Infrared heat for plastics components
Today’s heating processes need to be carried out efficiently and in a targeted manner. Some components, such as electronic components and plastics, will not tolerate heat for very long. The development of more efficient heat sources has been driven because of the sustained pressure for faster production speeds and ever lower production costs.
This provides an ideal opportunity for infrared heat, which can transfer a great deal of energy in a short time to precisely where it is required. The production equipment, the ambient environment and the rest of the product can consequently remain relatively cool.
Infrared heaters speed up production
SSK Products in Telford, Great Britain, manufactures electrical sockets and switches, which are coated in a range of coloured paints or in metallised lacquer finishes. These must then be perfectly dried before final assembly, packaging and despatch.
Because of increasing demand for the company’s products, a new production line was installed and it was realised that the speed of the line was very much dictated by the speed of drying. After carrying out a series of tests, it was decided to incorporate an infrared system, as this was faster than the hot air alternative, required less space and was easier to control.
As a result, an infrared drying system from Heraeus Noblelight is now helping SSK Products Ltd to realise the full capacity of its new production line. In addition, the infrared system has proved to be extremely energy-saving, as, unlike the hot air oven, it needs be switched on only when direct heating is required. The new infrared system consists of two 18kW modules, each with nine 2kW medium wave emitters.
Infrared heat and hot air ovens
Heraeus Noblelight offers a whole range of infrared emitters, which heat plastics, paints and lacquers quickly and efficiently. Conventionally, lacquers and paints have been dried and cured using hot air ovens. More and more, the market requires increased production speeds, and these can often be achieved by using infrared drying. Modern infrared modules are so compact that they can easily be retrofitted into existing ovens or can complement existing ovens. An example is the infrared booster which can be located in front of a hot air oven to speed up the process.
For complicated components, hot air heating and infrared can be combined to advantage. The infrared emitters provide the direct heat while the heat from the hot air oven seeks out all hidden nooks and angles. Modern infrared emitters can be perfectly matched to product and process in terms of wavelength, power and emitter shape. In every case it is worthwhile to match the process and material exactly to the heating source, as this ensures that not only is the production speed increased but quality is also improved, reject rates are cut and costs are saved.
