Thursday, March 25, 2010

Three Common Problems With Your Furnace and How to Fix Them

Drying or firing a product in a belt furnace is often a very important step in manufacturing cells and packages. If there is a problem with the furnace, it can result in a huge set back in production as well as quality. It can create defective products and even compromise the name and credibility of the company you have worked so hard to build. Here are three common problems that one might face when using a furnace and how to quickly and easily fix them.


1. What do I do if the temperature in one zone increases very slowly or does not reach the set temperature for an extended period of time?
a. Check the temperature control in that zone to make sure if the indicator light on the controller is on or not. If the light is not on, reset the setting in the controller.
b. If the temperature controller is on, check the heating board to see if there are any open circuits. Disconnect the heating broad wiring and use a multi-meter to check if the coils are burnt out. You will easily be able to tell if your coils are burned out by using a multi-meter because it will show a infinite resistance. If the heating board is burn out, replace it. When a new heating board is installed, 1-2 days of drying is needed before the furnace can be set at higher temperatures.
c.If the heating board does not have an open circuit, check the solid state relay for that zone. Replace it with a spare or one from a working zone and see if the problem still exists.


2. What if the temperature in one of the zones climbs over 100C or goes higher than the temperature I had originally set?
a. Check the temperature controller in that zone to see if the controller indicator light is on or off. If the controller light is on, reset the setting in the controller.
b. If the controller light is off, the solid state relay is probably bad. Replace the solid state relay and test it again.


3. The products seem to have oxidized during the process. Why did this happen and how can I prevent this from happening again?
a. Oxidation is caused by high oxygen content in the muffle. This can be checked by the O2 analyzer. Double check for leaks on the nitrogen/hydrogen piping by turning on all of the gas flow meters and by using soapy water to check for bubbles.
b. Next, check for leaks in the gaskets in muffle connections. Tighten all the bolts that hold the muffles together to ensure they are not loose. Also, check the condition of the gasket itself and replace if necessary.


If these nifty tips do not seem to solve the problem, absolutely do not hesitate to call the furnace manufacturer in order to receive more model-specific instructions to fix your furnace. Good luck and merry manufacturing!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Why Settle for One?- The New HSH3003-0406 Hybrid Drying and Firing Furnace

      After years and years of sleepless nights and fruitless days, you finally hit the jackpot! You figured it out! You finally have devised the perfect way to increase dye sensitized solar cell efficiency while keeping the costs at all all time low. Now all you have to try it out.

      But how? You know exactly which differing types of furnaces you need to fulfill each step. Where? Your lab doesn't have too much extra space, but that is something you are going to have to work with. Being a small lab based research and development group, you also do not have the money to burn on costly machinery. So what are you going to do? The answer: the compact HSH3003-0406 Hybrid Drying and Firing Furnace.

 
HSH3003-0406 Hybrid Drying and Firing Furnace Design

     This new hybrid furnace was design especially for the firing and drying of nano-sized titanium oxide particles in DSSC to fit the needs of smaller scale research and development. It can operate in temperatures varying from room temperature up to 650°C from which it acts as a dryer below 200°C and functions as a firing furnace at higher temperatures. It also comes equipped with an industrial computer system in order to switch between drying and firing modes. Its compact size optimizes its minimal space requirements as well increases cost efficiency in order to please any budget. In addition, its unique technology has customizable options in order to fit precise needs.

      This hybrid, produced exclusively by Torrey Hills Technologies, has been manufactured in the hopes that innovative researchers are not limited by potentially restricted resources, whether it be space or money. Various universities and research companies worldwide have already taken advantage of what this furnace can offer.

     Torrey Hills technology strongly supports research in DSSC applications in order to promote a greener way of life encompassing more efficient, as well as affordable, eco-friendly practices.