What is a Mesh Belt Furnace?
A mesh belt furnace uses a continuous woven metal belt to transport workpieces through the heating zone. This conveyorized design enables high-volume continuous production, making mesh belt furnaces ideal for automotive, electronics, and hardware manufacturing applications.
Operating Principle
Workpieces are placed directly on the mesh belt or in fixtures mounted on the belt. The belt moves through heating zones at a controlled speed, ensuring consistent residence time for each workpiece. Mesh belts are typically made of heat-resistant alloys (Inconel, Kanthal) capable of operating at temperatures up to 1200C.
Applications
- Brazing: Copper brazing, silver brazing, and vacuum brazing of metal assemblies
- Sintering:
- Annealing: Bright annealing of stainless steel and copper tubes
- Tempering: Low-temperature tempering of hardened steel components
- Paint Curing: Powder coating and paint curing processes
Advantages
Mesh belt furnaces offer continuous processing (vs. batch furnaces), consistent quality due to uniform residence time, lower energy consumption per part, and compact footprint. They are particularly cost-effective for high-volume production runs exceeding 100 pieces per hour.
