The existing forced air convection heat source resulted in stress marks in the bent Plexiglas.
Excessive Scrap
The manufacturer had to scrap eight percent of all parts due to excessive stress marks in the bends.
Employee Discomfort
The forced air convection heat source had to be left on continuously, making employees uncomfortable.
Solution
Heat
A Model 4185-38 Infrared Strip Heater was used to apply heat to the Plexiglas prior to bending.
System Configuration
The Infrared Strip Heater was installed over a table that contained a bending form. After one bend area was heated and the bend made, the table was turned to repeat the process on a second bend.
Instant On/Off
The Infrared Strip Heater heated up and cooled down instantly.
Benefits
Improved Quality
The Infrared Strip Heater eliminated the stress marks at the bend in the Plexiglas.
Reduced Scrap
With the Infrared Strip Heater, the manufacturer was able to reduce the scrap rate by 94 percent to less than .5 percent.
Improved Employee Comfort
The instant on/off capability of the Infrared Strip Heater made it possible to operate the heater only when heat was required prior to bending the Plexiglas, significantly improving employee comfort.
Reduced Energy Consumption
The manufacturer realized a 32 percent savings in energy consumption over a 16 hour shift by using the Infrared Strip Heaters as the heat source.
Space Savings
The Infrared Strip Heater took up less work space than the heat source it replaced.
