ENERGY SAVINGS IN PROCESSING FASTENERS IN NEW LARGE CONTINUOUS HEAT TREATING LINE.

A processor of fasteners in Detroit, Mich. , Comax Corp. , has put into production one of the largest known continuous heat treating lines in the country. The system clean hardens fasteners at the rate pf 10,000 lb per hour and employs the latest and most efficient energy saving devices. To conserve water usage required for cooling the gas generator and hardening furnace, a closed loop water system was designed employing a Baltimore aircoil evaporation cooler. The atmosphere hardening furnace is provided with a double door entry vestibule designed to reduce the normal loss of atmosphere gas at the charge end of a continuous furnace. The quench system incorporates an air to oil heat exchanger located outside the building. The draw furnace is also designed to minimize heat losses and heat storage.