Drying ovens: types and applications

An essential part of the finishing process, drying is usually performed in a coating oven. Developed according to the type and composition of the lacquer used, an industrial oven must meet specific drying parameters. The secret is to understand production needs down to the smallest detail and then provide solutions that ensure the right balance between cost, efficiency and performance.

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Drying: what is an industrial oven for?

Based on the characteristics of the finished product, a coating oven must guarantee an optimal result. For example, the use of latest-generation industrial drying ovens makes it possible to:

  • obtain fast and uniform drying
  • take up little space, thanks to compact and vertical solutions
  • obtain specific aesthetic finishes (deep matt, etc.)
  • implement "green" and energy saving processes (for example in the case of UV ovens)

In some cases, heated rooms with forced ventilation are used as an alternative to ovens to speed up the drying process.

In which industries are coating ovens used?

Drying processes are used in many sectors, and the raw materials involved can vary a great deal.

Campi di utilizzo

The following is a selection of specific products finished in industrial ovens

APPLICATIONS

What are the existing types of coating oven?

The different types of oven adapt to multiple production requirements. Each Cefla Finishing coating oven can be customised: we define the oven parameters with our customer and then test the results in our LAB. Below is a list of the main categories of industrial ovens.

These coating ovens are integrated in finishing lines designed primarily for water-based lacquers. The ovens in this category are Aquadry and Ecogel. We also supply ovens for glass panels and in-line ovens for profiles.

A vertical oven is designed to dry pieces that require long hold times in a controlled and clean environment. Omnidry belongs to this category.

When UV paints are used, an adequate drying system is required. UV ovens guarantee sustainable drying, because of lower energy consumption. The UV-R, UV-R LED and UV-I ovens belong to this category.

For deep matt finishes, excimer matting ovens are used to obtain matt-finished surfaces based on patented technologies. The Exydry oven belongs to this category.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

01 Which coated materials need drying?
All coated materials need drying. The type, duration and method of drying differ according to the nature and quantity of the applied lacquer.
02 How many and what types of drying are there?
Mainly two categories: physical and chemical drying. The former is based on hot air, air flow speed and time, while the latter requires a source (typically lamps) to activate some internal components in the lacquer. There are also lacquers that need both of these methods.
03 How do I decide which drying technique is the most suitable?
The recommended type of drying depends on the type of product and is normally defined in agreement with the lacquer manufacturer, to ensure the required coating performance over time. The coating cycle, which also includes drying, is then defined with the aim of obtaining the desired final result, reducing the required investment and optimising performance.
04 What are the advantages of drying?
Let's talk about the advantages of the whole finishing process, which includes lacquer application and drying. The "finished" item ends up with improved resistance and protection from external agents, as well as a better aesthetic presentation.
05 What is meant by excimer drying?
Excimer drying is a drying process for UV coating products, which allows surfaces to be obtained with truly outstanding deep matt finish and resistance characteristics of the coating film. Normally it is a mixed cycle, which includes the evaporation of the solvents, followed by exposure to a dedicated lamp (an excimer lamp), to end with final UV crosslinking, necessary to definitively "lock in" the obtained result. The oven Exydry-Z ensures a deep matt finish, surface resistance and soft touch effect even on shaped or raised panels.
06 Are the edges dried, too?
The drying process depends on the type of coating process. If the edges are treated during the work cycle, these will obviously require drying.
07 Can I easily manage process scheduling including drying?
The entire coating process, or the drying part only, can be managed through recipes, therefore in a very straightforward way.
08 Is a drying oven very maintenance-intensive?
It depends on the type of oven but generally speaking drying ovens are low maintenance. Only vertical ovens, due to their operating mode, require some extra care because of the loads that they have to bear, but all that's required is checking, tensioning and lubricating some of their parts.
09 How long does it take to clean a drying oven?
Normally drying ovens are basically maintenance-free, as these machines do not generally get very dirty.