Infrared technology for other process applications

A manufacturer of light bulbs for industrial and consumer applications uses shortwave IR technology for curing of the paste used to fix the lamps in their sockets. In this application, IR technology proves superior to the previous method (a hot air oven) through focused --and thus more efficient -- heating of the socket. The paste is heated to 250°C while the bulb reflector reaches temperatures of no more than 100°C. Production speed is also increased significantly.

Production of ABS and PMMA bath tubs and shower bases required process heat prior to thermoforming. The manufacturer initially used plug-in mediumwave heaters from another manufacturer, but switched to fast-response mediumwave heat from Heraeus Noblelight. The change resulted in lower power consumption and more exacting system control.

A manufacturer of dishwashers sought a more effective method to melt sound-deadening bitumen pads onto the exterior of the dishwashers. Originally the manufacturer used metal tubes of ceramic heaters in a conveyorized oven, but when that system was replaced with a fast-response mediumwave system from Heraeus Noblelight, production rates increased 20%, the heating zone was reduced in size by 50%, and the process enjoyed a 30% reduction in overall power consumption.

A packager of DVDs mounted on spindles wished to replace their system for heating the shinkwrap used to package the discs. The previous method -- a hot air oven -- required ten seconds of heat application to shrink the film. A new system from Heraus Noblelight -- using single-tube carbon lamps with Heraeus' patented gold reflector -- cut the amount of time to only one second per cycle.

A manufacturer of a high-tech variety of computer keyboards turned to Heraeus Noblelight for their demanding process. They sought a means of curing the PET keyboards in a manner that would not cause shrinkage nor damage to screen printing. Carbon infrared heaters from Heraeus ensured the high quality standard while reducing cost of manufacturing.

An international manufacturer of latex gloves for a wide variety of applications sought methods to increase production to meet market demands. One bottleneck in production was the drying of the latex gloves. The old method -- hot air blowers -- resulted in a substandard level of surface dryness. With carbon infrared heaters from Heraeus Noblelight, heating and drying time was shortened significantly, and production was increased.

The gas turbines in a gas compression facility are subject to extreme temperatures. A filtration system is required to keep the turbines free of dust and other particulates, and during winter season the cold, damp intake air can cause icing to accumulate on the filters, causing inefficient system operation or worse. The facility tried a number of approaches to de-icing, including hot water radiators and compressed air, but in both cases performance was unsatisfactory. The experts at Heraeus Noblelight provided a system of mediumwave infrared heaters, arranged in a configuration to provide complete coverage of the relevant surfaces. The thermostat-based system runs only when it needed, providing quick, efficient heat to prevent icing of the critical components.

The finishing process for a highly polished metal tool carrier required heat to be applied prior to final cleaning. The manufacturer selected Heraeus Noblelight's shortwave infrared technology for its high efficiency. In this application -- as with many others in industry and processing -- infrared is superior to convection, induction and thermal contact heating methods.