When you first start using a 8x10x25 powder coating oven, it can be difficult to know how much space you’ll need. What if your production changes? Do you need different sized ovens so that no matter what, you have the perfect one at hand? Or is there some other factor that might make it worth getting more than one powder coating oven? Without enough information, it can be hard to know how many coatings or what kinds of coatings are possible. But once you understand a few key things about how these machines work, it becomes much easier to figure out how big an oven will fit in your place and how much space you’ll need to keep the oven full all year round. Here are the factors that go into choosing the right size powder coating oven.
Knowing your typical production capacity is key
In order to choose the best powder coating oven for your operation, you first need to know how much production you typically see. If you don’t have a set number in mind, it’s easy to overspend on an oven you won’t realistically use. If you’re going to be doing a lot of powder coating in a commercial setting, you’ll likely need an oven that can hold at least 400 kilos of powder at a time. If you’re a smaller shop, you may be able to get by with an oven that isn’t quite as large. Still, it’s worth keeping in mind that these machines can be used for other powder-based products, such as graphite.
Understanding how much space is needed for storage and drying
Powder coating uses a lot of different resources, from powder to racks to pallets. It makes sense to choose an oven that has enough space inside it to store all of these items comfortably. For example, powder comes in the standard 40 kilos per pallet. So, if you have a lot of powder and a small oven, you may end up having to move racks in and out of the oven to make room for new powder pallets. This can be a major inconvenience and increase the risk of damage to your supply. To avoid this, you’ll want to find an oven big enough to store your entire supply in one go. If you’re using pallets, you’ll also want to make sure you have enough space inside the oven to stack them comfortably.
Finding out how many racks you can fit in your space
Although it makes sense to store powder in pallets, you will most likely need to break those pallets down into racks when you are ready to bake them. So, you’ll want to make sure your oven can comfortably fit as many racks as you need. If you’re baking a variety of coatings, you may need to make sure your oven has room for different types of racks. For example, powder coatings are typically baked on a stainless steel rack. But some paints or other chemicals may be baked on graphite. Even within the powder coating industry, there are different types of racks that you may need to store. For example, certain powders may need to be dried before baking, so you may need racks that can be heated.
Drying time is also important to know
It’s worth keeping in mind that many powders need to be dried before they can be baked. If you’re using a smaller powder coating oven, you may need to make sure that racks with wet powder can fit inside your space to finish drying. If you are using a big oven, making sure it has enough room to fit both the racks and the driers is important as well. Although there are many different types of driers on the market, most are designed to fit on a standard pallet. So, you’ll want to make sure your oven has enough space for one or multiple driers.
Knowing the size of a kilogram of powder is also essential
To make sure you have enough space for racks and driers, you’ll also want to make sure you know the size of a kilogram of powder. Powder coating has standard sizes, so once you know what kind of powder you’re working with, you’ll be able to measure it out and make sure you have enough room for the amount you need. If you’re baking a variety of coatings, you may need to adjust your measurements slightly.
Bottom line
Powder coating is a great way to protect metal parts, plastic parts, and wood. With so many uses, it’s no wonder that powder coating ovens are so popular. When you’re choosing a powder coating oven, it’s important to think about the production you expect, the amount of space you have available in your shop, and the amount of resources you need to store. With the right information and a bit of research, you can find the perfect powder coating oven for your needs.
