Stoving by Infra-red Rays
Page 62

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ONE of the most modern methods of drying and stoving components which have been spray-painted, or otherwise treated, is by the use of an infra-red plant.
Such plant is installed in the Solihull works of the Rover Co., Ltd.,. and is used in the pre-treatment and paint finishing of Land-Rover components. Being of comparatively lightweight construction, the plant has been mounted on platforms well above ground level.
An overhead Conveyor of constant speed is used to carry the pressedaluminium sections of the Land-Rover through all the stages of the finishing process. The conveyor carries the parts through a number of spray booths, where the washes used for surface preparation are automatically applied.
Each section, before being conveyed from the spray booths to be dried in the first of the infra-red-lamp plants, is "blown off" by an air jet. The first infra-red plant is 20 ft. long and -has a loading of 200 kW. With a constant conveyor speed of 6 ft. per minute, the components remain in the plant for 3i minutes, after which they are con
D4 veyed to the paint-spray booth.
Paint spraying is followed by a " flash-off " period of 7 minutes, the components finally arriving at the infrared stoving plant, which has a loading of 320 kW. They remain in this plant for 5* minutes, during which period they acquire a hard, glossy finish. The infra-red plants contain a total of 2,080 Osram infra-red reflector lamps.
Both plants are similar in construction, and each consists of two opposed banks of 10 rows of lamps. To prevent loss of heat due to stray radiation, and to keep out cooling dra ugh t s, the lamps are mounted in secondary reflectors made of a special aluminium alloy.
The plant, switches and control gear were designed and supplied by the General Electric Co., Ltd., Magnet House, Kingsway, London, W.C.2.