An overview of the Alteco

The vertical drying system Alteco allows flexible, high-performance drying and hardening processes of all protective paints and casting compounds that can be hardened with convection heat. The system consists of two process towers, which are each divided into four heating zones, and a downstream, segmented cooling tract. The circuit boards are loaded into goods carriers at the furnace infeed. These run through the drying process in the system in a vertical direction and are stacked on top of each other during the hardening process. 

1. Infeed/loading

In the infeed area, the painted sub-assembly is handed over to the transport system via the supply belt. Sensors record the width for each circuit board. A grabber pushes the circuit board onto the goods carrier, which is previously adjusted to the width of the printed circuit board to be loaded and measured. During the loading process, each goods carrier is precisely fixed, positioned and centred. A multiple loading of the goods carrier is possible.


2. Circulating transport system

The sub-assembly in the goods carrier is transported through the system on a circulating goods carrier mechanism. The cycle time is adjustable. Via a cross-beam, the goods carriers are moved under the ascending tower, where they are taken over by a stroke mechanism. After running through the towers, the goods carriers are transported to the unloading station by means of a second cross-beam. The empty goods carriers are clocked into the loading station again.


3. Clever stacking principle

The mechanics during the drying process in the process towers work according to a vertical stacking principle. The stroke mechanism stacks the goods carriers over one another. They are equipped with spacer pins so that they are securely positioned. No running chains, oils or lubricants are necessary for the entire transport. A transfer transport mechanism hands over the goods carriers at the highest point into the descending tower. The de-stacking is done in reverse order. All drives and mechanical guideways are in the cold process area, for reliable and long-lasting transport.

4. Air feed

The heating system in the process towers works according to the convection principle in circulating air operation. The temperature can be separately regulated in all eight heating zones. A specially developed air feed guarantees even warming of all construction elements. The supply air can be pre-heated and pre-set individually in the volume flow depending on the heating zone. The waste air volume is also separately regulated per zone. The system can thus be ideally coordinated to the volume of paint and the solvent throughput.


5. Cooling tract

The downstream cooling tract consists of three transport segments that adapt automatically to the respective transport width. Cooled air is blown from above and below onto the sub-assembly per segment. Via a heat exchanger, the waste air is handed over from the internal to the external water cycle and thus transported away from the production room in an energyefficient manner.


6. Software

The system is controlled by software via a touch interface. All relevant process parameters are documented. The width setting and the precise positioning of the goods carriers thus run fully automatically. In addition, the loading status of the goods carriers and the internal temperature of the heating zones (among other things) can be monitored. SMEMA interfaces ensure the integration of the system in each production line.

Alteco with integrated cooling zone

The basic structure of Alteco with integrated cooling section corresponds to that of Alteco with external cooling section. Zoning within the heating towers is different, though. The first tower houses heating zones 1 to 4. The second tower houses heating zones 5 and 6 and the cooling section. This principle is suitable for assemblies that require shorter process throughput times due to their lower mass or are not processed directly afterwards and can therefore cool down in downstream magazines.

Inline solutions

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