Walking beam furnaces perform the first process in hot rolling production lines. They are continuous heating furnaces that transfer billets incrementally through the cyclic motions of the furnace base or water-cooled metal beams: lifting, advancing, lowering and retracting. Such furnaces are suitable for heating various steel materials including ingots, bloom slabs, plate slabs and round billets.

Figure 1: Walking Beam Furnace

Inside the walking beam furnace, steel materials are conveyed by the reciprocating vertical motion of walking beams. Although this movement appears to be a simple cycle, it imposes stringent requirements on positioning accuracy, synchronization and repeatability. Stroke deviation in any cycle may cause steel blanks to shift sideways, scrape against furnace walls, and even impair heating uniformity and production safety. Accordingly, real-time and high-precision direct measurement of the horizontal (advance/retreat) and vertical (lift/lower) displacement of walking beams serves as the core feedback link for the furnace automatic control system. Magnetostrictive displacement sensors stand as the ideal option to fulfill this task.

Evidently, magnetostrictive displacement sensors are indispensable, making the selection of high-quality sensors a critical matter. Zheda Jingyi (TEC) magnetostrictive displacement sensors have become a proven preferred choice for numerous customers, mainly thanks to two core strengths:

1. Solid Expertise and Verified Field Application Experience Derived from research institutions of Zhejiang University, Zheda Jingyi (TEC) is a research-oriented innovative enterprise. With more than ten years of exclusive focus on sensor technology, the company has accumulated abundant field application experience and thorough understanding of operating conditions and control requirements of walking beam furnaces. It can deliver not only products, but also application-oriented installation guidance and solutions, enabling seamless integration between sensors and control systems to achieve optimal performance.

Figure 2: TEC-R Series Displacement Sensor

2. Outstanding Performance Customized for Harsh Working Conditions Boasting core performance advantages tailored to application scenarios, Zheda Jingyi (TEC) magnetostrictive displacement sensors serve as the preferred solution for position detection of walking beams in walking beam furnaces.

• Micrometer-level High Precision In accordance with the motion characteristics of walking beams, Zheda Jingyi (TEC) magnetostrictive displacement sensors can detect displacement in both horizontal direction (advance/retreat) and vertical direction (lift/lower). Featuring micrometer-level measurement accuracy, the sensors capture real-time dynamic position data of walking beams and feed data back to the control system synchronously. Such real-time feedback mechanism guarantees continuous and consistent walking motion, and provides reliable data support for automatic furnace control.

• Stability Adaptable to Harsh Environments Walking beam furnaces operate continuously over long periods amid high temperature, dust, vibration and other harsh conditions, which impose stringent requirements on sensor durability and reliability. Zheda Jingyi (TEC) magnetostrictive displacement sensors adopt robust housing sealing technology with an IP rating of IP65 or higher. They effectively resist high temperature and mechanical vibration inside furnace areas. Equipped with excellent anti-interference performance and stable signal output, the sensors ensure continuous and accurate position feedback and prevent production shutdown caused by sensor failures.

By precisely detecting multi-dimensional positions of walking beams, Zheda Jingyi (TEC) magnetostrictive displacement sensors establish a stable foundation for automatic control of walking beam furnaces. The sensors not only support efficient and stable furnace operation, but also elevate the overall automation level of hot rolling production lines, delivering strong support for cost reduction and efficiency improvement for iron and steel enterprises.