Case Study: Preheat Oven for Journal Bearing K-4RS (550°F)
Customer Background
| Company: | BAE Systems, Land and Armaments |
| Part to be Preheated: | Journal Bearing |
| Part Material: | Steel |
| Part Dimensions: | 12.25" Diameter x 1" |
| Part Weight: | 4 lbs/each |
| Target Preheating Temperature: | 450°F |
| Number of pieces to be heated at one time: | 6 |
| Required preheat time frame: | None Specified |
| K-4RS (550°F) Preheat Oven Specifications: |
Project Background
BAE Systems Land and Armaments in Lemont Furnace, PA needed a robust, bench-top oven for preheating steel journal bearings prior to welding onto tank tracks. The target preheating temperature was 450°F. The BAE systems engineers wanted the bearings to be stored in the preheat oven standing up, so the cradled shelving style was recommended to keep the parts from rolling out.
The K-4RS cradled shelving was extended slightly to accommodate the bearings. The standard maximum temperature of the K-4RS oven is 250°F, but BAE needed a preheating temperature of 450°F. They liked the oven size for their application, so the K-4RS preheat oven insulation was increased from 1" to 2", and a 550°F max dial thermostat was installed. Request for quick turnaround was accomplished. Learn more about our customized industrial bearing ovens.
K-4RS (550°F) Preheat Oven Specifications
| Shelving Style: | Cradled |
| Temperature Control: | Dial Adjustable |
| Voltage: | 120V |
| Wattage: | 1000W |
| Thermometer: | N/A |
| On/Off Light: | Yes |
| Insulation: | 2" |
| Thermostat: | Max Temp: 550F |
| Interior Dims: | 18"L x 18"W x 18"H |
| Exterior Dims: | 23"L x 22.25"W x 21.5"H |
| Net Weight: | 79 lbs. |
| Shipping Weight: | 90 lbs. |
Oven Construction
Exterior
The K-4RS (550°F) heat treating oven is constructed of carbon steel throughout. The oven exterior has a highly durable, powder-coat finish in blue that is resistant to scratching and corrosion. This a front-loading, bench-top style preheating oven and is designed to be stored on an elevated surface for ease of access to the parts being preheated. The door hinges are tack-welded to ensure smooth operation for many years. The control panel which houses the dial adjustable thermostat is mounted on the side of the oven with heavy-duty rivets. A standard "ON/OFF" indicating light was also provided, which is bright enough to be seen from a distance. A variety of temperature control methods are available at preheatovens.com.
Interior
The cradled-shelving style of the K-4RS preheat oven is curved, preventing round parts from rolling out of the oven when the door is opened. The shelf is perforated which allows the heat from underneath to radiate through the shelf and heat the part effectively. Various shelving styles are available at preheatovens.com suitable for almost any custom preheating application. The element on the K-4RS is a 1000W tubular type, and is protected by the shelf itself. The interior of all our preheating ovens are painted with a reflective, galvanized paint and the interior welds are touched up with high-temperature aluminum paint.
All our preheating ovens are made in the USA and feature a 1-year limited manufacturer's warranty. Parts are readily available.
Note: These ovens has numerous customized applications, including an industrial bearing oven.
Design And Build Your Own Custom Industrial And Welding Ovens
Each customer often has a specific process that requires the heat treating of parts, components or materials prior to assembly. Their parts are unique in size and shape, and a customized heat treatment oven specific to the part and application is often the only solution to streamline the process. Keen is your solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a preheat oven?
We use the term preheat oven to describe an oven that is used for preheating parts before they are used in some type of application. Most of our preheat ovens are custom-designed according to the specific application being performed by a client. Many processes require the preheating of weldments before they are bonded to some other type of metal. This preheating is required to change the property of the metal part and enable it to be installed onto another part. Our ovens are used in many applications. The K-450TL hatchable oven used on ships is just one example. We have designed ovens for bowl shafts, cylinder heads, cylinder blocks, military tank transmissions and for many other types of parts.
Why is preheating steel before welding a necessary procedure?
It depends on the application requirements. Many steel components for a variety of industries require preheating to prevent problems in the weld after the job is complete. Keen's custom preheat ovens are an excellent preheating solution to many welding applications. Rather than heat each part at a time, we often have customers that load an oven with many parts at once and leave the oven on all the time. This way they have parts ready whenever they need them, at the right temperature. Each welding application has its own thermal treatment requirements, so be sure to check what is need for your next procedure.
Can this oven be modified for other applications?
Yes, absolutely. Many of our custom ovens have resulted from client requests to modify an existing oven they have seen on our website, or to one of our standard welding electrode ovens that a client may be using for welding applications. The process usually begins like this: a client finds one of our ovens that has an interior size close to what can accommodate the parts that need to be preheated, and then inquires if modifications can be done. Our engineers get to work to provide suggestions to the client as to what modifications can be done. If the modifications are not suitable, we design a new oven from scratch to fit the users needs.
Do you provide CAD drawings for review?
Yes. Keen's custom oven design process typically begins with a discussion of the various solutions we are able to provide to the client. If the client wants to proceed, we then do a CAD drawing for review that clearly outlines the custom oven design for the client to review.
Do you manufacture gas-fired ovens?
No. We only manufacture electrical ovens with a maximum temperature range of 1000°F
Are your products made in USA?
Yes. We manufacture our ovens in Louisiana.
How long have you been in business?
Henkel Enterprises, LLC, manufacturer of the Keen brand of welding ovens, flux ovens, and custom preheat ovens has been in business since 1923.
contact our experts
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