ELECTRIC INFRARED
HOT STUFF!
COMBINATION INFRARED/CONVECTION
OVEN AT HENDRY TELEPHONE PRODUCTS CURES POWDER-COATED
THIN
AND THICK GAUGE METAL PARTS
A new combination infrared/convection oven is bringing
a number of advantages in the curing of an assortment
of powder-coated telephone communications equipment for
a California manufacture. Hendry Telephone Products, located
in Goleta, just west of Santa Barbara, makes racks, frames,
fuse panel boxes and various other products.The steel
and aluminum parts vary in size from small, thin gauge
components to bulky thick gauge structures weighing over
200 lbs..
The
72
ft.
oven
accomodates
up
to
3 ft.
wide
and
4 ft.
high.
It
allows
the
curing
of
parts
in
as
little
as
5 minutes.
The
thick
gauge
parts
are
cured
in
as
little
as
9 minutes.
The initial eight-zone electric
infrared section quickly ramps up the temperature of surfaces
receiving the line-of-sight radian heat. The three zone
gas convection section then raises the temperature surfaces
hidden from the radiant heat. Utilizing a high air flow,
the convection section then holds all surfaces at 415°
F for the curing cycle.
The Thermal Innovations (Manasquan,
NJ) Speed Oven™ supplies indirect gas-fired heat
through the use of heat exchangers and individual control
of the infrared and convection zones allows various cure
profiles. Three profiles are programmed to adjust dwell
times in the infrared and convection zones for line speeds
ranging from 5 to 13- 1/2 FPM.
Advantages of the oven, according
to James Keenan, Hendry president, include increased line
speeds, improved productivity, increased energy effeciency
and improved utilization of plant floor space.
"The oven space increases
our production capacity by 300%", adds Keenan. "Floor
space is at a premium in our 35,000 square foot building,
If we would have installed a conventional convection oven,
we would have needed an oven 250 ft. long to meet our
requirements".
The oven replaces an old batch
oven that required 45 minute curing cycle for large parts.
The new oven is installed on the site of the old. The
old oven was part of a wet finishing system. " Conversion
from the wet system to powder coating was made gradually
over nine months without losing production", according
to Greg Hampton, industrial and manufacturing engineer.
"We noticed savings right away. For example, a job
that used to take us 8 hours now takes only 1 hour and
15 minutes".
POWDER COATING CURED IN 90
SECONDS AT 30 TO 40 FPM
The
world's
first
powder-coating
and
high
speed
infrared
curing
system
to
be
employed
in
the
production
of
steel
lintels
(load
bearing
supports
over
doors
and
windows)
is
reaping
multiple
benefits
for
the
Catnic
group
of
England.
The
system
addresses
environmental
compliance
issues
and
maintains
productivity
levels
while
substantially
reducing
floor
space
requirements.
Infrared technology and indirect
gas fired convection heating are combined in the oven.
The infrared component provides a quick temperature ramp-up;
the convection stage maintains a temperature of 430°
to 465° F to ensure an even cure.
The
powder
is
cured
in
under
90
seconds
at
a line
speed
of
30
to
40
FPM,
depending
on
part
size.
Comparable
cure
time
in
a pure
convection
oven
would
be
20
minutes.
The
entire
production
cycle,
including
forming,
welding,
coating
and
curing
is
only
4 minutes.
An
automated
conveying
system
and
PLC
based
recipe
control
gives
the
Catnic
the
capability
to
maintain
temperature
uniformity
and
regulate
power
consumption
regardless
of
lintel
thickness.
Triab,
a Swedish
based
Finishing
company
and
Thermal
Innovations
Corporation
(Manasquan,
NJ),
it's
U.S.
agent,
upgraded
Catnic's
lintel-finishing
lines.
Copyright
2001
