Adhesives activation is one of many popular applications for infrared heat. Here are five ways that customers of Hereaus Noblelight, Duluth, Ga., have applied the technology.
  1. A production line producing metal machinery components needed a fast means of drying paint on parts. The existing hot-air oven had extensive heat losses and required a large area of plant floor space. Replacing it with a medium-wave infrared drying system provided faster preheating, higher throughput, increased quality and a smaller equipment footprint.

  2. A coil of aluminum with adhesive applied in strips is dried using short-wave infrared heaters. The coil is cut into sheets that are overlaid with adhesive strips. The adhesive is cured in an autoclave after which the sheets are pulled to produce a honeycomb structure. Previously, the manufacturer used a hot-air oven for adhesive drying. The infrared system runs faster and allows more homogeneous adhesive drying.

  3. A manufacturer of electrical white boards heats glue with the company’s carbon twin-tube modules. Controlled by pyrometer, the system melts the glue evenly so that brass wires can be pressed into it.

  4. A laminating process requires preheating of glue but the customer’s old method (a hot air oven) operated at low speed and required a long heating time. A medium-wave infrared modular system provided high speed, reduced heating time, and allowed for a shorter production line.

  5. The company’s food processor customers benefit from infrared heating in multiple applications such as filling chocolates, preliminary browning of instant meals and bread sterilization. Infrared emitters transmit heat without contact and only for as long as necessary. In this way, food is brought to the necessary temperature without being overheated.
Infrared heat can effectively apply process heat in many other applications. To see additional applications, visit www.noblelight.net and click on “Applications” and then “Infrared.”

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