US-based thermal processing equipment provider Despatch Industries has implemented new manufacturing processes that have reduced lead times on standard production ovens by 50% or more.

The company has restructured its manufacturing facility to allow for in-lining of production equipment and assembly stations that improve flow and reduce production time.

Using a Kanban system, which is a method to efficiently manage a software development process, parts are automatically replenished as they are used. As a result, Despatch is able to quickly build ovens as they are ordered while keeping a limited stock of ready-to-ship laboratory and production ovens on hand.

The new system reduces inventory costs and lead times while maintaining the high-quality product that customers have come to expect, says Despatch product manager Jeff Bell.

He adds that the company has been able to reduce delivery times on large standard ovens from eight weeks to four weeks.

“Cabinet ovens with Class A and high-temperature requirements are delivered in two weeks and our laboratory oven models ship from the factory in three days. Providing shorter lead times allow us to better meet our customer’s needs, while reducing costs ensures that our prices remain competitive in global markets,” Bell says.

Despatch manufactures a range of standard and custom industrial ovens designed to accommodate a variety of load sizes and production volumes. Standard production ovens include the LBB and LAC benchtop and laboratory ovens, LCC clean process ovens, RA series cabinet ovens, TA series walk-in and truck-in ovens and PTC top-loading ovens.

Despatch has specialised in thermal processing for over 100 years and is actively using this technical expertise to provide solutions and high-performance products to the thermal, solar and carbon fibre markets, points out Bell.

The company’s regional offices and complete global service network allow Despatch to provide local sales and product support to all customers worldwide.

Meanwhile, in March, the company announced that it received an order for a custom production furnace from fuel cell company Bloom Energy, which provides solid oxide fuel-cell technology that generates clean, reliable energy worldwide.

Bloom Energy plans to use the custom, high-temperature Despatch furnace for applications involving fuel-cell proces- sing.

Despatch application engi- neering manager Rick Steblay says the company is excited to have the opportunity to partner with Bloom Energy on this “unique” furnace application.

“To meet Bloom’s specific requirements, we were able to draw from our experience and knowledge in other high-temperature furnace applications – like our solution heat treat furnace and our firing furnace – to create a new system with new technology, perfectly suited to Bloom’s specific application,” Steblay explains.

The production furnace features vertical-down airflow to achieve tight temperature uniformity within the chamber. The furnace is capable of reaching temperatures up to 1 000 °C through a combination of convective- and radiant-heating technology that uses custom heating elements.

Further, the furnace shell moves on a rail system around a fixed, stationary deck to allow for easy loading and unloading of product batches, a feature Despatch says is novel. The furnace will operate on the com- pany’s proprietary control system. The programmable logic controller-based system will be configured to provide oper- ational, monitoring and protection capabilities, and will be integrated with Bloom Energy’s master controller.

Prior to shipping, the furnace will undergo factory acceptance testing, along with specific tem- perature uniformity tests to ensure it complies with performance specifications.