Batch parts requiring trays or tooling
For stable part shapes, batches and routes advanced tray by tray at a defined cycle.
PUSHER TYPE HEAT TREATMENT UNIT
Pusher Furnace | Continuous Heat Treatment with Indexed Trays
This page covers pusher units carrying parts on trays, baskets or dedicated fixtures. Assess loaded-tray envelope, indexing cycle, residence time, thrust transmission and transfer interfaces before defining passages, zones and cooling.
Technical conditions and tags
Tray / basket supportIndexed pushingMultiple process zonesVerify the complete thrust chain
Standard-model working-zone example600 × 3,600 × 400 mm
Standard rated-temperature range150–1,350 ℃
Existing product modelTGL-3000 × 2000 × 850-12
Existing pushing mechanismFive-position hydraulic pusher
Temperature range and working-zone examples are from GB/T 10067.42-2013; product models and pushing mechanisms are from existing Suneng contracts. These are selection references, not universal size limits.
Suitable workpieces and conditions to exclude
Assess workpiece shape and loading or conveying first to determine suitability for a pusher furnace design.
Bars, billets and regular mechanical parts
Check tray strength at temperature, friction, thrust transfer, alignment and discharge transfer.
Small parts suitable for direct belt loading or long parts suitable for rollers
Compare belt or roller-hearth furnaces to avoid unnecessarily complex tray circulation.
Conditions usually suitable for assessment
- Standard trays, baskets or tooling can position parts stably.
- Production cycles are stable; tray advance, discharge and return paths are defined.
- Friction, thrust transmission, expansion and jamming risks can be checked.
Conditions to confirm before a quotation
- Tray dimensions, mass, material, part arrangement and number of trays inside the furnace.
- Process temperature, section times, indexing cycle and cooling transfer.
- Loading/discharge, tray return, washing, quenching and safety-interlock interfaces.
Rated pusher force does not directly establish movable load. Friction, expansion, tray distortion, alignment and the number of trays in the furnace all affect thrust transmission.
Five dimensions of pusher furnace configuration
These are configuration options to confirm against operating conditions.
Heat source
Resistance heatingNatural-gas heatingAssess other fuels separately
Support arrangement
TrayBasketDedicated tooling
Pushing arrangement
Single-row pushingMultiple rows require dedicated checksSelect tray return for the logistics arrangement
Furnace atmosphere
AirProtective atmosphereControlled atmospheres require sealing and interlocks
Cooling route
Air cooling outside the furnaceTransfer into a quench tankIntegrated washing and tempering
Zoned resistance heating
Pusher resistance-heating unit
Configure zones from trays, in-furnace tray count, process time and thermal load.
Sealing and continuous indexed movement
Protective-atmosphere pusher furnace
Design doors, pushing openings, discharge openings and atmosphere zones as a system.
Heating, transfer and cooling
Pusher furnace with quench/cooling unit
Coordinate discharge, transfer, quenching, washing and tempering to a common cycle.
Full-line cycle organization
Production pusher furnace
Configure around in-furnace tray count, return, handling and maintenance windows.Swipe sideways to compare; the solution name stays on the left.
| Configuration | Better-suited conditions | Main advantage | Required checks | Do not promise without verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pusher resistance-heating unit | Continuous treatment of stable batches requiring tray positioning | Relatively defined part orientation and tray spacing | Trays, thrust, zones, cycle and tray return | Do not promise output without the complete cycle chain |
| Protective-atmosphere pusher furnace | Tray-carried parts requiring surface and atmosphere control | Use tray pitch to define atmosphere-zone boundaries | Opening seals, purging, discharge, monitoring and interlocks | Gas flow does not replace surface-quality results |
| Pusher furnace with quench/cooling unit | Stable batch routes requiring liquid-medium cooling | Trays can preserve orientation and organize transfers | Transfer time, medium, trays, lifting and interlocks | Do not guarantee microstructure or distortion without adequate process trials |
| Production pusher furnace | Long-running stable batches with standardized trays | Schedule process and logistics sections together | Tray-count balance, return, spare trays and fault bypass | Do not promise availability with incomplete logistics boundaries |
Capability boundaries: effective zone, loading and site
Separate working space, loading/conveying variables and structural variables to create a verifiable design.
Maximum loaded-tray envelope≠Structural chamber-passage dimensions
Single pushing-operation time≠Full-line production cycle
State boundary variables separately
- Loaded-tray envelope
- Includes tray, parts, locating features, expansion and clearances; not the structural passage dimensions.
- Thrust chain
- Calculate from tray count, friction, gradient, expansion, alignment and start/stop conditions.
- Effective time
- Determined jointly by indexing cycle, in-furnace tray count and process-section positions.
