Furnace, and hot forming line including such a furnace

Abstract

A furnace for heat treatment of steel sheets or steel sheet structures includes a heating zone formed by at least two furnace modules which are detachably connected to one another to thereby define a starting furnace module and an end furnace module. In order to meet increasing output requirements and capacity demands, at least one add-on furnace module is provided for placement between the starting and end furnace modules.

1 . A furnace for heat treatment of a steel sheet or a steel sheet structure, comprising a heating zone formed by at least two furnace modules which are detachably connected to one another to thereby define a starting furnace module and an end furnace module, and at least one add-on furnace module which is constructed for placement between the starting and end furnace modules.  
   
   
       2 . The furnace of  claim 1 , wherein the add-on furnace module has a length which corresponds to a total length of the starting and end furnace modules.  
   
   
       3 . The furnace of  claim 1 , wherein the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module are respectively coupled to one another via end flanges, with a seal being disposed between the end flanges.  
   
   
       4 . The furnace of  claim 1 , wherein the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module are each constructed with a heating unit.  
   
   
       5 . The furnace of  claim 1 , wherein the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module are each constructed with a conveyor.  
   
   
       6 . The furnace of  claim 5 , wherein the conveyors of the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module are constructed for linkage to one another.  
   
   
       7 . The furnace of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module has an inert gas supply.  
   
   
       8 . A hot forming line for making a hardened profiled steel sheet structure from a steel sheet, comprising: 
 a first manipulator for advancing a steel sheet;    a continuous furnace, receiving the steel sheet from the first manipulator, for heating the steel sheet to a temperature above a microstructural transformation temperature in the austenitic state;    a second manipulator receiving the heated steel sheet from the continuous furnace;    a press tool, receiving the heated steel sheet from the second manipulator, for shaping the sheet steel into a profiled steel sheet structure;    a third manipulator removing the profiled steel sheet structure from the press tool,    wherein the continuous furnace includes least two furnace modules which are detachably connected to one another to thereby define a starting furnace module and an end furnace module, and at least one add-on furnace module which is constructed for placement between the starting and end furnace modules.    
   
   
       9 . The hot forming line of  claim 8 , further comprising a press, disposed upstream of the continuous furnace, for pre-forming the steel sheet.  
   
   
       10 . The hot forming line of  claim 8 , wherein the add-on furnace module has a length which corresponds to a total length of the starting and end furnace modules.  
   
   
       11 . The hot forming line of  claim 8 , wherein the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module are respectively coupled to one another via end flanges, with a seal being disposed between the end flanges.  
   
   
       12 . The hot forming line of  claim 8 , wherein the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module are each constructed with a heating unit.  
   
   
       13 . The hot forming line of  claim 8 , wherein the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module are each constructed with a conveyor for longitudinal transport of the steel sheet through the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module.  
   
   
       14 . The hot forming line of  claim 13 , wherein the conveyors of neighboring ones of the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module are constructed for linkage to one another.  
   
   
       15 . The hot forming line of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the starting and end furnace modules and the add-on furnace module has an inert gas supply.  
   
   
       16 . A modular furnace assembly, comprising: 
 a plurality of first furnace modules detachable connectable to one another to establish a heating zone; and    one or more add-on second furnace modules for incorporation between two of the first furnace modules for increasing a length of the heating zone.    
   
   
       17 . The furnace assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the add-on furnace module has a length which corresponds to a total length of two first furnace modules.