Projects thermoprocessing plants

A current example in a metal strip production line shows how Münstermann’s experience in intelligently conceived details is implemented and how these details lead to a more efficient production process.

The production of curing ovens is one of Münstermann’s core competences. Along with the well-known glass wool plates tube frames are also produced from this insulating material. Heating pipes can be insulated with these tube frames.

The rising prices of energy require a rethinking in the design of machines as these mean the running costs of production units continue to rise.

During the production of metal strips, which may have a high propensity to waviness or unevenness, it is possible that the drying in a metal strip dryer can occur non-uniformly or that the strip is even damaged.

Along with industrial sectors such as the building material or steel industries Münstermann is on the search for new areas of application for its thermal treatment units in future-oriented industries such as, for example, the carbon industry. In this particular case we were able to make an offer to our customer, Voith Composites; for a complete solution including a material handling system, process control system and a safety concept.

A trial dryer has passed its trial run for the production of catalytic converters for motor cars. Our customer’s dryer will be used for product and process improvements.

A new curing oven and two forming sections from Münstermann are part of a new production line of SCHWENK Dämmtechnik (now Knauf Insulation). The output of the complete production line amounts to 144 tonnes per day.

Three identical preheating ovens for the steel rolls were produced and supplied to Wicke GmbH & Co KG.

A vertical Münstermann- steel belt dryer has been delivered to Sundwig GmbH. The dryer has been taken into operation at Voest Alpine Stahl AG in Linz, Austria for the drying of coated surfaces of steel belts in the finishing process of Galvanising Line No. 5.

At the end of February 2008 the first large Münstermann curing oven for glass wool was successfully taken into operation in the USA. It is not without a certain pride that we can boast that the Acceptance Certificate from our customer Knauf Insulation, Shelbyville, was signed without the inclusion of any notifications of defects or requests to remedy any defects.

Our customer, WTW Wandler- und Transformerwerk Wirges could have certainly bought four single heating ovens off the peg but for special demands standard solutions do not often have the characteristics that are required.

A very interesting project was developed for Bekaert. This is of particular interest because on the one hand much emphasis was put on energy efficiency (especially in comparison with the older dryers) and on the other hand on account of the demands on the degree of automation and the safety aspects connected to it and also the special handling demands to be solved. In this unit very thin wires are dried, which are wound on to spools. Before they reach the dryer they are rinsed. The rinsing fluid is then dried.

Apart from the large units Münstermann also offers special solutions for a limited range of uses which are more likely to be of a filigree nature.

One of our last developments in the domain of thermal treatment, that means driers and ovens, is a preheating oven for metal sheets.

Münstermann has built and delivered a very special annealing oven. The oven combines optimal process engineering with a minimum space requirement.

Drying and heat treatment units are employed in many industrial production processes and therefore also to be found in the ceramic industry.

An excellent example of a typical working relationship with our customers is a new dryer for RHI. After numerous trials in our Trials Department optimal curing times and a temperature profile was determined together before the design and development phase in order to reach an even curing of the briquettes.

Münstermann has just delivered a wide curing oven to Knauf Insulation S.A. for the production of glass wool in Eastern Europe.

Drying of blocks made from natural gypsum are dried with the new tunnel dryer produced for Rigips AG (Switzerland). The blocks are produced in different thicknesses from 2.5 to 10 cms in which an even drying process is necessary.

In this tempering oven seals that are used for sealing motor vehicle windows are produced. The seals are placed in tempering ovens at a temperature of 130 °C for one hour. The seals are placed on metal transporting trays which in turn are stacked on pallets. These pallets are transported continuously in rotation by chain conveyors through the oven.

Münstermann together with its partner Knauf Insulation put a large glass wool oven into operation in Vise, Belgium. In addition to the oven, the de-dusting system, the complete hardware and software and their assembly were supplied by us.

Münstermann has won its first order from Volkswagen. This is for a timed sequence continuous flow dryer with two conveyor belts in which wax-coated steel components undergo heat treatment. The unit consists of a warm-up zone, a smaller cooling-down zone and the dryer’s integrated material handling system. The special thing about this is the very high positioning accuracy of the steel components on the conveyor belt.

„An innovative technical concept and a commited approach in the developement phase convinced us to work with Münstermann“

Our customer Vesuvius runs a number of trial furnaces in which ignition trials on feeders are carried out. The aim of the trials is to decide at which temperature the different feeders, which are all made of different raw materials, will ignite.

Münstermann plants are sold and assembled worldwide. Usually the plants are transported by truck and then by ship to the production site of the respective customer. With a current project, however, everything was different.

One of Münstermann’s core competences is dryers and thermal treatment units for the processing of steel or aluminium strips.

Plate curing in 4 hours: Münstermann has supplied a further two curing chambers for battery plates. The unites operate according to the Concure-Process. The Concure-Process is a patented rapid curing process, in which the plates are not cured in the conventional process in 30 hours, but are cured in the chambers in only 4 hours. 

A current project shows how interfaces can be saved with the combination of thermal processing technology, material handling, automation technology and flexibility in project handling.

As a supplier of custom, application-specific equipment, sometimes we have the privilege to complete an unusual project. A recent project for BASF fits into this category. Münstermann constructed two large belt dryers for alumino-silica gel adsorbents, which are used in many industries.