Continuous atmosphere furnace for high volumes of small parts such as screws, washers, springs and stampings. Parts are metered onto a heat-resistant alloy belt, carried through the hot zone at a set speed, dropped into an oil quench, then washed and tempered in line. Belt speed, part loading depth and atmosphere set the result, and belt wear or mistracking shows up as soft or mixed parts.
Mesh belt furnace is loaded too deep on the M8 screws, the bottom layer's coming out soft.
Also heard as
- belt furnace
- belt line
- mesh belt
Related terms
Charge
One batch of parts loaded into a furnace together, or the act of loading it.
Quench
To cool hot metal rapidly in a liquid or gas so that it hardens, or the act of doing so.
Washer
The parts washer that strips oil and chips before heat treat and quench oil after it.
Alloy
Heat-treat slang for the heat-resistant baskets, trays, grids and fixtures that carry parts through the furnace.