Technology, market dynamic, need of processing, time to market and demand of end products are changing at very rapid rate across all verticals for business. Name a business it would see huge change in less than 2 – 5 years (for few its 1 year) this reduction in change cycle and evolving technological need to processing require you to be on the top with your processing requirements. But big question is that if you have installed a processing heating/drying unit today to improves its performance you cannot replace it frequently.
We are trying to help you with some recommendations that may help you improving the performance of your existing infrared heating system, if not more but you can achieve 15% to 30% improvement:
• Add Reflectors: IR work on principle of reflection, more the IR rays will collide with product/substrate under processing faster will be the process. Adding additional reflectors to sides and/or top and /or bottom of your IR oven will help you achieving more IR ray exposure to product.
• Keep it clean: It might be sounding very basic, but yes cleaned emitter and reflectors provide better emission of IR ray and reflection within the oven. This contributes to efficiency by more radiation on targeted substrate.
• Consider Zoning: Zoning refers to having multiple zone with different temperature configuration, different zoned oven results in better performance and efficiency by radiating energy appropriately on the product. Any type of zoning horizontal or vertical can be achieved by placing new emitters carefully of same or different wavelength.
• Movable infrared bank: Processing smaller and larger product happing with the amount of IR ray strikes product, hence having movable IR bank can help us in moving the bank near and far from the product for achieving maximum reflection.
• Sophisticated control mechanism: Improve the type of control systems placed. On top of providing zoning, control system can also deliver a variable control instead of simple on/ off control. Some systems employ “closed-loop” control that can accurately distribute the essential amount of radiant energy to the product, even for varying product size, shape, or colour, etc.
• Periodic Testing and maintenance: Ensure that periodic testing and maintenance activity is performed on the oven and emitters for correctness of operation and radiation. A data log can help in understanding the complete performance of systems.
• Involve experts: It always better to take advice from the experts such as Kerone, who can help you and guide you to make your process more efficient and cost effective, this will help you in keeping the pace with evolving technology.