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Article: Upgrading control system solves gearmaking problems.
- Article from:
- Advanced Materials & Processes
- Article date:
- October 1, 1999
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 ASM International. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Foote-Jones/Illinois Gear, Div. Regal-Beloit Corp., Chicago, Ill., makes speed reducers and custom gearing. The company's heat treating operation includes six carburizing furnaces, five tempering furnaces, and two endothermic gas generators.
Growth in the company's business during the past few years revealed inefficiencies in heat treating. Examples: inconsistent furnace cycle times, which typically varied from one to five hours per run, and sporadic operation of the control system used to monitor temperature and carbon potential. Because of the unreliable controls, operators had to manually determine furnace atmosphere dew points and temperature sequencing ...