Heat Treat Tips: SCR Environmental Conditions and Furnace Downtime

June 24, 2020 / HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

One of the great benefits of a community of heat treaters is the opportunity to challenge old habits and look at new ways of doing things. Heat Treat Today’s 101 Heat Treat Tips is another opportunity to learn the tips, tricks, and hacks shared by some of the industry’s foremost experts.

For Heat Treat Today’s latest round of 101 Heat Treat Tips, click here for the digital edition of the 2019 Heat Treat Today fall issue (also featuring the popular 40 Under 40).

Today’s tips come to us from Control Concepts, covering SCR Environmental Conditions. Another contributor, Messer, also shares a tip on “Preventing Furnace Downtime.” These are great tips to make those fixes that can fly under the radar.

Heat Treat Today welcomes you to submit your own heat treat tip for the 2020 Heat Treat Today fall issue to benefit your industry colleagues. You can submit your tip(s) to karen@heattreattoday.com or editor@heattreattoday.com.

Heat Treat Tip #50

Using a Grounding Rod in Noisy Environments

This may be beneficial if you have a bad system ground. (Control Concepts)

Heat Treat Tip #51

Seal Away Dirt or Dusty Environments

Use a sealed enclosure or alternative cooled power controllers for dirty and dusty environments. For heavy dirt or dusty environments, a sealed cabinet with air conditioning or filters is recommended. Alternatively, select a SCR manufacturer that offers external mount or liquid cooled heatsinks to allow you to maintain a sealed environment in order to obtain maximum product life. (Control Concepts)

Heat Treat Tip #52

De-Rate Controller Above 6,000 Feet

De-rate controller for installations above 6,000 feet. As the air thins at increased elevations, natural convection and forced air cooling becomes less efficient. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for de-rating the SCR power controller above 6,000 feet altitude. (Control Concepts)

Heat Treat Tip #64

Prevent Furnace Downtime

If your atmosphere heat treatment furnace is experiencing frequent downtime, and circulation fans fail, it is probably time for an upgrade. New injection mixing technology uses nitrogen to stir the atmosphere and maintain its uniformity. (Messer)

Box Furnace Comparison Before/After (photo source: Messer)

Heat Treat Tips: SCR Environmental Conditions and Furnace Downtime Read More »

Industrial Gases Group Expands with Air Separation Plant in Indianapolis

Jens Luehring, president & CEO, Messer Americas

An industrial gases company recently announced an investment to build a new, large-scale air separation unit (ASU) in Indianapolis, Indiana, a state of the art plant that will produce essential raw materials for metal fabrication facilities and heat treating operations, as well as other manufacturers in the Midwest. The ASU is slated for completion Q1, 2021.

“This investment underscores Messer’s commitment to strategic U.S. expansion to meet growing market demand,” said Jens Luehring, president & CEO, Messer Americas. “We chose to invest in Indianapolis, Indiana, due to its strong pro-business climate and optimal proximity to customers. Messer aims to become the premier supplier of choice for industrial, medical and specialty products in the Americas, providing innovative solutions for our customers with excellent speed to market and reliability. This investment directly supports that mission and strengthens our presence in the Midwest.”

The new air separation plant will produce medical and industrial gases for several industries, including metal fabrication, chemical, welding, glass, healthcare, and food processing.

Mayor Joe Hogsett with the City of Indianapolis

Messer, which acquired most of the North American gases business of Linde plc, as well as certain Linde business activities in South America, is one of the leading industrial gas companies in North and South America.

“We’re excited to keep building a city with a competitive business climate and a vibrant quality of life that appeal to world-class companies like Messer,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett with the City of Indianapolis. “We proudly welcome Messer and the dozens permanent and temporary good-paying jobs that it brings, to the economic landscape of our city.”

Messer