Conrad Kacsik’s Engineering Division completed a full system upgrade of an automated hardening and tempering line for Nelson Fastener Systems. The project consisted of removing the existing control system, VFD drives, limits and control wiring and installing a new control system. The system controls a two-zone hardening furnace, generator, quench tank, water cooling tank, washer, two-zone tempering furnace and a blackening unit – all of which were integrated with six conveyors.

The control system is comprised of a Honeywell HC900 with a 15-inch operator-interface terminal that is integrated with a computer running Specview HMI software.

The old conveyor system had VFDs that did not communicate with a PLC. The new system was programmed with safety features so that the system alarms and automatically shuts the other conveyors off in the event of a chain break or a conveyor jam.