Can-Eng Furnaces Intl. Ltd., Niagara Falls, Ontario, has been contracted by a large automotive supplier to design, manufacture, and commission an automated T-7 heat treatment system for high-integrity aluminum automotive structural castings. Can-Eng technology was chosen because it provides predictable mechanical properties and maintains the dimensional stability of the casting. The system also offers inherent part-handling features that reduce floor space requirements and energy consumption.
The T-7 cell includes robotic handling, a solution and aging furnace with Precision Air Quench (PAQ) technology, and controls integrated into a Level II SCADA system. The PAQ system offers a unique combination of recirculating air chambers, distribution nozzles, dampers, and directional ductwork. Analysis of CFD modelling ensures that the PAQ system delivers controlled quench media to the casting, leading to repeatable and uniform mechanical properties and accurate dimensional results.
The T-7 heat treatment system is integrated with upstream and downstream processing operations, reducing W.I.P inventories. It is scheduled to be commissioned in the summer of 2016 with a second phase to follow in 2017.
