INFRARED101HowDoesItWorkandWillItMakeYouMoney?

Marty Sawyer Trimac Industrial Systems

TheScienceofHeat

Whatisheat?The simple answer… heat = energy

Thermal energy (heat) can change the matter it touches. It makes molecules move and can also cause chemical reactions like burning to

occur.

How is heat transferred?

CONDUCTION–heattransferredbydirectcontacttosolidmatterCONVECTION–heattransferredthroughmovementofafluid(gasorliquid)RADIATION–heattransferredbyelectromagneticwaves

How does matter get hot?

ThermalEnergycausesmoleculestomoveandalwaysfromhottertocolder.Whenallmatteristhesametemperature,thermaltransferstopsandyouhavethermal

equilibrium.

Infrared energy is how the sun heats the earth

And infrared can make things hotter?

WhatisInfrared?Electromagneticwavesoflightenergy

How is infrared heat generated?

ELECTRICAL GRID CHEMICAL REACTION

How does Convection heat parts?

Whenairmoleculesareheated,theyexpandandbecomelighter.Theheatedairthenrises.Asitrises,itcoolscausingitbecomemoredenseandthenfallagain.Thisexchangemovementofheatedexpandedairvs.coolerdenseairiswhatcreatesanaturalconvectionairflow.Aconvectionovenaddsforcedheatedairflowtomagnifythiseffectandheattheparts.

HowdoesInfraredheatparts?

TypesofHeat

Gas or Electric 250º - 500º

Convection

Convection•  Pros:

•  Easytooperate•  Veryflexible•  Industrystandard

•  Cons:•  Costtooperate•  Slowest•  Inconsistentheat•  Environmentalimpact•  Lowestqualityoffinish•  Takesmostamountofspace

Gas Catalytic Infrared

Gas Long to Medium Wave 250º - 1,000º

GasCatalyticInfrared (medium to longwave)

•  Pros:•  Lowestcosttooperate•  Speedofcure•  Cancureacomplexpart•  Environmental• Wellabsorbedbypart•  SuitableforExplosionRiskInstallations•  ConsumesVOCsasfuel

•  Cons:• Won’tsuiteverypart•  Learningcurve•  Canbehighestfirstcost–approx.10%

ElectricInfrared ElectricMediumtoShortWave850º–4,200º

ElectricInfrared (short to medium wave)

•  Pros:•  Fastestheatingtechnology•  Immediatetoinstantaneousreaction•  Uniformityofheat•  Environmental

•  Cons:

•  HighestoperatingcostperBTU•  Canbeunforgiving•  Learningcurve

Depends…whatisyourpart,profileandprocess?

• Wavelength=temperature• Highertemperatures=morepower&speed• Morepower&speed=lessflexibility• Absorptionbetteratlowertemperatures.Powerbetterathighertemperatures.

DoesIRwavelengthmatter?

InfraredControllability

•  Zoning–toptobottom&/orfronttoback•  Convectionhasonetemperaturefortheoven.Throughtheuseofinfrared,youcanzonetheoventoachievedifferingheatprofiles

•  Allinfraredhasthecapabilitypotentialcontroltheheatdowntoindividualheaters

•  Temperaturelevels•  Convectiontypicallyhasalowfireabilitytomodulatetemperatureswhenovennotinfulluse.Noothertemperaturecontrolsavailable

•  Allinfraredhassignificantturn-downsavailabletomoderatetemperatureprofilesasthemixchanges

HeatUniformity

• Convection•  Typicalis10deg+or–acrossoven

• Infrared• Dependingonheaterdesigncanhaveupalmost100%uniformityacrossheatedprofile

WhyuseConvectionvsIR

•  Easytooperate•  Canheatbasicallyanypart•  IndustryStandard•  Canaccommodateduallanes

WhyUseIRvsConvection•  Controlofheat•  Uniformityofheat•  Operatingcostsavings•  Spacesavings•  Fasterproduction•  Workinprocesssavings•  Environmentalbenefits•  Quality

TheProof

PART ENTERING IR OVEN

Powder gels at lightest purple Cure begins at orange 35 second timespan

See the Cure

CatalyticInfraredvs.ConvectionSidebySideTest

CatalyticInfraredOven

ConvectionOven

TestResults

EnvironmentalImpact

Real World Applications

What type of heat to use when?

