Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., has been awarded a patent for a new vacuum heat-treating furnace-loading system that eliminates the need to disconnect the heating elements each time the system is used. Chief Engineer Craig Moller, the named inventor on the patent, began formulating this design five years ago for a large vacuum heat-treating furnace used by a company in the aerospace industry.
Ipsen’s loading system functions as an alternative with its ability to leave the furnace’s heating elements intact in the bottom of the hot zone. The newly patented system contains other notable elements, including: unrestricted length or load weight, and jackscrew mechanisms that gently raise and lower loads onto the hearth to avoid any potential damage.
The loading system also uses wheels that permit sideways movements, allowing it to function as a cross-transfer unit between furnaces. The loader’s sideways position is pinpointed with encoder strips mounted in the floor.
In addition to these options, the system incorporates advanced safety features. By utilizing scanning lasers, the operator is able to prevent the loader from running over anything in its path. This helps prevent unnecessary damage to valuable equipment or injuries to employees.
