advice of The Heat Treat Doctor®, noting, “I think it is very appropriate to look at the value of IoT through the seven considerations that [he] outlines. Building these solutions requires heat treat know-how and an understanding of the data to be captured in order to provide valuable solutions. Value is unlocked in the following categories:
“Right first-time quality improvements. A good heat treater will have quality costs <1% of turnover. The MTI suggests that the cost of quality (all activities) can hit $750k for a decent-size heat treat operation. The knock-on [effects] of poor quality impacts customer satisfaction through delayed deliveries and costs in rework/rejects.”
“Maintenance. These costs can fluctuate – but lets assume a well run plant with fairly modern equipment has costs around 5% of turnover. Significant purchase/cost savings can be made via remote support as well as an understanding of remaining useful life of key components (and avoiding panic purchases).”
“Energy. Again this can fluctuate, but let’s say 10% of turnover. Modern efficient solutions (gas or electric) can significantly reduce the cost of energy and this can be further optimized via IoT solutions.”
“Labor Costs. Say an average of 20% of turnover. Some of the modern XR offers (Extended reality – covers AR, MR, VR etc.) can definitely speed up training, help retention of knowledge, and reduce the time and costs in troubleshooting as well as aiding remote support.”
“It won’t be too long before IoT offers enhanced decision support to heat treaters to aid making profitable decisions,” Sherwin concludes.
Concluding Thoughts
Peter Sherwin Global Business Development Heat Treatment Executive Eurotherm
Whether we like it or not, Industry 4.0 related digital integration is becoming essential rather than simply a better option. Again, the recently published AMS2750F revision highlights this shift for heat treaters.
[blockquote author=”Peter Sherwin, global business development heat treatment of Eurotherm” style=”1″]I think it is important that we use IoT where it can truly bring value and don’t view it as a silver-bullet for everything.[/blockquote]
That does not mean you need to scramble to jump on the bandwagon, but strategically assess your position, your operations, and your options to identify what option is best. Look to other examples in the industry and heat treating tech insiders to inform these new, powerful realities.
Read/Watch More:
Pascal Bornet, Ian Barkin, Jochen Wirtz, Intelligent Automation. Suggested by Peter Sherwin at Eurotherm.
Lindsay Glider, “Rockwell Automation’s 4-Step Guide to Starting Your Digital Transformation Journey,” com (13 October 2020). https://tinyurl.com/yynfoufs.
Are you prepared to adopt Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in your heat treat facility? Do you care to try? In this best of the web article, Aymeric Goldensteinas, production development manager at Ipsen, breaks down how a vacuum furnace can be designed to address the concerns of the modern captive heat treater. As you read this article, learn how to use predictive maintenance, what is Big Data, and how IoT can help you.
An Excerpt
[blockquote author="Aymeric Goldsteinas, Product Development Manager, Ipsen" style="1"]What if your furnace could... Tell you that it isn't operating correctly... Tell you when a vacuum pump rebuild is going to be necessary... Tell you that you are at risk of experiencing discoloration in the next cycle... Tell you that you will not pass the leak back test in three weeks?[/blockquote]
Twice a month, Heat Treat Today publishes an episode of Heat Treat Radio, a unique-to-the-industry podcast. Whether it’s AMS2750 or CQI-9, these episodes will boost your knowledge about all things heat treat. Listen to these four episodes to gain confidence in compliance. Enjoy this original content, and happy listening!
DG: I want to jump back onto the labs you were talking about. Very briefly, how many where are they?
MW: Yes, absolutely. Now the tenth of a degree thing, I believe, is going to be extended for another year so that users are going to have one more year for that. The date we’re hearing and looking at is the end of June, so I think June 29th, which I think is the two-year anniversary of Rev E to F, so it will be coming out then, if nothing else changes.
The heat treating equipment must satisfy a production need and certain metallographic specifications. Consequently, the dimensions of the space where the parts will be placed may be the main factor in the design of the furnace. This is because metals are only capable of heating up to a certain temperature at a rate that is determined by the heating method, geometry, and load arrangement. Only experienced vendors can make the correct calculations to meet the production needs of the project. Be sure to understand the calculations that lead to the sizing of the proposed system.
