Two-Chamber Indexing Conveyor Oven

DAVRON TECHNOLOGIES INC. designed and manufactured the DTI-971, a natural-gas and electrically heated indexing conveyor oven for preheating interior components at a Tier 1 automotive supplier. Prior to commissioning the operator had preheated products in two separate ovens: The DTI-971 indexing conveyor makes it possible to preheat different products simultaneously in the same oven, thereby reducing the labor, energy, and work-in-process needed for production.

 Davron Technologies, Inc. custom fabricates industrial ovens, providing turnkey design and system integration services.

The DTI-971 has two heated chambers and conveying systems. The upper chamber is heated by a natural gas burner and preheats product via forced air convection. The lower chamber utilizes infrared panels arranged in individual zones of control to allow for variation of heating across the entire surface of the product. The upper (convection) chamber can operate between 300° and 500°F, while the lower (infrared) chamber can operate between 200° and 800°F.

Products are loaded onto the oven conveying systems with a custom automated pick-and-place system designed by Davron. After products are loaded onto the upper and lower conveying systems, they are indexed into the heated chambers.

The products are indexed one position at a time and move through the heated chamber according to predetermined time and distance settings until the preheating cycle is complete. Once preheated, the products exit the oven’s heated chambers simultaneously. They are then matched together to form a preheated vehicle set ready to be press formed into a single unit.

The DTI-971 features PLC control and all motion functions are controlled by servo for accuracy and speed.

The usable dimensions of both heated chambers are 13 ft. 2 in. wide x 13 ft. 6 in. long. The interior of the oven is made of 16-gauge aluminized steel backed by six inches of 8-lb. density mineral wool insulation. The exterior is constructed of 16-gauge carbon steel backed by a structural steel frame and finished with high- temperature paint. The lower chamber features a removable drawer that houses the infrared panels. This drawer slides out of the oven to allow access to the IR panels for maintenance. The upper chamber includes six access doors on each side to provide access for maintenance and ensure compliance with NFPA requirements.

Davron designed the DTI-971 indexing conveyor oven and complimentary pick-and-place system based on two criteria provided by the customer: the production rate per hour and the temperature required to preheat.

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