Cartridge Heaters Features Applications And Selection

A cartridge heater has a cylindrical tube type construction with a metal sheath containing resistive electrical circuit enclosed inside with proper insulation. It is a heating element used in various industrial applications. This type of heater is designed in such a way that the diameter has a standard dimension that can slide into holes of metric drill sizes commonly ranging from 4mm to 20mm. The length may vary from less than an inch to a few feet. Generally these heaters are used to heat up solids by the phenomenon of conduction. The heater is made to slide into the hole drilled into a mold containing the solid. Uniform heating is a desirable feature of these heaters. How to select a cartridge heater Cartridge heaters are commonly used in industrial processes like mold dyeing, sealing bars, platen heating and similar processes. If you are looking for such a heater that suits your requirements, here are a few important things that you should consider:

• The nature of material to be heated
• The mass of the material to be heated
• The maximum watt density for the material
• The initial temperature
• The final temperature to be attained
• Target time in which final temperature is to be attained
• Available voltage and phase

Once these basic parameters are established, the heater size, type, rating and quantity can be selected. The number of heaters required should be decided so as to provide uniform heating to the material. For accurate temperature control and even heating, the sensor should be placed close to the working area. As the wattage for the heater is finalized, the wattage density and heater dimensions are to be selected. In some cases, the wattage density reaches above the permissible value. In such case, the dimensions, number of heaters and the heat losses are to be adjusted. Features of cartridge heaters Some unique features of these heaters make them desirable for various industrial purposes. These are:

• These are designed with internal thermo-couples
• These are available with lead wire options
• Provided with Flanges and Fittings
• Great performance in terms of uniformity in heating
• Durability
• Available in a number of configurations and constructions as per specific application
• Corresponds to international performance standards

Applications Various commercial units make use of these heaters in their everyday processes. Currently, these heaters are being used for following purposes in industries:

• For packaging
• Plastic processing plants
• Heating gases and liquids
• Hot runner mold
• Labeling machineries
• Hot Stamping
• Dies and molds
• Food processing machinery
• Shoe manufacturing machines
• And many more…

Cartridge heaters manufactured with custom features and specifications are used for specific applications such as heaters with crimped-on leads, swaged-in leads, stainless steel braid, stainless steel armoured cable, right angle fiber glass leads, right angle stainless steel braid, right angle stainless steel armour and many others. From composition to lead angle, every feature of these heaters is customizable making them highly desirable in various industries.