Gruenberg, a leading industrial oven and sterilizer manufacturer, has shipped one cabinet oven to the composites industry. The oven will be used for curing composite parts under a vacuum. Vacuum is used in the curing process to remove air bubbles from the composite material as it cures, producing a higher quality finished product.
The cabinet oven has a maximum temperature rating of 400°C and interior dimensions of 24” W x 24” D x 48” H. The interior chamber is constructed of 304 stainless steel that is continuously welded to create an impervious barrier between the process chamber and the insulation material which prevents contaminants from entering the chamber. An oven stand elevates the bottom of the working chamber approximately two feet above the facility floor.
This unit includes eight stainless steel trays with perforated bottoms that rest on non-tip shelf slides. The trays will be loaded with parts that are bagged and connected to vacuum lines. A door switch is installed on the oven to de-energize the heating and circulation systems if the door is opened which prevents hot air from being expelled from the oven during the heating cycle.
This cabinet oven uses a vacuum system with eight ports to accommodate one bagged part per tray. The vacuum pump is rated to an ultimate vacuum level of approximately 30 Pa. The system also includes a free-standing reservoir tank with a 30-gallon capacity that will be connected to the main vacuum line. This tank will mitigate fluctuations in the overall pressure measured at each individual port as the other ports are periodically opened and closed during the process.
The oven temperature is controlled by a Watlow F4T with INTUITION™ programmable controller that features a 4.3-inch, color touch panel, 40 ramp and soak profiles, and Ethernet connectivity. A Watlow EZ Zone PM high limit thermostat protects against overheating by de-energizing the heating system should the process temperature reach the customer’s preset limit. A horizontal airflow configuration is used to provide uniform heat distribution throughout the oven chamber and optimize efficiency. This design directs the air through semi-pierced walls to flow horizontally across the product and then exit the workspace through a semi-pierced wall on the other side.
“This cabinet oven is designed with a vacuum system to allow for the parts being processed to be vacuum bagged,” said Jason Cillo, director, international sales/Gruenberg and Blue M. “The system includes eight ports for source lines to be connected to the bags around the loaded parts.”
Unique features of this Gruenberg cabinet oven include:
- Eight stainless steel perforated shelves.
- No-tip shelf slide design.
- Oven stand.
- Vacuum pump rated for 30 Pa.
- Watlow F4T temperature controller.
- Watlow high-limit controller to prevent overheating.
MORE INFO www.gruenberg.com
