Wire & Cable Technology International - January/February 2008 - (Page 78)

TECH BRIEF Electrically Heated Furnace Cuts Energy Costs & Reduces Carbon Footprint The UK’s oldest manufacturer of specialty wires, Webster & Horsfall, has replaced a gas furnace with an electrically heated furnace from Meltech Engineering to cut energy costs and reduce the company’s carbon footprint. The Meltech MT1100 furnace system is used for the strand annealing of Webster & Horsfall’s range of austinitic and super duplex stainless steel wires. Founded in 1720 by James Horsfall, Birmingham, UK-based Webster & Horsfall manufactures carbon steel spring, music and rope wire, stainless steel spring wire, low alloyed steel spring wire and strip for springs, clips and pressings. Over the past 12 months the company’s energy costs have increased by over 50%. “We needed to cut our energy costs and contacted Meltech Engineering,” said Charles Horsfall, Webster & Horsfall Managing Director. “The than our gas furnaces. It also gives us greater versatility in our manufacturing operations. Until now, we’ve had to start the gas furnace the night before using it in order to give it time to heat up to temperature. The cost against demand for annealing means we can no longer all the time. With the MT1100, we can turn it on as we need it, and the furnace is up to temperature within a fraction of the time.” length of the furnace and reduced furnace heating running cost. Charles Horsfall sees the move away from gas to electric as both inevitable and welcome. He concluded, “The switch from a gas furnace to the MT1100 will have two positive benefits to our business as well as reducing our energy costs. It will improve the quality of our heat treat- Charles Horsfall, Managing Director at Webster & Horsfall, with the MT1100 furnace. footprint ahead of any government legislation. Electricity can be generated from various fuel sources, which hopefully will improve long-term security of supply. Ultimately we plan to replace all our gas furnaces with electric.” The company is also a one-stop shop for Confex continuous rotary extrusion lines for wire and tube production. Meltech personnel works alongside its customers’ technical and manufacturtechnical and processing requirements. The company uses advanced CAD technology to visualize designs in the product design process. Meltech Engineering is dedicated to improving its customers’ productivity through the supply of innovative engiWCTI neered solutions. www.meltech.co.uk www.websterandhorsfall.co.uk Full Engineering Solutions With more than 25 years of experience, Meltech Engineering specializes in the design and manufacture of in-line electric-powered furnaces, extrusion and winding and coiling equipment for the metals, cable and wire and plastics industries in the UK and internationally. Optimized Performance The MT1100 furnace is being used to strand anneal stainless steel wires from 0.7 to 4 mm at 1100ºC. It is designed on the Meltech “low thermal mass” principle and features multi-zone temperature control. Customization of element design allows optimization of temperature zoning and increased element operational life. In addition, the MT1100 uses advanced ceramic and insulation materials to give 90% thermal and manageable heating across the 78 Wire & Cable Technology International/January 2008 MT1100 furnace used for strand annealing Webster & Horsfall’s range of austinitic and super duplex stainless steel wires. http://www.meltech.co.uk http://www.websterandhorsfall.co.uk

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Wire & Cable Technology International - January/February 2008 Editorial Wire & Cable Events Industry News Global Economy Drives Specialty Cable Demand Corporate News Change is Tough! Top Products of 2007 New Magnesium Hydroxides Enabling Low-Smoke Cable Compounds Straight From the Show - IWCS Conference™ A History of Long-Term Thinking Ensures a Pioneering Spirit Expediency of Roller Dies Application in Wire Drawing - Part 1 WireDrawing 101 Strain Rate Transforming Our Ideas Into Your Success Straight From The Show - Wire Southeast ASIA 2007 Capstans, Dancers, Accumulators Roundup Spotlight On Quality Control Pioneering Virtual Technology for Extrusion Electrically Heated Furnace Cuts Energy Costs/Reduces Carbon Footprint Machinery Accessories Materials Polymer Developments in the Cables Industry Wire & Connector Top Products of 2007 Just Load, Click and Print Superior Flame Resistance for Minimal Smoke, CO & Acid Gas High-Flex Round Cable Added to On-Line Design Tools Failed Bridge Cables Replaced With Smaller, Stronger Ones Advertisers Index Classified Advertising Internet Spotlight Editorial Index

Wire & Cable Technology International - January/February 2008

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