An electrically heated industrial oven used to preheat carpet blanks prior to press forming is on its way to an automotive supplier. The preheating oven uses an air-bypass system that prevents heat from escaping the oven chamber when the oven door is open.

Developed by Davron Technologies, Chattanooga, Tenn., the preheating oven was equipped with a dual alternating-rack system. While a carpet blank is heated on one rack, the other rack is simultaneously unloaded and loaded with new product. The air-bypass system captures the heated air while the racks are changing position, increasing energy efficiency.

During operation, carpet blanks are placed manually on the racks and enter the oven to be preheated by convection heat. The airflow within the heated chamber is a vertical airflow pattern with a maximum operating temperature of 500°F (260°C). Heated air is impinged on the product from above and passes through the product and rack.

"Our goal was to create a preheating oven that operated as efficiently as possible. We've designed a thermoforming solution that allows multiple forming presses to be used with just a single preheat system," said Jimmy Evans, vice president of Davron.