Car Manufacturer Heats with Watlow Circulation Heater

Opportunity:

The customer needed to heat quench oil to improve the quality of their transmission gears and to speed up production.

Problem:

The plant is a Chevrolet division of General Motors and manufactures transmissions. Quench oil is being heated and maintained at a specific temperature. In the past, they heating the quench oil with an external source. The oil was heated when hot transmission gears were dipped into the oil. However, they needed to keep the oil at a constant temperature to improve the quality of the transmission gears and to speed up production.

Solution:

A 5 in. flanged circulation heater was selected because it could be mounted directly into the oil reservoir. The oil is heated in the reservoir then pumped into the quench tank in a continuous loop. The heaters were all steel construction and 23W/in². Stock flange heaters were chosen due to quick delivery and availability of replacement parts.

The flange heater allowed the oil to be preheated before the beginning of a shift. Consequently, consistent quality of the transmission gears were being dipped in oil that was being held at a constant temperature.

Value Added:

Stock heaters provide quick delivery and replacement parts.