A custom conveyor oven designed for a Tier 1 automotive supplier will be used to preheat plastic valve assemblies to 240°F (116°C). The industrial heating system, developed by Lewco, Sandusky, Ohio, simulates conditions the valves experience on a vehicle.

The oven includes custom fixtures attached to the conveyor belt for the valve assemblies to sit in. The location of the fixtures on the belt and the index cycle of the conveyor are critical because the parts are automatically loaded and unloaded.

The automotive supplier also required the conveyor oven be loaded and unloaded from the side of the unit. A solution was developed to accept the automatic infeed and outfeed equipment.