Heaters and heating elements.

PRODUCT LINES REVIEWED

ACROLAB LTD.

In cooperation with Bucher, Inc., company offers heat pipes for optimizing thermoset mold heating. Using heat pipes together with tubular electric heaters reportedly allows distributing heat evenly over the cavity surface, including deep into cores, resulting in faster cycles and more uniform curing.

BESSAM-AIRE INC.

Manufactures direct gas-fired heating equipment and evaporative coolers. Capacities of make-up air heaters range from 4000 through 50,000 cfm with ETL listing. Evaporative cooling delivers a temperature of 80 F or less. By reducing the ambient temperature around injection molds, the problem of sweating is reduced. A 40,000-cfm unit has a 50-ft throw in four directions. Operating costs for water and electricity for an 8-hr day is said to be $16.44.

BRISKHEAT CORP.

Manufactures electric surface heating and insulating jackets/blankets, which can be used to enhance performance and prolong the life of strip, band and ceramic heaters through better heat retention and less on/off cycling. Insulators feature integral, durable, woven heating elements that enable one-product installation, wiring ease, maintenance accessibility, and uniform heat distribution. They are available in standard designs or customized to specific applications. Options include protective fabrics, closure methods, temperature sensing and controlling devices, and multiple zoning.

CASSO-SOLAR CORP.

Engineers and supplies infrared ovens, dryers and furnaces. Type FB flat quartz infrared heater and the Unitube tubular quartz infrared heater are used in company's systems to provide peak efficiencies on most products by matching the emmissive wavelengths of the heating elements to the absorption wavelengths of the product (Selective Wavelength Method). Typical systems include profile heating for stretching polyester, PE and PP film; heating fiberglass-reinforced thermoplastic sheet for forming; and drying and curing coatings on plastics and film.

Conveyorized systems are utilized to heat reinforced composite plastics and standard plastics prior to stamp-forming into parts. Precise control of the process is made possible with optical pyrometers, multizone heater banks and computerized self-teaching control systems.

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY DIV. INVESTMENT HOLDINGS GROUP LTD.

Offers microwave heating utilizing magnetron systems. Control is accomplished using on/off time-proportioning control and amplitude modulation. In amplitude modulation, the current power is adjusted to control instantaneous magnetron output.

Remote sensors within the microwave chamber measure the material temperature and modulate magnetron power output to maintain temperature control. Using microwave energy is reported to be energy efficient in contrast with conventional heating/temperature control techniques. Where there is minimal or no direct microwave heating response by the materials being processed, use of susceptor additives will provide an efficient means of conversion of the microwave energy to heat within the body of the material.

Microwave ovens are specifically designed to the requirements of each conversion/assembly process. Safety standards and FCC regulations are assured.

D-M-E CO.

Company's line of heaters and heating elements includes a wide variety of band heaters, thermocouple cartridge heaters and square-coil nozzle heaters. Band heaters are available in six styles with operating temperatures up to 900 F, I.D.s from 3/4 to 8 in., and wattages from 75 to 950 in 120- and 240-v models. Cartridge heaters are available in both conventional and high-watt-density configurations with operating temperatures to 450 F and 120- and 240-v models. Conventional heaters come in diam. from 1/4 to 3/4 in., lengths from 2 to 16 in. and wattages from 40 to 1250. The high-watt-density versions are available in 1/4- to 3/4-in. diam., lengths from 1 to 14 in., and wattages from 100 to 2200.

Square-coil nozzle heaters feature a high watt density up to 106 watts/|in.sup.2~ and operating temperatures up to 1200 F. A 0.750-in. I.D. version with and without thermocouple in 125 and 250 watts, and a 0.875-in. I.D. version in 125 or 250 watts are also available. For high-temperature applications up to 1500 F, two versions of 240-v high-watt-density thermocouple cartridge heaters are available: one with 3/8-in. diam., lengths from 1 3/4 to 8 in., and wattages from 200 to 775; the other with 1/2-in. diam., lengths from 3 1/2 to 7 1/2 in., and wattages from 420 to 975.

Company also carries a broad line of conventional and thermocouple cartridge, square-coil and rectangular heaters for use with its internally and externally heated runnerless molding systems.

DALTON ELECTRIC HEATING CO., INC.

