What Are The Edge Treatments For The Mesh Belt Of Thick-film Heating Sintering Furnaces?

Under continuous high temperature and tension, the edge area of the sintering furnace mesh belt concentrates the maximum principal stress due to geometric discontinuity, making it the primary origin of fatigue cracks, deviation, and steel wire fraying. Industrial practice shows that approximately 70% of mesh belt failures start from edge defects.

In response to the stringent requirements of thick-film processes for cleanliness, flatness, and service life, the current mainstream edge reinforcement solutions can be divided into three categories: hook interlocking type, welded rigid type, and U-type edge insertion.

1．Hook (Bending) Treatment

• Practice: Extend and bend the edge rods of the mesh belt into hook shapes to form an interlocking structure (commonly known as "hooking").
• Advantages: Enhances edge tensile strength and prevents tearing at high temperatures; simple structure and low cost.
• Key parameters: The hook length must match the mesh belt thickness, and the diagonal height must remain symmetrical to avoid deviation.
• Note: For sintering furnace mesh belts with hook treatment, certain considerations apply to the hooking process. Using specialized tools for hooking ensures hook consistency, maintains diagonal symmetry of the mesh belt, and prevents deviation.

2．Weld Reinforcement

• Practice: Perform full welding on the edges.
• Advantages: High edge rigidity, suitable for high-load or high-speed operating scenarios.
• Disadvantages: If welds are not full and smooth, welding points are prone to tearing, shortening the service life of the sintering furnace mesh belt.
• Note: As the most common edge treatment method, direct welding saves working hours and further reduces mesh belt costs. However, the welding process has strict requirements not only for welders' skills but also for welding materials and shielding gases. Previously, some customers purchased sintering furnace mesh belts from other manufacturers where inaccurate welding current parameters resulted in rough, burr-covered welds, causing scratches and wear on materials during loading and unloading.

3．U-Type Edge Insertion

• Practice: Insert a U-shaped metal channel into the edge and fasten it by pressing.
• Advantages: Prevents loose edge steel wires, suitable for extra-wide mesh belts (e.g., >1 meter).
• Note: Ensure the thermal expansion coefficient of the U-shaped channel matches that of the mesh belt material (e.g., 310S + 310S combination).

Edge treatment accounts for less than 10% of the total mesh belt cost, yet determines 90% of deviation, belt breakage, and contamination incidents. By first defining operating conditions, then selecting the process, and finally specifying key parameters in the drawings, this "minor edge detail" can be transformed into a "major factor for service life".