155mm Shells | Fully Automatic Box-Type Heat Treatment Production Line | Batch Quenching & Tempering System for Shell Bodies

1. Product Overview

This production line is specifically designed for rapid quenching and tempering heat treatment of 155mm shells, and can also be independently used for quenching, annealing, and tempering processes. Featuring fork-type 3D material trolleys and loading/unloading platforms, it enables fully automatic control of workpiece loading, quenching, and unloading. The line consists of 1 full-fiber box quenching furnace (950℃), 2 full-fiber box tempering furnaces (650℃), and a centralized control system – suitable for high-volume, fully automatic heat treatment of shell bodies.

2. Industry Challenges & Root Cause Analysis

Insufficient temperature control precision for quenching and tempering:Shell heat treatment requires extremely high temperature uniformity – traditional furnaces with large temperature differentials result in inconsistent hardness. Root cause: irrational heating element layout and inadequate hot air circulation.

Poor furnace insulation and high energy consumption:Severe heat dissipation leads to slow heating and high energy usage. Root cause: improper refractory selection and insufficient insulation layer thickness.

Low loading/unloading efficiency and high labor dependence:Heavy shells require frequent handling – high labor intensity and safety risks. Root cause: lack of automated material conveying and positioning systems.

Difficult production data traceability:Heat treatment parameters (temperature curves, soak times, etc.) cannot be automatically recorded – quality traceability relies on paper documents. Root cause: lack of information-based control systems and data management platforms.

Complex multi-equipment coordination:Quenching and tempering furnaces must operate in sequence – manual scheduling is error-prone. Root cause: lack of unified centralized control and scheduling systems.

3. Solution

3.1 Full-Fiber Box Furnace Structure:Quenching furnace insulation thickness 300mm, tempering furnace 240mm – using ceramic fiber blanket folded modules, density 230kg/m³, shell temperature rise ≤35℃+ambient (quenching) / ≤25℃+ambient (tempering) – low heat loss, fast heating, significantly reduced energy consumption. Furnace bottom uses heavy castable pre-formed high piers with silicon carbide bottom plates – impact-resistant and heavy-load capable.

3.2 Five-Sided Heating & Precision Temperature Control:Heating elements arranged on four furnace walls + bottom (five sides). Quenching furnace uses 0Cr21Al6Nb resistance strip (service temperature 1100℃); tempering furnace uses 0Cr25Al5 resistance strip (service temperature 950℃). Intelligent controllers (Class 0.25) + SCR power regulators – control accuracy ±1℃, quenching uniformity ≤±10℃, tempering uniformity ≤±5℃ (with circulation fan).

3.3 Tempering Furnace Hot Air Circulation System:4KW air-cooled high-temperature centrifugal fan on furnace top with guide cover – hot air blown downward onto workpieces, circulation rate ≥50-60 cycles/minute, ensuring tempering uniformity ≤±5℃. Fan shaft and blades dynamically balanced – low vibration and noise.

3.4 Automated Material Handling System:Fixed loading/unloading platform with 6-ton capacity (including material frame), fork-type trolleys for automatic furnace loading/unloading. Furnace door and trolley movement electrically interlocked – heating power automatically cut off when door opens. Furnace door uses inclined slideway + self-weight sealing – lifting speed 8m/min – prevents heat leakage.

3.5 Centralized Control System:PLC + industrial PC (16GB RAM + 4TB HDD) + 10-inch touchscreen, configuration software. Full-line auto/manual dual-mode control – process curves programmable – real-time temperature and status display – audible/visual alarms with fault logging.

3.6 Data Management & Traceability:System automatically records part drawing number, name, batch number, heat treatment parameters, operator for each furnace – process curves storable for 10 years – supports USB export and printing. 485 communication interface with Modbus protocol – MES integration available for remote data acquisition and centralized management.

4. Technical Specifications 

5. Selection Guide

5.1 Recommended Scenarios

• High-volume heat treatment of 155mm shells and similar-sized shell bodies

• Fully automatic heat treatment lines requiring quenching + tempering integration

• Customers with strict requirements for temperature uniformity, data traceability, and MES connectivity

5.2 Key Selection Considerations

1. Product size and load: Verify shell dimensions fit 1.6×1.7×1.2m chamber and 1400×1400×400mm frames

2. Capacity requirements: 64 shells per furnace – calculate required furnace cycles based on daily output

3. Process requirements: Confirm quenching and tempering integration needed – number of tempering furnaces adjustable based on capacity

4. Site conditions: Buyer to complete tracks, pits, embedded plates, and cables – seller provides foundation drawings and layout plans

6. FAQ

Q1: How is furnace temperature uniformity ensured?

A: Quenching furnace uses five-sided heating (four walls + bottom) with 2-zone independent control – uniformity ≤±10℃. Tempering furnace adds 4KW high-temperature circulation fan and stainless steel guide cover – air circulation ≥50-60 cycles/minute – uniformity ≤±5℃.

Q2: How effective is furnace door sealing?

A: Inclined slideway + self-weight sealing structure – when door descends, its own weight compresses via slideway for tight sealing without additional pneumatic/hydraulic devices – reliable with no friction wear and long service life.

Q3: Can the equipment connect to MES systems?

A: Yes. Control system equipped with 485 communication interface and Modbus protocol – key temperature and process parameters can be uploaded to MES for remote monitoring and centralized data management.

Q4: How are heat treatment parameters set and recorded?

A: Process curves (heating-soaking-cooling, programmable segments) set via touchscreen or industrial PC. System automatically records actual process curves for each furnace – data stored for 10 years – supports USB export and printing.

Q5: How is safety ensured during power failures or faults?

A: Control system features over-temperature, thermocouple open-circuit, over-current, short-circuit alarms and interlocks. Furnace door and trolley movement interlocked – heating power automatically cut off when door opens. Audible/visual alarms with fault logging.