Company's Watt-Flex, split-sheath cartridge heater reportedly offers advantages not available with conventional cartridge heaters. Its continuous coil renders a more even temperature profile, often eliminating the conventional requirement for distributed wattage. Eliminating coil segments, the unit is suitable for sealing bars for package and bag sealing. A hot-tip feature, accomplished by passing the coil across the tip of the heater, improves the performance of an extrusion sheet die by putting more responsive heat in the lip of the die. An independent, bilateral expansion of the two legs effects contact of both sides of the sheath to a bore, providing better heat transfer and consequently a cooler-running coil. As the heater is de-energized, it contracts, making heater removal easier and eliminating bore seizure. The grooved heater allows for the use of a needle-type thermocouple, which monitors the temperature of the process, not internal coil temperature. Independent replacement of thermocouple or heater is a feature not available with conventional designs.

DUREX INTERNATIONAL CORP.

Offers standard and custom-designed cast-in heaters for extrusion equipment. Available in aluminum, bronze or iron, units can provide continuous operating temperatures up to 1100 F. Standard units fit any type of extrusion equipment. Options are available for electrical and cooling-tube terminations.

FAST HEAT INC.

Cartridge heaters--Highly compact HiTemp cartridges are said to provide faster heat transfer, higher operating temperatures, shock resistance, and longer life. The unswaged cartridge heater is suitable for moderate watt-density applications.

Band heaters--The patented Better Band reportedly provides excellent heat transfer and a wide selection of terminations. It is designed to reach temperatures to 1400 F. Also offered are economical mica bands with many options for terminations. Extruded or cast aluminum, insulated ceramic, and tubular band heaters are also available.

Strip heaters--Units are designed for efficient heat transfer and easy installation. The Ultima strip heater is capable of operating temperatures of 1200 F, while the Better Strip heater allows for increased watt densities for higher performance. Finned strip heaters are available for air-flow heating applications. Strip heaters in ceramic and mica are also offered.

GTE SYLVANIA

Offers a complete line of high-temperature hot-air tools, including hand-held benchtop systems. Company's Serpentine heating element results in a hot-air tool capable of high temperatures, up to 1600 F. Sylvatherm ceramic heaters, a family of far-infrared heat sources, are constructed of a high-temperature heating element embedded in the ceramic body. Each time the heaters approach operating temperatures, they turn from their original rose color to brown, thus enabling the user to visually identify nonoperating heaters. Units have an operating life of 5000 to 10,000 hr under normal operating conditions.

GLENRO INC.

Designs and manufactures web-processing ovens, conveyorized ovens, and heaters and controls for predrying, drying, curing, preheating, heating, sintering and fusing. Ovens are available in the following types: electric infrared, gas infrared, infrared combined with ambient-temperature air, hot-air impingement, hot-air impingement combined with infrared, flotation, and through-air. Company also designs and manufactures ovens for densifying expanded PS scrap and post-consumer waste.

IMS CO.

Offers a wide range of heater bands from standard mica-core to low-profile keylock; and from super-high-watt-density to plastic-proof and expandable ceramic-insulated. Also offered are standard and built-in thermocouple cartridge heaters. Heater and thermocouple wire and other accessories for heater connection and use are available.

INDUSTRIAL HEATER DIV. NORTHEASTERN HEATER CO. INC.

Offers a wide range of standard and ceramic-insulated heaters as replacement heaters for injection molding and extrusion, manufactured in the U.S., Canada and off-shore. Company also custom manufactures heaters to user specifications in cylindrical, flat, rectangular, and other configurations. Cartridge heaters are offered in standard sizes or custom manufactured.

MODINE MANUFACTURING CO.

Company provides a full line of unit heaters, duct furnaces, make-up air units and other heating products.

NOREN PRODUCTS, INC.

Company reports that its Thermal Pin heat conductors (similar in concept to heat pipes) can be used to transfer heat quickly and uniformly from one part of a mold to another. Thermal Pins are commonly used to extract heat for mold cooling, but they can also be used to transfer heat into hard-to-reach mold areas in thermoset molding. More uniform mold heating, without "hot spots," reportedly can achieve faster cycles than use of cartridge heaters or circulating oil heat alone.

OGDEN MFG. CO.

Company's heat and control products include the Mighty Watt and Mighty Watt Plus line of cartridge heaters and several different styles of band heaters for cylindrical heating applications. Varied sizes and styles of product lines are stocked for immediate delivery.

