Solutions | SENTINEL Products Empower the Powder Metallurgy Industry

The powder metallurgy industry is increasingly demanding higher stability, efficiency, and intelligent management for sintering furnaces. To address these challenges, SENTINEL Electronics offers comprehensive solutions through a series of sensors and signal acquisition systems, ensuring the efficient operation and stable production of powder metallurgy furnaces. This article will focus on the application of SENTINEL’s core products in powder metallurgy furnaces and our two signal acquisition solutions, helping enterprises achieve automation and intelligent management in complex industrial environments.
 

Application of SENTINEL Products in Powder Metallurgy Furnaces

The operation of powder metallurgy sintering furnaces involves various critical factors such as temperature, pressure, and flow rate. Precisely monitoring these parameters is crucial for product quality. SENTINEL Electronics’ high-performance sensors and intelligent solutions provide stable support in different industrial environments, ensuring sintering furnaces maintain optimal conditions during production.

1. Flow Switch × Vacuum Sintering Furnace Cooling System

In the cooling system of a vacuum sintering furnace, the flow switch plays a critical role. By accurately monitoring the flow of cooling liquid, the flow switch can detect any flow abnormalities in time, preventing equipment from overheating. Overheating not only affects the lifespan of the furnace but can also impact the uniformity of temperature during the sintering process, thus affecting the final product quality.

SENTINEL’s flow switch uses the principle of thermal loss to monitor fluid flow, offering high precision and reliability. It supports multiple output options, such as PNP, NPN, and relay, and can adapt to different control needs. The probe is made from 304 stainless steel, suitable for various cooling fluids and environmental conditions.

2. Pressure Sensor × Pressure System of Sintering Furnace

In high-pressure sintering furnaces, the pressure sensor is used to monitor the internal gas pressure, ensuring the stability of the atmosphere during the sintering process. Precise pressure control can significantly improve the density and consistency of materials and prevent sintering quality issues caused by abnormal pressure.

SENTINEL’s pressure sensors have a wide measurement range (-1 to 600 bar) and provide high-precision real-time monitoring data. They support switch signals, analog signals, and IO-Link output modes, allowing users to choose the appropriate output method based on their needs. Moreover, with IO-Link technology, devices can perform remote data transmission and fault diagnosis, further enhancing stability and reliability.

3. Temperature Sensor × Rapid Cooling Furnace Cooling System

In rapid cooling furnaces, the temperature sensor accurately senses the temperature of the cooling liquid, optimizing the cooling rate to ensure uniformity and stability. The precision of temperature control directly impacts the material’s performance. A cooling rate that is either too fast or too slow can lead to internal stress, affecting the final product’s quality.

SENTINEL’s temperature sensor, based on Pt1000 platinum resistance technology, provides high precision and long-term stability in temperature measurement. Integrated with IO-Link functionality, it supports remote configuration and real-time data acquisition, allowing users to understand the equipment status in time and make necessary adjustments, reducing downtime and maintenance costs.

4. Signal Acquisition Box × Vacuum Sintering Furnace Signal Collection

Modern sintering furnaces are usually equipped with multiple sensors to monitor key parameters like flow rate, temperature, and pressure in real time. SENTINEL’s signal acquisition box integrates multiple sensor signals, enabling intelligent monitoring of the equipment to optimize control at each stage.

This solution simplifies system wiring, reduces complexity, and supports data collection and feedback from various sensors. Users can monitor the sintering furnace’s operating status in real time through the integrated system and make intelligent adjustments and alerts based on data analysis, improving production efficiency and reducing the risk of downtime due to faults.

Two Signal Acquisition Solutions: IP20 and IP67

Depending on the application scenarios, SENTINEL offers two signal acquisition solutions: the IP20 solution and the IP67 solution, each suitable for different industrial environments and automation needs.

IP20 Solution: Suitable for Mild Environments

• Advantages: The IP20 solution is designed for use in indoor and non-extreme environmental conditions, fulfilling basic monitoring needs for temperature, pressure, etc., ensuring stable equipment operation.
• Cost-Effective: This solution offers high cost-performance for enterprises with limited budgets.
• Easy to Operate: Simple system deployment, suitable for applications with lower automation requirements.
• Strong Stability: Meets the basic monitoring needs of general powder metallurgy furnaces, effectively ensuring long-term stable operation of the equipment.

IP67 Solution: Suitable for High-Demand Industrial Environments

• Advantages: With an IP67 protection rating, it adapts to harsh environmental conditions such as high temperatures, high humidity, and dust, enabling stable operation in complex industrial environments.
• High Reliability: Reduces equipment failure rates, improves long-term system stability, and extends equipment lifespan.
• Intelligent Integration: Supports advanced data collection and feedback functions, enabling complex automation operations and remote monitoring, enhancing the intelligent management of equipment.

Conclusion: Join Us in Exploring Future Automation Technologies

SENTINEL Electronics will continue to focus on advancing industrial automation and intelligent technology, helping powder metallurgy enterprises improve production efficiency, reduce operating costs, and ensure product quality. We will showcase a range of advanced products and solutions at the 2025 China International Powder Metallurgy and Hard Alloy Exhibition, looking forward to discussing the infinite possibilities of smart manufacturing with you.

Invitation to the Exhibition

We cordially invite you to visit the 2025 China International Powder Metallurgy and Hard Alloy Exhibition from March 10th to 12th, 2025, at the Shanghai Expo Exhibition Center. During the exhibition, SENTINEL will showcase a range of industry-leading sensors and signal acquisition solutions to help you explore the intelligent upgrade of powder metallurgy furnaces.

To facilitate your visit, we provide a QR code reservation channel. You can scan the following QR code to easily make an appointment for your visit.