Seco-Warwick, Meadville, Pa., has commissioned a roller hearth furnace system to ABB, Pinetops, North Carolina, an instrument transformer facility. The system replaces three batch pit-style vacuum furnaces with a high efficiency, fully automated continuous operating system. The new furnace has more than doubled annealing capacity. The furnace control system allows engineers to track the furnace temperature throughout the annealing cycle and detect problems at once. This information and control system provides ABB the ability to produce a stable anneal, which is critical to the electrical performance of its products.
The installation of the new furnace gives ABB the ability to offer lower lead times to OEM customers. The furnace and conveyor orientation was custom designed to fit in ABB’s operational space. This new layout has positively changed the flow process in the annealing area by reducing work in process and transportation time. The new system also includes safety devices that provides a safe work environment for operators and ergonomically friendly. Altogether the new roller hearth furnace has positively affected the business in Pinetops and met our needs and goals.”