OMEGA ENGINEERING INC.

Offers heating cables and strip, cartridge, tubular electric, immersion, and band heaters, as well as laboratory and specialty heaters. Accessory equipment includes thermocouple, RTD and thermistor sensors, along with associated wire, connectors and hardware. Heating system instrumentation, such as controllers, meters and computer interfaces, is also available. Company also offers a line of ovens and ceramic and other oven heating elements, which can be used as replacement components or to construct customized ovens. Consultation is provided to assist in the assembly of customized ovens and heating systems.

OMEGA HEATER CO., INC.

Manufactures and designs ceramic and mica heater bands and strips; and cartridge, channel, ceramic air-cooled, cast-aluminum (liquid and air-cooled) ceramic-fiber, radiant-panel, and roller heaters. Heater accessories, instruments, controls and thermocouples are available. Company stocks mica bands and cartridges, and also custom manufactures.

ORYCON CONTROL TECHNOLOGY

Offers straight or preformed tubular heating elements, mini-tubular heating elements of 3/16-in. diam., and swaged high-watt-density cartridge heaters with high-temperature leads, all supplied with or without thermocouples.

Company recently introduced a line of plate heaters for hot manifolds, which have tubular heating elements pressed into respective slots and held in place by staked heater covers. This reportedly results in the performance of a cast-in plate heater combined with the convenience of a replaceable heating element.

RAMA CORP.

Supplies tubular, band and strip heaters in a wide range of sizes and temperatures. Company's Ramaband and Ramastrip heaters are computer-designed and verified to customer specifications. Ramaflex heaters can be designed in a variety of shapes and sizes to meet specific needs. Made from lightweight fiber-glass-reinforced silicone rubber, they provide even heat distribution on both uniform and irregular surfaces where moderate heating is required.

Complete engineering and R&D services using CAD are available for custom-designed heating assembly needs.

TEMPCO ELECTRIC HEATER CORP.

Manufactures a complete line of electric heating elements, thermocouples and related accessories, specializing in injection molding, extrusion and auxiliary applications. Products also include cast-in aluminum or bronze heater/cooler units for extrusion barrels and dies; high- or low-watt-density cartridge heaters for hot-runner, compression and injection molds, as well as for extrusion dies and welding equipment; Duraband, Micaband, Ceramic Band and Aluminum Channel Maxiband band heaters for injection molding and extrusion barrels, heads and dies; Mica, Maxi and Channel strip heaters for molds, platens and dies; and tubular heating elements and ceramic infrared heaters for thermoforming. Thermocouples and temperature controls for regulating heating elements are available.

All heaters are designed and manufactured to customer's specifications, or available in standard designs. A large inventory of finished products is maintained for immediate delivery.

THRIFT PRODUCTS

Supplies common sizes of mica-core heater bands and stainless-steel cartridge heaters.

TRASOR CORP.

Flexible mat heaters can be shaped to conform to the walls of any sort of tank, drum or storage vessel. Mat heaters consist of welded stainless-steel cloth with Incoloy or Inconel sheath heating elements that can operate continuously at up to 1000 F, permanently attached to the mat's inside surface. The mat comes with stainless-steel bands for fastening it around the surface to be heated. Mat heaters are used to keep liquids at a pumpable viscosity or to prevent condensation in bulk-solids storage bins. Each mat heater is custom-fabricated. The largest to date measures 4 x 100 ft.

WAAGE ELECTRIC

Offers band and strip heaters, tubular metal-sheath elements, immersion heaters, flanged immersion heaters, and heat-transfer systems with integral cooling.

WATLOW ELECTRIC MFG. CO.

Offers the swaged Firerod cartridge heater with high-temperature and high-watt-density capabilities. The Lead Adapter program utilizes a patented lead connection technique that permits same-day shipment on over 150,000 variations of the Firerod.

Band heaters include the MI Band, a high-temperature (1600 F max.) unit with a special mineral insulation that provides long heater life; the new Thin-band heater featuring a flexible design that allows easy installation and replacement on the barrel, and provides fast heat-up and cool-down; and the Thincast heater with rugged cast-aluminum construction that provides long life and resistance to contamination.

Company's heater line also includes radiant heaters, quartz tubular elements, strip heaters, ceramic-fiber heaters, and cable and nozzle heaters.