Infrared Application of the Month:
Warming Wax on Wood Furniture
A Manufacturer of wood furniture components applies wax to the wood as part of the finishing process. The wax must be heated to allow for even application via mechanical brushes. But if too much heat is applied, the wood itself risks damage. The process required a heat source that would supply the needed heat while preserving the surface of the wood pieces. The company worked with the IR technology experts at Heraeus Noblelight and installed a set of carbon infrared heaters. The resulting process is far superior to the old method (hot air) and results in a better product finish at higher throughput speeds.
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Infrared Application of the Month:
Preheating Steel Plates
Construction steel plates in a manufacturer's plant go through several steps in production. After being sandblasted, a coating is applied to the concrete surfaces. Through testing, the manufacturer learned that preheating the plates allowed better adhesion of that coating. The quick heat-up properties of modular infrared heat systems from Heraeus Noblelight provided the ideal source of heat for the process. As installed, the system provided double-sided heat control via optical pyrometers.
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Tech Center Spotlight:
Shortwave Twintube Heaters
Short wave infrared radiation has high heating power. Short wave lamps are particularly well-suited for processes that require quick start-up and shut-off, since they achieve their full operating efficiency within seconds. Heraeus Noblelight has designed infrared heaters in the highly stable and application-proven twin tube format. Twin tube lamps are notable for their high radiation density and high power intensity. A gold reflector (using Heraeus's patented "Figure 8" technology), fitted directly to the emitter, directs the infrared radiation onto the object to be heated. The result exhibits greatly improved efficiency compared to plate reflectors.
Shortwave IR heaters from Heraeus are suitable for all applications in which the attainment of high temperatures in the shortest possible time is what counts. Their emission maximum is between 0.9 and 1.6 micron. Among their advantages are high radiation density in the most compact space, and low space requirements.
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Special Designs:
Mediumwave Small Area Heater
For applications requiring precision heating of a specific, small area, Heraeus Noblelight offers the Mediumwave small area heater. Approximate heated area of the example shown here is 2" x 2" and the power output is 400W.
Heraeus Noblelight is in the business of solving problems, of finding solutions to your industrial challenges. That's why the core of our business is working with you to develop custom solutions to meet the needs of your unique industrial process heating challenges. A wide assortment of other special design heaters is available from Heraeus. Click HERE for details.
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Technical Learning: Advantages of IR Technology, Part 3
Compact Footprint and Relatively Low Weight
Electric IR ovens can deliver heat more rapidly to a product than convection ovens can. This means that IR ovens are generally much smaller than convection ovens. Manufacturers can make more productive use of their floor space. Because heat delivered by electric IR heaters is not dependent on convection, IR ovens usually require less insulation and fewer bulky construction materials. In fact, some manufacturers suspend IR ovens from the ceiling to save floor space.
IR radiation can also be precisely aimed or directed to heat only selected parts of an assembly without overheating other parts that may be temperature-sensitive. Electric IR ovens tend to be reliable, with no moving parts or motors, and they are usually modular, making it possible to expand an existing oven or to add IR modules to an existing convection oven. Depending on the application, portable IR units can also be used for localized heating.
If the product finishing line has a convection oven in good working order, its capacity can be increased by adding an electric IR preheat section. For example, by adding an IR preheat oven, a manufacturer can double the product speed versus a convection oven alone. The added capacity of an IR preheat section can enable water-based paints to be cured in a convection oven designed for solvent-based paints. In other applications, an IR preheat oven can gel powder coatings before they enter a convection oven. The moving air and dust in a convection oven might disturb such coatings before they gel.
Consistent Product Quality
Electric IR heating units can be controlled, directed, and instrumented for more precise temperature control than is possible in convection ovens, which are prone to temperature stratification (especially when heating large objects or surfaces). Because IR heats materials selectively, water-based coatings can be dried more efficiently. Especially with short-wavelength IR heaters, the energy can penetrate coatings to heat the underlying surface itself. Thus the coatings are evaporated more readily, preventing blisters that might occur with convection heating.
For paint curing, the quality of the finish may be improved because of the reduced air turbulence and generally cleaner conditions in an IR oven. For example, the high airflow rates characteristic of a convection oven sometimes displace powder coatings and can introduce unwanted airborne particles before the coatings cure. An electric IR unit does not require convection currents to heat the object; thus, a higher quality, more predictable product finish is possible.
to be concluded in the next issue...
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That's it for this month's issue of Application Notes for IR Heating. Feel free to encourage your colleagues to subscribe. Just click HERE to send them an invitation to subscribe. It's quick, easy, FREE, and no-obligation.
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