Industrial Infrared Heating Systems, SCR Power Controls & Custom Automation
With more than 70 years of infrared heating experience, Precision Control Systems (PCS) designs and manufactures industrial infrared heating systems, SCR power controllers and temperature controls, and custom automation equipment for demanding manufacturing and testing applications.
From standard heater products to fully integrated thermal systems, PCS combines mechanical, electrical, controls, and software engineering to deliver precise heat where the process requires it.
Industrial Infrared Heating Engineered Around the Process
PCS combines specialized infrared heating knowledge with power controls, sensing, cooling, and automation. This allows us to support applications where heat flux, response time, footprint, product geometry, or process control makes standard heating equipment difficult to apply.
High-Intensity, Responsive Heating
Shortwave and other infrared emitter technologies deliver concentrated energy directly to the product, supporting rapid heat-up and quick output changes during startups, line-speed changes, or process stops.
Application Specific Thermal Design
PCS evaluates the material, geometry, working distance, exposure time, target temperature, and production rate to select the appropriate emitter, reflector, heater arrangement, and cooling method.
Integrated Power and Process Control
Complete process control systems can incorporate single or multi-zone SCR power control, thermocouple or pyrometer feedback, PLC and HMI automation, recipes, data collection, alarms, and safety interlocks.
Standard Products Through Turnkey Systems
PCS can supply an individual heater or controller, adapt a standard platform, or engineer a complete system with material handling, cooling, ventilation, guarding, and upstream or downstream integration.
Products
PCS manufactures responsive chamber, line, strip, spot, and panel heaters, along with temperature controllers and SCR power control systems for industrial equipment, laboratories, and test facilities.
Industrial Applications
PCS applies infrared heating to silicone curing and rubber vulcanization, PEX-a crosslinking, wire preheat and jacket curing, coating and primer drying, continuous web heating and drying, heat treating, composite processing, and high heat flux aerospace material testing.
Medical Applications
Based in Minnesota’s Medical Alley, the PCS Medical Automation Division develops equipment for nitinol and stainless steel braid annealing, nitinol shape setting, catheter reflow, electropolishing and etching, dip coating, thermal bonding, and stent fatigue testing.
Custom Systems
When standard products do not fit the process, PCS engineers custom heater assemblies, multi-zone control panels, conveyors, cooling systems, fixtures, and fully integrated thermal-processing equipment.
Industrial Infrared Heating Experience Since 1951
Research Inc. began developing industrial infrared heating and control technology in 1951. PCS acquired the Research Inc. Infrared Heating Division in 2007 and continues to design and manufacture Research Inc. heater and controller products while expanding into custom thermal systems and medical automation. Today, PCS supports manufacturers and research organizations that need precise, high power, or highly integrated heating equipment built around the process.
Capabilities & Emitter Technologies: Complete Thermal and Control System Capability
PCS supports projects from an individual infrared heater or controller through a complete automated process. Each system is configured around the material, product geometry, production rate, thermal profile, electrical requirements, and equipment interfaces.
Temperature and Power Controls
Benchtop controllers, single and multi-zone SCR power systems, recorders, PLC and HMI controls, recipe management, data collection, and plant communication.
Infrared Heaters and Arrays
Chamber, clamshell, line, strip, spot, and panel heater configurations for stationary parts, moving products, webs, extrusion lines, and thermal test articles.
Integrated Process Equipment
Conveyorized ovens, batch enclosures, extrusion systems, test stands, positioning equipment, cooling circuits, ventilation interfaces, and custom guarding.
Emitter and Thermal Design Options
Shortwave quartz halogen, medium wave, and long wave infrared technologies selected according to the material, response requirement, and process conditions.
Available Solutions
A broad summary of the solutions available
Electric Heating Technologies
We use the following electric heating technologies to meet your process needs
Short-wave IR (T3)
Medium-wave IR
Long-wave IR
Infrared Carbon Emitters
Convection Heating
Conduction Heating
Graphite Heaters
Hybrid
Phase Angle
DZC Power Control