Lab Ovens: Different Types For Different Applications

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Technology )



You need lab ovens when you want to do thermal processing of various materials. The applications that you use with lab ovens can include sterilization, core hardening, testing components and stability of materials at certain temperatures, and general laboratory work such as culturing microbiological samples. Lab ovens are also used to dry glassware, glass implements, and glass instruments such as borescopes.

Lab ovens are available in various configurations, with designs depending on the intended application. You can have bench or cabinet lab ovens, for use in single-batch processing of small quantities of product. Bench lab ovens normally are fitted with integral stands, similar to the server racks that may be part of your ccie lab equipment.

There are also lab ovens configured as conveyor or continuous flow units, generally used in automated production processes. You can have vertically configured lab ovens, and walk-in lab ovens for large products and bigger-size batches.

Your lab ovens can also be distinguished by heating method. Mechanical convection ovens have fans that drive air through the heating element and distribute it into the chamber. These types achieve uniform distribution of heated air and faster heating times, and are thus used for applications that require these parameters. There are special mechanical convection ovens for clean-room, dust-free applications on wafer baking and chip cleaning.

Gravity convection ovens are not fitted with fans, so the heated air is not uniformly distributed inside; but these are useful for drying loose substances that could be disturbed by fans, such as powders.

When you need inert atmosphere or absence of atmosphere to process the material, you can use vacuum ovens. Since the vacuum will not convey heat, heating is supplied from outside and conducted by the metal in the side walls and oven shelves to the material. Vacuum lab ovens are used for plating, desiccating, and quality control.


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