Temperature Uniformity Survey

&
System Accuracy Test
Basics about Furnaces
 Basics about Furnaces

 A furnace is a device used for high-temperature

heating. The name derives from Latin word fornax.

 The heat energy to a furnace supplied directly by

1. By fuel combustion (solid, liquid, gas)
2. By electricity
3. Induction heating
 Basics about Furnaces

Key components of a Furnace :

 Loading arrangements
 Heating source
 Heat Exchanger
 Controller unit
 Refractory's
 Basics about Furnaces

Classification of Furnaces

1. Melting furnaces

2. Heat treatment furnaces

a) Batch type
b) Continues type
 Basics about Furnaces

 Muffle Furnace :

Operating temp : 1800 °C max

Uses : fusing glass, creating enamel
coatings and laboratory usages.
Heating element :
Molybdenum disilicide
 Basics about Furnaces

 Blast Furnace :

Uses : Smelting (pig iron,

Lead , copper)

Operating temp:
2000 °C – 2300 °C

Source of heat : hot blast

 Basics about Furnaces

 Pit Pot furnace :

Uses : Gas carburizing,
Hardening, annealing,
Normalizing.
Operating temp : 1000 °C
Source of heat : Heating
Coils, Gases
 Basics about Furnaces

Continues mesh belt Hardening and

Tempering Furnace
 Basics about Furnaces

Atmospheric and non atmospheric types

 Uses : Hardening, Carburizing, Carbo nitriding,

Tempering,

 Source of heat : electric, gases

 Operating temperature from 180oC to 900oC

Basics about Thermocouples
 Basics about Thermocouples

 A Thermocouple is a sensor used to measure

temperature.
 Thermocouples consist of two wire legs made from
different metals.
 The wires legs are welded together at one end,
creating a junction. This junction is where the
temperature is measured. When the junction
experiences a change in temperature, a voltage is
created.
 1.1 Temperature Uniformity Survey -
Introduction
What is TUS ???
 Temperature Uniformity Survey (TUS) is a vital part of the overall
equipment performance and validation that ensures the heat treat
furnace accurately produces the same quality parts with
consistency.
 Based upon the furnace class and its specifications, the equipment
must hold uniform temperature across all zones at a specified set
point and time-period, according to SAE AMS2750E pyrometry
standards.
 Temperature uniformity surveys are done to assess the temperature
variation within the heating chamber of furnace.

How often to be done ???

As per CQI-9 HTSA – TUS shall be performed once in annually or
after any furnace modification or repair that could alter the
temperature uniformity.
 1.2 Instrumentation requirement for TUS

 TUS is a test or a series of tests where calibrated field test instruments

and temp sensors are used to measure temperature variation within the
qualified furnace work zone.
 TUS may be performed with an actual production load
Accuracy (+/-0.6°C) and have a minimum readability of 1°C.

Field Test Instruments :

Calibration frequency – 12 months

Accuracy - + 0.6 °C

Minimum readability of 1°C.

1.3 Instrumentation requirement for TUS

2. Temperature Sensor
 1.4 Location & No of thermocouples

No of thermocouples to be calculated based on the

volume or width of the qualified working zone of the
furnace
Two methods:
1. Volumetric Method ( for furnace with stationary
load (batch type), volumetric method can be
employed)

2. Plane Method ( for continuous furnace like mesh

belt furnaces)
 1.4 Location & No of thermocouples

 Volumetric Method
Workspace volume < 0.1 m3 (3 ft3 ) 0.1 to 8.5m3 (3 to 300 ft3 )
No of thermocouples 5 9
Note : For furnace volumes greater than 8.5 m³ (300ft³), add at a minimum one
thermocouple for each additional 3 m3 .

Represent thermocouple locations

 Location & No of thermocouples

 Plane Method

.
 Typical pictorial representation

Below is the image of fabricated skeleton with the

thermocouple in the desired location of the vacuum
furnace.

.
 Data Collection

1. Data collection starts when TUS thermocouples are

loaded into the furnaces.
2. Manual data collection is not allowed
3. When the furnace control normally cycles around set
point and the TUS thermocouples have stabilized,
continue the data collection for a minimum of 30
minutes.
4. This data is then compared with the data from the
process record.

.
 System Accuracy Test

SAT shall be performed using a test thermocouple

conforming to the requirements of
Thermocouple as per below table
 Methods of SAT

Following three methods are currently practising in

the auto motive industries

1. Probe Method A

2. Probe Method B

3. Comparative Method
 Probe Method A

Probe Method A is a check between the uncorrected reading of the

control temperature system (control instrument, lead wire, and
thermocouple) and the corrected reading of a test temperature system
(test instrument and test thermocouple).
 Probe Method A

The temperature indication of the control instrument connected to the

control thermocouple shall be within +/- 5ºC (or +/- 10ºF) of the
corrected temperature indication of the test thermocouple on a test
instrument. After insertion of the test thermocouple, allow sufficient
time to achieve equilibrium between the test thermocouple and the
control thermocouple.
Formula to derive temperature variation shown below
 Probe Method B

The Probe Method B is a comparison between the uncorrected reading

of the control temperature thermocouple indicated on a test instrument
and the corrected reading of a test temperature system (test instrument
and test thermocouple).
 Probe Method B

The temperature indication of the control instrument connected to the

control thermocouple shall be within +/- 5ºC (or +/- 10ºF) of the
corrected temperature indication of the test thermocouple on a test
instrument. After insertion of the test thermocouple, allow sufficient
time to achieve equilibrium between the test thermocouple and the
control thermocouple.

Formula to derive temperature variation shown below

 Comparative Method

1. The Comparative Method is a comparison between the uncorrected

reading of the control temperature system (control instrument, lead
wire and thermocouple) and the uncorrected reading of any other
permanently installed monitoring system (instrument, lead wire and
thermocouple) in the same work zone, such as an over temperature
control system.

2. The temperature difference (delta) between the control system (control

instrument, lead wire and thermocouple) reading and the reading of
any other permanently installed monitoring system, at the time of the
most recent conforming instrument calibration test, shall be
established (e.g., the control temperature system indicates 600ºC and
the over temperature control system indicates 605ºC; the delta between
these two devices is +5ºC).
Comparative Method
 Comparative Method

This established delta shall not differ by more than

+/-1o deg C (or +/-2oF) when checked at a typical operating temperature.
THANK YOU