In order to prevent hydrogen brittleness, the furnace is also equipped with dew point control. The result is said to represent a solution that meets demands for process stability and satisfies car manufacturers’ CQI-9 standard.
According to AP&T, the MLF needs only half the floor space of a conventional roller hearth furnace. Furthermore, the parts that are to be heated can be positioned with a great deal of precision, which facilitates, for example, concurrent production of different types of components.
As an additional benefit, service and maintenance are simpler and less expensive to perform as the MLF has few moving parts.
