DATAPAQ TP3 for heat treatment, paint-curing, and ceramics processes

Cambridge, UK – Datapaq introduces the TB9840D heat sink for use in heat treatment applications with a high mechanical load such as nitrogen and helium gas quenches. The new and improved heat sink complements TB4500 and TB4600 thermal barriers from Datapaq. In vacuum or quench applications, it can also be used with TB4000 models. The result of innovative construction and manufacturing approaches, the new heat sink withstands vacuum as well as gas pressure quenches up to 20 bar. Thus, it allows operators to monitor complete high-temperature processes up to 1,200 °C, including heating and cooling cycles. Shortcomings of conventional heat sink designs such as ballooning or shrinkage have been removed. The new tried and tested construction with phase-change material reliably maintains a safe operating temperature below 70 °C for the data logger. New high-pressure filler seals securely prevent gas leakage or permeation in vacuum furnaces. The TB9840D heat sink can be used with Datapaq’s Tpaq21 data logger which generates temperature profiling data that can be retrieved upon exiting the process. In combination with the appropriate thermal barriers from Datapaq, reliable temperature monitoring solutions for various applications can be realized.

Cambridge, UK – Datapaq provides a dedicated temperature profiling solution for the manufacture of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) photovoltaic panels. The new addition to Datapaq’s proven SolarPaq range is the first in-line solution for this vacuum coating process which until now has been very difficult and costly to measure. Employing an all-new thermal protection technology, the SolarPaq system takes measurements from the glass substrate as it passes through the multi-chamber coating process. The protective thermal barrier features a series of reflective surfaces and a central heat sink; this combination ensures continued consistent performance in vacuum applications while eliminating the possibility of outgassing into the process.

Real-time data export via OPC and enhanced usability

Cambridge, UK – Datapaq extends its Furnace Tracker product range, adding a new ten thermocouple channel model designed specifically for use in low-height furnaces. The data logger stores up to 18,000 readings per channel at intervals from 0.05 seconds to 10 minutes. Ceramic-coated and laser-welded, the 29 mm high thermal barrier ensures a long operational life. The ten and four channel Furnace Tracker systems for glass tempering furnaces accurately measure temperatures from all types of glass, including hard and soft-coated low-E glass. Thus, users can optimize cycle times and reduce energy costs. The accompanying software features comprehensive analysis and archiving functions and enables users to see quickly and easily what is really happening inside the furnace.

Temperature profiling for HACCP-compliant process validation

Temperature profiling in industrial heat treatment

Cambridge, UK – Datapaq will be at the enova 2013 exhibition in Paris in hall 7.2, at stand G43. The manufacturer of temperature measurement and analysis systems for almost any industrial heat treatment process presents a dedicated portfolio for the electronics industry. Reflow Trackers pass through SMT processes along with the printed circuit boards, compiling detailed temperature profiles and, if required, providing data for real-time monitoring via radio. Suitable for reflow soldering processes, wave, vapor phase, and selective soldering, as well as rework stations, the systems help reduce reject rates and increase yield. The accompanying Easy Oven Setup (EOS) software can automatically determine the optimal oven recipe for specific products as well as facilities, rendering consecutive test runs unnecessary and thereby saving much time and effort. Moreover, a variety of data loggers and thermal barriers enables the manufacturer to configure suitable systems for any process irrespective of space constraints, process duration, or maximum temperatures. Datapaq also supplies alternatives to test circuit boards: a sensor fixture and a wave solder pallet. Both support high repeatability, allowing users to fulfill the documentation requirements of the automotive industry, for instance.

Cambridge, UK – Manufacturers of ceramic molds for aerospace superalloys have to conduct regular furnace surveys to verify that reheat furnaces comply with the NADCAP AMS 2750 specification. Requirements for temperature sensors and analysis systems are also laid down by the industry standard. Datapaq is one of the few providers of temperature monitoring solutions who can ensure AMS 2750E compliance. The company has designed a dedicated solution for reheat furnaces that provides exact, real-time temperature data from inside the process. A high-temperature barrier protects a Tpaq21 data logger with an internal radio transmitter. The customized thermal barrier is suitable for repeated use in the furnace surveys which take up to eight hours and reach maximum temperatures of 1,250 °C. The accompanying software generates AMS 2750E compliant process reports. The Datapaq solution enables energy savings through the optimization of furnace parameters. Maintenance efforts and downtimes are also reduced.

Cambridge, UK – Pipes used in the oil and gas industry need to withstand high pressures. Manufacturers must verify temperature uniformity during heat treatment which is performed in a special furnace while the pipes are rotated. Depending on the thickness and grade of the steel, a cycle lasts up to 90 min at about 950 °C with maximum temperatures reaching 1,000 °C. Since rectangular thermal barriers designed with conventional thermal protection cannot be installed in the pipes due to size and performance constraints, an entirely new approach was required. Based on its unrivaled experience in the development of specialized thermal protection solutions, Datapaq has designed a cylindrical vapor phase barrier for this application. The TB4095 thermal barrier is combined with a Tpaq21 data logger, and the Furnace Insight software. Through thermocouples placed at various points across the pipe surface, temperature uniformity of the product can be proven. After the system had been in operation for a short time at a pipe manufacturer’s site, changeover time for differently sized pipes was reduced and process faults within the furnace were identified and corrected, thereby reducing waste.