The process temperature in an application influences the life of a cartridge heater which both provides and lives in that heat. Low heat applications such as plastic molding, packaging and rubber processing do not put much demand on heaters and they can be expected to work efficiently for years. Higher temperature (mid-range) applications like battery processing and metal die casting place greater stress on the heater.

Since the higher temperature generally requires higher watt densities from the heater to provide the heat, life issues are impacted. The key to long life becomes a balance between the number of heaters used and a manageable watt density. As the internal temperature of the heater goes higher, the ability of the MgO insulation to provide a di-electric barrier to shorting from coil to sheath is reduced.

In applications such as scorching dies and plastic-state metal forming (titanium) in temperature ranges from1200 to 1850 degF, the heat is achieved by very high watt density in the platen or die. But this is accomplished by packing many heaters with very low watt density into the work piece, since the extremely high temperature can be destructive to the heaters. Watt-Flex® cartridge heaters can be effectively used in extremely high heat applications and, again, it pays to consult a Regional Manager or engineer at Dalton Electric.

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Friday Funnies

A census taker in a rural area went up to a farmhouse and knocked. When a woman came to the door, he asked her how many children she had and their ages. She said, “Les’ see now, there’s the twins, Sally and Billy, they’re thirty-two. And the twins, Seth & Beth, they’re twenty-six. And the twins, Penny and Jenny, they’re twenty-four .. ”

“Hold on!” said the census taker, “Did you get twins EVERY time?”

The woman answered, ”Heck no, there were hundreds of times we didn’t get nothin'.”