Product category:
Thermal processing equipment (drying, curing, etc)
News Release from: Heraeus Noblelight, I-R Division | Subject: Medium wave, infra-red oven
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 20 July 2007
Medium wave infra-red oven ups line
speed
A medium wave infra-red oven, replacing a gas fired system, has increased poduction line speed at a sign maker in the powder coating of aluminium and steel panels.
A medium wave infra-red oven is helping Hawes Signs to achieve significant increases in production line speed in the powder coating of aluminium and steel panels Heraeus Noblelight installed the new oven during an on-going, up-grading programme at Hawes Signs' Northampton headquarters manufacturing site
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 5 Mar 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Finishing operations are vital in the production of high quality signage.
Environmentally-friendly powder coating is used to provide a sign surface, which offers high gloss-retention and weatherability and is highly resistant to chipping, scratching, fading.
The powder-coating facility at Hawes Signs uses epoxy/polyester/pigment powders, which are sprayed directly onto predominantly steel and aluminium panels, of various sizes.
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This powder must then be brought to a temperature which allows it to flow and fuse before being cured for a given time.
Previously, a gas-fired infra-red system had pre-heated the sprayed-on powder before entering a warm air convection oven for final curing.
The convection oven oven was causing maintenance problems.
To eliminate unwanted line stoppages and increase line speeds, Hawes Signs nvestigated alternative powder pre-heating methods.
Heraeus' Neston Applications Centre carried out extensive tests were carried and these showed that medium wave, electric infra-red could quickly and reliable heat the powder coatings to the required temperatures.
Consequently, Heraeus retrofitted a purpose-built medium wave, infra-red oven into the existing powder coating and curing line, between the coating cabin and the warm air oven.
The line consists of two parallel zones, a 50kW zone which heats the coated side of the panels and a 35kW zone which heats the rear, uncoated side of the panels to accelerate the heating effect.
Each of the zones can be switched between two power outputs to accommodate two sizes of panel.
Since installation, the oven has helped to speed up the powder coating process as it heats the powder faster than the old system.
It has also reduced the cure dwell time in the convection oven.
As the medium wave heaters provide a uniform flow and fusion of the powders they have improved product quality.
* About Hawes Signs - Hawes Signs offers design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of a comprehensive range of external and internal signs for customers ranging from high street banks to car dealerships and supermarket chains.
The company's advanced manufacturing facilities include the latest in digital printing, vinyl cutting and flexible machine tool technology.
The company is ideally suited to handle large volume roll-out programmes as well having the capability to meet lower volume customised requirements.
* About Heraeus Noblelight - Heraeus Noblelight offers the complete range of infra-red radiation systems from NIR to medium wave carbon infra-red (CIR).
It has over 40 years experience in infra-red technology and offers the expertise, products and systems to provide efficient and effective solutions to drying, heating and curing problems throughout industry.
If required, it can carry out proving trials with customers' own materials at its Neston Applications Centre and can advise on the selection of the optimum emitter to suit particular processes.
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