Emerging Technologies

Innovative tools of the trade

Dry, cure, mark, sell

For quality, safety and continual throughput, parts used by manufacturing processes must be consistent, and variation in the processes that handle those parts should be eliminated as well.

Sahara Batch Ovens with roll-in carts can help producers achieve this with uniform temperatures during the process of curing or drying small parts used in a number of industries, including plastics, chemical, automotive and more.

The ovens, from Benko Products Inc., are heated electrically to maintain 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cross-flow air circulation helps maintain precise temperature control. Sahara Batch Ovens, which come with three roll-in carts, are designed for reliable performance and ease of use. The steel construction should make for years of dependable service, even in harsh environments.

The carts have removable and adjustable shelves to support versatile loads, along with heavy-duty casters and wheel guide tracks for easy maneuvering.

Features include 3-inch mineral wool insulation; hinged doors on both ends for greater accessibility; enclosures with a profiling temperature controller, adjustable over-temperature protection controller and blower controls; a two-year standard warranty; and customization for specific application requirements.

Often, parts or products must be marked with serial numbers or other information. Inconsistent marking can deform parts and lead customers to question manufacturing quality. Technomark’s Multi4 marking machine and IDI software help eliminate that concern.

The Multi4 is based on control of an electromagnet that functions like a dot matrix printer, which ensures perfect marking and guarantees repeatability regardless of the item’s shape, surface condition or material. The dot peen marking and scribing technologies meet the requirements and standards of numerous business sectors. The Multi4 marking machine and IDI software can be used on plastic, aluminum, copper, bronze, brass, titanium, wood, glass, steel and other products.

Technomark’s marking products have been used in the automotive, aerospace, space, nuclear, metals, underwater maintenance and defense industries. Its portability helps it mark medium and large pieces and pieces that are difficult to access. It can be fixed on a bench to mark small pieces or integrated for marking in an automated production line.

The IDI software comes in two different modes: marking and maintenance. Marking mode compensates electronically for any variation in distance between the piece to be marked and the marking tool. This helps mark pieces with irregular shapes, such as cylinders and corrugated or inclined parts.

IDI maintenance mode informs the user of any deviation in the marking following wear on the equipment over time, faulty adjustment, a damaged tool or a broken stylus. This solution is perfectly suited to marking equipment integrated in an automated production line. This functionality makes it possible to manage a bank of marking machines.

Michael Hughes is the managing editor of Industrial Engineer.