Weifang Hengtong Radiator, a prominent manufacturer of automotive cooling components, is setting a new standard for production quality. The company has successfully integrated a specialized semi-continuous Controlled Atmosphere Brazing (CAB) line into its manufacturing plant, a strategic move designed to optimize the fabrication of aluminum plate and bar heat exchangers.
The production of industrial-grade heat exchangers requires a delicate balance between high throughput and absolute metallurgical precision. To achieve this, Weifang Hengtong partnered with SECO/WARWICK to implement a custom-engineered solution that addresses the specific challenges of brazing large, complex aluminum structures.
A Multi-Stage Approach to Precision Brazing
The newly installed line is not a standard “off-the-shelf” product; it is a Universal CAB System specifically configured for semi-continuous operation. This design philosophy focuses on dividing the process into distinct, optimized stages to ensure that even the largest components receive uniform thermal treatment.
The technological sequence includes:
- Surface Preparation: An entry washing chamber to remove contaminants.
- Moisture Removal: A dedicated drying furnace.
- Thermal Processing: A convection preheating zone followed by the main brazing chamber.
- Stabilization: An intermediate air-seal cooling chamber followed by a final direct cooling zone.
This segmented approach guarantees that temperature parameters are strictly maintained throughout the heating and cooling curves, which is critical for the structural integrity of plate and bar exchangers.
Choosing the Right Environment for the Job
In the competitive automotive supply chain, efficiency is paramount. While different technologies exist for joining metals, the choice often comes down to cycle time and operational cost.
“The semi-continuous Universal CAB System ensures shorter cycle time, lower investment costs, and higher process efficiency for each batch. These are the main advantages of this system compared to alternative methods like vacuum brazing,” says Piotr Skarbiński, Vice President of the Aluminum and CAB Products Segment at SECO/WARWICK Group.
Skarbiński points out that while the industry utilizes various Atmosphere Heat Treatment Furnaces, choosing a specialized CAB configuration provides a specific competitive edge for aluminum radiator production. By operating in a controlled nitrogen environment, the system prevents oxidation without the high energy consumption and longer cycle times associated with high-vacuum processes.
Flexibility for a Diverse Product Mix
One of the defining characteristics of the new installation is its operational flexibility. Weifang Hengtong produces a wide array of exchangers with varying masses and dimensions. The SECO/WARWICK system is designed to handle this variety seamlessly, allowing the facility to process different component types in subsequent cycles without sacrificing process stability.
This investment underscores Weifang Hengtong’s commitment to delivering top-tier thermal management solutions to the automotive industry, backed by equipment that offers both reliability and scalability.
