Enhance your in-house heat treatment capabilities with the right kilns and ovens. Heat treatment processes can strengthen metals, hardening them and making them more resilient in engines and other automotive assemblies. By having your own kilns and ovens, you can provide end-to-end component manufacturing and comprehensive finishing services, delivering faster time to market for your products, as well as decreased cost and time efficiencies. Take a closer look at the applications of heat treatment in the automotive industry and the value it can bring to your operations.
Importance of Heat Treatment for the Automotive Industry
Metal alloy components are used throughout car manufacturing. Vehicle designs must have thinner, lighter-weight components made from specialty alloys, carbon fiber, advanced ceramics, and properly heat-treated metals that are strong and fuel-efficient. Modern heat treating makes metals like aluminum and steel stronger, leading to safer and more durable vehicles.
To reap these benefits, car component manufacturers need to carefully match component materials with the right heat treatments. There are several different options and multi-step heat treatments needed for engine components, drivetrain parts, and aluminum body components.
Metals Commonly Used
Modern cars use a wide array of different heat-treatable materials,, including:
- Aluminum
- High-strength steel
- Low-alloy steel
- Mild steel
- Advanced Ceramic Materials / Resins
- Carbon Fiber
- Magnesium
Heat treatments are integral for powder metallurgy parts, castings, and forgings.
Automotive Applications That Undergo Heat Treatment
The automotive industry relies on an extensive variety of metal components, and most of them benefit from heat treatments. These are some of the most commonly heat-treated components.
Seatbelt Clasps
Heat treating carbon steel seatbelt clasps follows these steps:
- The clasps are heated in a continuous atmosphere furnace.
- They are quenched in oil and tempered to increase hardness.
- The clasps are washed, and then plated for additional protection.
Ball Bearings
Ball bearings are challenging to manufacture because every single bearing must be precisely the same size and shape to guarantee equal load distribution and smooth motion. To achieve this, manufacturers must descale, grind, lap, and heat treat the ball bearings. Handling these processes in a single facility offers optimal efficiency and quality.
Sun Visor Hardware
Modern automobiles need well-designed sun visors to protect drivers from glare and allow them to drive safely. The visors can even act as storage. Because drivers use visors virtually every day, the hardware needs to be reliable, smooth, and long-lasting, even if it isn’t required to meet the stringent safety and performance standards of engine components. Manufacturers use thermal processing to harden these components, followed by cleaning and testing.
Aluminum Components
Aluminum components are becoming more popular in cars because their light weight allows for more speed and fuel efficiency. These components must be hardened and strengthened through heat treatment. The result is stronger and lighter metals that allow car designers to create more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Heat Treating Equipment From Heat Treat
Heat Treat supplies four types of heat treating equipment for automotive components, including those described above. Each product has unique benefits depending on the application:
- Paragon Kiln HT22D: This firing chamber heats components up to 2000 °F and features a vent hole for visibility during heat treatment. The kiln is encased in a high-temperature steel case and has a built-in stand to lift the firing chamber above the worktable. Heat shields and high-temperature wire in the switch box protect electronic elements from prolonged heat exposure.
- Evenheat Heat Treat Oven HT-1: This shop-sized heat treat oven also heats components up to 2000 °F. It is designed for commercial shops, private work benches, and industrial prototyping. With a side-opening door, cool-touch handle, and relay access port, this oven provides consistent, accurate performance in a well-designed package.
- Cress Furnace C133: Designed for general use in factories, shops, or labs, these furnaces can heat components up to 2250 °F. In addition to heat treating, the furnace can be used for assaying and other testing applications. It features an ergonomic, counter-balanced door that opens away from the operator and two door safety switches that automatically disconnect power to the elements when the door is opened.
- Olympic Kiln DPF FL12E: As a high-volume, front-loading diesel particulate filter (DPF) electric model, this kiln has a stainless steel jacket, welded heavy angle iron frame, a pilot light, a VentMaster Downdraft Vent System, and a digital Barlett V6-CF 12-key controller. These features optimize safety, access, and uniform heating. The kiln also allows users to create customizable programs for various heat treating projects.
Why Partner With Heat Treat Now for Heat Treating Services of Metals Used in the Automotive Industry?
Expand your automotive manufacturing plant’s finishing, heat treating, and metal manufacturing capabilities with in-house kilns and ovens. At Heat Treat Now, we provide organizations with advanced, modern heat treating equipment that enables fine temperature control. We stock only American-made products, and all warranties are supported by our partner manufacturers with genuine factory parts.
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