Cooling Tunnels – Automated Component Cooling for the Stator Production Line
At AS Konesko's new Türi-Alliku factory, we built two dedicated cooling tunnels that cool the stator components exiting the heating furnace to the desired temperature within a maximum of one hour. The tunnels' forced-cooling fans are connected to the control automation via frequency converters, which measure the component's surface temperature and continuously adjust the operating speed of the blowers using an algorithm. The solution accounts for varying component mass and fluctuating ambient temperature, ensuring a faster and more stable production process.
Project challenge
The parts exiting the heating furnace prolonged the production process, as they could not be handled further immediately. The objective was to cool the parts to the client's desired temperature within a maximum of one hour. The task was made complex by the fact that the mass of the parts varies and the time required for cooling may vary across products.
How we built it
To solve the task, we manufactured two cooling tunnels to create forced cooling. We connected the fans through frequency converters to the control automation, which regulates the operation of the blowers based on data measured in real time. Using an algorithm, the control automation knows at what frequency to keep the fans running so that the parts are sufficiently cooled by the specified time. Since the ambient temperature fluctuates, the temperature of the parts is continuously monitored and the program continuously adjusts the operating speed of the fans based on the input information.
- 2 cooling tunnels with forced cooling
- fans integrated with control automation via frequency converters
- continuous measurement of the surface temperature of parts coming from the furnace
- algorithm-based real-time control of fan frequency
What we achieved
- parts are cooled to the desired temperature within a maximum of one hour
- stable results regardless of part mass
- reliability even with fluctuations in ambient temperature
- faster production process and earlier further handling of parts
Galerii
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How quickly are the parts cooled?
How does the solution account for parts of different mass?
How is the fan operation controlled?
Does the solution work even when the ambient temperature changes?
What impact does the solution have on the production process?
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