Profiling aluminum vacuum brazing furnaces

Fluke Process Instruments provides a dedicated temperature profiler for aluminum vacuum brazing furnaces. The Datapaq Furnace Tracker system automatically generates CQI-9 and AMS 2750E reports. It is designed for frequent use, even during normal production. The data logger traces product temperature profiles via ten thermocouples throughout all process phases. Thermal protection is provided by a phase-change heat sink and a thermal barrier consisting of nine stainless-steel and aluminum reflective plates with a ceramic outer coating. The all-metal construction eliminates the need for micro-porous insulation and therefore minimizes outgassing along with its related problems of oxidation and unnecessary rejects. The Datapaq VB1150 vacuum barrier protects the logger for 3.5 hours at 600 °C. The maximum operating temperature in vacuum processes is 700 °C. After only 45 minutes of cooling down, the system is ready to be reused. The innovative application-specific design and superior manufacturing quality ensure a solution that will perform reliably for many years. The system software enables trending analysis and facilitates logger diagnostics. It allows users to identify hot and cold spots and optimize product load and furnace parameters such as brazing times, max/min temperatures, and temperature slopes to ensure that all products meet thermal specifications. An optional radio module enables real-time process control, allowing users to adjust furnace settings and ramp-up to the next zone at the right time. Fluke Process Instruments will present all its latest temperature profiling innovations for the aluminum processing industry at the ALUMINIUM 2018 exhibition in Düsseldorf, Germany, in Hall 10, at Stand H65.