Industrial Infrared Heating Solutions

Infrared heating is applied in virtually all industries for a wide variety of technological processes. Most of these applications fall in three main categories:

• Heating
• Curing
• Drying

In many cases, the use of infrared heating is the only possible way to ensure product’s quality and profitability of production, because it does not require the use of bulky expensive equipment or complex maintenance, it is technologically advanced and allows high accuracy and precise adjustment. Infrared heating is also extremely convenient, simple and economical way to achieve a comfortable room temperature. It can be used in partially opened spaces like terraces, garages and summer cafes where conventional heating devices can’t help. 

EUROLINIA manufactures standard and custom infrared systems with different level of control. Below you can see the table with some common applications.

Infrared heaters are used in a variety of manufacturing industries for industrial applications where intermittent or prolonged localized heating is required. At Eurolinia we do everything possible to ensure that you can start the production process quickly with minimum setup work. Besides heating systems, we develop and supply control units with custom software, provide expert recommendations and do preliminary testing of your production processes. Please contact our experts to learn more.

If you are looking to create high-performance heating for your production processes, then infrared heater systems by EUROLINIA are the best choice for you!

Infrared Heaters for Production Processes

Infrared heating can lower energy costs, reduce curing time, reduce heating equipment footprint, and guarantee higher quality processing. Is it suitable for your heat treatment application?

Infrared heat provides the heating, curing, bonding, and catalyst for a range of industrial heating processes. However, there's one in which it is most important and in which it was first used extensively: the curing of liquid coatings.

Independently of whether solvent-based, water-based or non-reduced coatings are processed, the infrared curing process is preferred by manufacturers of iron, plastic, wood, and composite parts. Electric infrared systems can cure dark and non-ferrous metals and composite materials treated with paint.

The ability to precisely control and focus infrared heat guarantees outstanding quality compared to other curing methods. The infrared heating permeates through the coating and heats the substrate, preventing the appearance of bubbles that have all chances to form due to exposure to solvents.

Powder Coating Curing

As the coatings industry moves away from solvent-based coatings to more durable and environmentally friendly powder coatings, the role of infrared heat is increasingly visible. Curing compounds with a single curing source is no longer considered the best for powders. The implementation of a curing system with only convection has specific cons:

• Requires more energy for heating, curing, and freezing;
• Longer curing times and lower speed of part;
• Increased tooling area;
• Inability to guarantee elasticity needed to regulate heating zones for lower energy consumption and to handle all kinds of details;
• Convection air movement and by-products can contaminate coated products.

Infrared Heat as Accelerator

Using an electronic infrared accelerator before the final curing makes it possible to clean the surface, causing the powder gel (curing). That reduces contamination, color inconsistency and prevents the powder from blowing off the detail.

Hundreds of powder formulations are now in use. The film thickness varies from less than 0.001 inches to more than 0.015 inches, and the variety of colors, glosses, and applications is equally significant. These different powder formulations have in common, for example, their comparability with infrared radiation as a curing method.

Precise Temperature Control

New technology is improving the chemistry of the finish every day. The infrared furnace's exact, reproducible temperature control properties are essential to ensure that the potential of the newest powder formulations is applied. Infrared curing systems can provide precise temperature control for that purpose.

Curing High-Density Plates with Infrared Heating

Infrared modular heating sections, including an application-produced high-density refractory board consisting of aluminum silicate and other inorganic binders, were developed for applications with higher W density, particularly to cure powder coatings. The highest density boards are prepared to withstand up to 100W/inch2 and act as a mid-wavelength infra-red radiation generator (re-emitter). That improves the finishing and curing process of the powder: as the coating is cured, it heats the product to be coated, accelerating the curing process.

A coating always precedes the flushing cycle, and the heater must dry out residual water before the coating can be applied. An oven that quickly heats the product to 225°F (107°C) or higher evaporates all the moisture. Furnaces that combine the drying and preheating cycles into a single process if required have the chance to provide manufacturers with a complete powder curing system using only electronic infrared. That reduces the load on the heating system and has the potential to cut costs.

Naturally, the practical use of an infrared-only oven will be limited to components with all dust planes exposed to infrared emitters (line-of-sight). If there are difficulties with line-of-sight, an infrared amplifier combined with convection curing will still have outstanding qualities concerning energy consumption, space requirements, and equipment costs.

Industrial infrared heaters for removing wrinkles from vinyl and other applications

Car and OEM applications often require infrared heating ovens designed for specific applications. For example, infrared ovens are used to treat seat components such as relaxing material, removing moisture from vinyl and removing wrinkles, and treating fabric and leather seats. Infrared technology in curing ovens, storage ovens, and conveyor ovens is available for these applications.

Shuttle Ovens

Infrared shuttle furnaces process vinyl and almost all other composite materials in less time than weightless systems require. Often purchased to increase productivity, they simplify processing by "moving" a warm sheet when a cold sheet is inserted. The ovens are equipped with endless feed sensors to ensure an even temperature and a consistent result. Some furnace modules include a pneumatic 'trap' for clamping the vinyl on four sides, preventing volume changes before forming. Common uses for shuttle ovens include auto headers and floor coverings, door panels, instrument panels, steering wheel covers, and locomotives. Cushion component manufacturers use these ovens for preheating the vinyl before vacuum forming.

Conservation ovens

Upgraded assembly systems to increase productivity have increased the need for storage ovens that heat these parts like wire harnesses to facilitate their assembly. These furnaces are still used where pressure-sensitive adhesives work more efficiently at higher temperatures and where portability can help, such as rubber bushes used for door fittings.

Conveyor Ovens

Conveyor infrared ovens are often used for a multitude of glass and decorative effects. Systems are available for these processes like tempering, annealing, preparatory heating, and hardening for laminating. Special furnaces are used for curing ink, clay paste, and display coatings applied to front and backlights. First heated vinyl sheets are used for laminating non-hazardous glass without heating the glass. Applying paint on glass is like blacking out a windscreen at the perimeter, often used in electric infra-red ovens.

Infrared and ink

Infrared is not only suitable for the application of paints but can also be used with almost all solvent-based products. For example, infrared systems have the chance to guarantee efficient, quick-drying of printing inks.