Barrel Heaters - Hasmak.com.tr

Thermoforming<strong>Heaters</strong>W A T L O W<strong>Heaters</strong>Case HistoryRadiant <strong>Heaters</strong> MakeThermoplastic SheetsStampableProblem:A customer utilized polypropylenebased,glass reinforced structuralplastic in automobile front-ends andparts, power mower shrouds, snowshovels and guitar cases. Thisglass-reinforced polypropylene hada critical softening temperature, andcould be stamped with metalformingequipment already in theplant. Therefore, the processrequired a low facilities investment,but a method of heating the plasticsheet was needed.Solution:Watlow’s RAYMAX 1120 panel typeradiant heaters were used to preheatthe plastic sheet material, which wasthen conveyed to a die where thefinal configuration was formed.Originally, the customer purchaseda <strong>com</strong>petitor's radiant heater withquartz tubes. Their uneven heatingcaused some of the plastic to burn.The irregular heat also caused thematerial to have a high surfacetemperature and cool innertemperature resulting in poorstamping.The Watlow RAYMAX 1120 radiantheater, operating at a lowertemperature than quartz tubes,emitted a greater percentage ofinfrared energy, with minimalwavelength, for penetrating theplastic material. The heater met theneed for even temperature and evenpenetration, and three zones in theradiant oven enabled rapidprocessing. Watlow specified anddesigned the <strong>com</strong>plete systemwithin two weeks.327