3P’sofinfrared• Part• Profile• Process

BestapplicationsforConvection

• Wantmaximumflexibilityintypesofpartsprocessed• Uniformityofheatisnotcritical• Verycomplexpartconfigurations• Wanttomixandmatchpartsonsameline•  Sufficientavailablespace• Wantproven,easytopurchasetechnology• Haveduallaneconveyorsystem

BestapplicationsforCatalyticInfrared• Costtooperateisdrivingforce• Wantspeedofinfrared,butstillneedflexibility•  Softerheatisneeded• Wetpaintapplications• Hazardouslocationconcern–canbeclassifiedClass1,Div1• WanttoreduceTimeontheLine•  Spaceisatapremium

BestapplicationsforElectricInfrared•  Substratesrequiringverytightheatcontrol•  Speedofheattransfermostimportantfeature• Preheatinglargeparts• Boostinglargeparts• Gapsinline• Veryfastlinespeeds(20+feet/min)• WanttoreduceTimeontheLine•  Spaceisatapremium

Infraredefficiency• MediumwaveElectricInfraredhasthehighestefficiencyratioofconvertingelectricityintoinfraredheat

•  Thehightemperaturesalongwiththeefficiencyiswhyelectricinfraredcanperformworkthequickestofallheattechnologies

•  Thisalsoiswhycontrolsinelectricinfraredaresocriticalasitiseasytooverheatparts

•  Catalyticinfraredhasalowertemperatureandefficiencyandalsoproducesconvectionheatwhichiswhyitisslowerthanelectricbutcancurecomplexparts

Energygained/energyused

Efficiency

Speed/costInfraredEfficiency

Speed/costInfraredEfficiency

•  Operatingcosts•  1stcosts•  Cost/sqft•  Control•  TimeontheLine

Howtochooseaheattype

•  Responsetimeneeded•  Heatsensitivityofpart•  Linespeed•  Utilitiesavailable•  1stcost•  Operatingcosts•  3P’s

Specificthingstoconsider…

• Howprecisemustthecontrolofheatbe?• Howvariablearetheparts?• Howimportantisheatuniformity?• Willtherebemanygapsintheproductionprocess?• Dothepartshaveacomplexshape?• Howimportantistimeontheline?• Howimportantareoperatingcosts?• Isflexibilityadrivingfactor?

Buyingrecommendations

•  Ifdecidedonconvection,manyqualitysuppliersexistinthemarketplace.

•  Infraredovensaretypicallydesignedforaspecificapplication,whileconvectionwillbemuchmorestandardized

•  Alwaysworkwithareputablesupplierwhohasextensiveexperienceasdesigninginfraredapplicationscanbecomplex

•  Ifconsideringinfrared,alwaysaskforatest.Differentparts,differentmaterials,differentcoatingscanallcreatedifferentresults.Selectamanufacturerwhocandesignforthefullcomplimentofyourparts.

LastThoughts

Infraredwilltypicallybeaminimumoftwiceasfastandcanbeupto10xtimesfasterthanconvectiondependingonapplication.

•  Electricwillbethefastesttoheatapart• Catalyticwillbealittleslower• Convectionwillbesubstantiallyslower

Summary• Convectionisbestwhenmaximumflexibilityisdesired

•  Infraredisbestwhencontrol,speed,timeontheline,operatingcostsorspaceareprimaryfactors

• Whatisthebestheatingtechnology???ITDEPENDS…

• Therearenobadtechnologies,justbadapplications

Marty Sawyer

www.infra-red.com it’s a heat wave

TRIMAC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS, LLC msawyer@trimacsystems.com (800) 830-5112