Monday, April 4, 2011

Industrial Oven Systems

By Mondo Humboldt


An autoclave and an industrial oven are very similar. In fact if you search for one there is a strong chance you will find the other. What exactly is an industrial oven? An industrial oven is a large heating device used for a number of things. Some of the uses can include curing, component testing, coating, and drying. Industrial ovens are designed to meet certain specifications. Walk-in ovens are made for larger batch sizes while cabinet and bench ovens are made to handle smaller batches. Conveyor covens come in manual and automatic systems and are used to raise production and lower handling and staging costs. The down side to using conveyor ovens can be the size and shape restrictions on objects intended to go through them.

Walk-in ovens can vary in size from about 5 feet high, 5 feet wide, and 5 deep to about 25 feet high, 30 feet wide, and 150 feet long. This range usually covers most ovens. However, some manufacturers will custom make industrial ovens to meet special specifications. These ovens can also be made with one or two doors depending on preference. They can be doors that swing or lift vertically, controlled by a motor drive or pneumatic cylinder. The ovens can be made with a man-door for quicker access. Industrial ovens have a duct design to ensure the optimal heating of parts. They are designed to have good air flow and to maintain a stable and consistent heat throughout. Temperatures can reach 1500 Fahrenheit and use balanced blowers for even baking.

Oven efficiency can be evaluated by determining the heat loss by airflow through the exhaust system, heat carry-out by product absorption, and heat carry-out by conveyor absorption. Heat loss can occur through oven roof, walls, and other openings. There are two primary heat sources involved in industrial ovens: electric or gas heating. Electric heating units include SCR (silicon controlled rectifier) power controls for smooth ramping and backup safety contractors for positive disconnect of the heater in case of high-limit temperature. Gas-heated units can include an FM-approved gas system with a standard or Low-Nox burners. The FM APPROVED mark is backed by scientific research and testing. This tells customers your product conforms to the highest standards and meets a specific set of specifications established by Factory Mutual Research Corporation.

For entirely automated ovens, a computer system called CPC (Common Principal Component) is used for complete automation and data acquisition. Both gas and electric heated ovens can be controlled by this system. CPC can also monitor and control vacuum lines on certain industrial ovens. In fact, CPC is the most popular software for bonding and curing in ovens, presses, autoclaves, ect. For over 13 years CPC has been operating around the world and have a great field record in some very demanding applications. A variety of equipment benefits from CPC multi-equipment systems. For example, small bench ovens to walk-in ovens and large batch ovens used in composites, coating, and aerospace industries all benefit from CPC.

ASC provides a complete selection of industrial ovens or autoclaves for any batch drying, coating, or composite curing needs. ASC developed a unique fabrication and design approach that enable them to manufacture the Econocalve. The Econoclave is the most efficient and affordable autoclave on the market. ASC can also recommend the right hardware for each application and also has some great software options to check out!




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