- Tray life
- Affected by material, temperature, load, thermal cycling and maintenance.
- Full-line cycle
- Balance handling, heating, transfer, cooling, washing and tray return together.
- Capability commitments
- Thrust, throughput and pass rate require hot-state and load validation.
| Data group | Items to confirm |
|---|---|
| Workpiece | Material, dimensions, unit mass, quantity per tray and locating method |
| Tray | Shape, material, mass, high-temperature strength, clearances and return method |
| Process | Continuous/maximum temperatures, section times, atmosphere and curves |
| Rhythm | Push interval, in-furnace tray count, output target and handling time |
| Cooling | Transfer time, medium, lifting, washing and subsequent tempering |
| Utilities | Power or gas, flue exhaust, atmosphere, foundations and full-line space |
Pusher furnace: structures and pre-quotation checks
Structure examples explain components. Final layout depends on workpieces, process, load, cycle and site conditions.
Loading structural diagram…
- Furnace body and zones
- Heating and temperature control
- Trays and passage
- Pusher and drive
- Transfer and tray return
- Electrical controls and safety
View original image
Five structural inputs to confirm before quoting
- 1Loaded-tray envelope Wt × Ht × Lt / tray mass (mm / kg)
Confirm tray, workpieces, locating features and thermal-expansion clearances together.
- 2Net load per tray / in-furnace tray count / thrust-chain load
Calculate thermal, structural and pushing loads separately.
- 3Push pitch Ppush / cycle tcycle / effective time
Match zone lengths and process stages.
- 4Tray material / hot distortion / friction and alignment
Used for passage, guide, pusher and maintenance design.
- 5Atmosphere / cooling / tray return / adjacent interlocks
Define complete continuous-production boundaries.
Furnace body and zones
Divide sections by process stage, thermal load, atmosphere and maintenance.
Heating and temperature control
Configure zones around furnace load, indexing cycle and section curves.
Trays and passage
Check trays, guide rails, clearances, expansion and hot strength together.
Pusher and drive
Coordinate thrust, travel, speed, alignment, limits and jam protection.
Transfer and tray return
Coordinate discharge, quenching, washing, tempering and empty-tray return by cycle.
Electrical controls and safety
Agree on temperature control, records, pushing interlocks, blockage alarms and full-line emergency stops.
Six common purchasing and technical questions
These answers explain selection boundaries, not the final technical design or contract annexes.
Parts requiring positioning on trays, baskets or dedicated tooling, with relatively stable batches, routes and indexing cycles, are candidates.
Compare belt furnaces first for small parts that can lie stably on the belt. Assess pusher furnaces for parts needing trays to maintain orientation, heavier loads or parts unsuitable for belt contact.
No. In-furnace tray count, friction, expansion, tray distortion, alignment, gradients and start/stop conditions also affect force. Check the complete thrust chain.
Balance effective section lengths, in-furnace tray count, heating/soaking time, cooling transfer, handling and tray-return time.
Provide part/tray dimensions, masses and materials, quantity per tray, in-furnace tray count, process curve, indexing cycle, atmosphere, cooling transfer and adjacent interfaces. When comparing quotations, align tray loading, the number of trays in the furnace, push interval, temperature zones and atmosphere conditions. Confirm the scope for the pusher, trays, tray return, loading and unloading, cooling transfer, line controls and installation support. Do not compare furnace length and total price alone.
First agree on the material, trays and representative load, number of trays in the furnace, zone temperatures, push interval, measurement points and recording method. Define transfer and cooling conditions. Under the applicable standard and technical agreement, verify the temperature field in the effective heated zone, the workpiece temperature history and final product properties separately. Residence time in a furnace section is not automatically the holding time after the workpiece reaches temperature.
Related equipment and selection resources
Compare loading or conveying arrangements first, then discuss the complete operating conditions.
Related equipment
Mesh Belt Furnace
Compare belt conveying for small parts suitable for direct loading.
Roller-hearth furnace
Compare roller conveying for plate and regular long parts.
Rotary-hearth furnace
Compare an annular hearth for loading/discharge in the same area.
Start with what you know
Tell us about the workpiece, throughput or existing equipment issue. Drawings and detailed parameters can follow.
Prefer to talk first? Contact us directly.
Selection and consultation details
Heat-treatment line：Process route and equipment scope
Individual furnace：Furnace direction and key parameters
Existing furnace：Repair, retrofit or replacement assessment
Photos, drawings and detailed parameters can follow. Start with an equipment direction and indicative budget range.
Heat-treatment lineProcess route and equipment scope
Individual furnaceFurnace direction and key parameters
Existing furnaceRepair, retrofit or replacement assessment
What you will receive
Initial equipment directionIndicative budget range