Getting Your Heat Curve Right When Swapping IR Lamps
Here is the problem with swapping out OEM lamps in a Sidel Matrix or SIG Blomax 6: the temperature curve is finicky. If the wattage or the spectral output is even slightly off, you’re in trouble. Your PET preforms will either come out under-heated or, worse, scorched. That’s exactly why we built our replacement lamps to mirror the original specs. No guessing. No “close enough.”
It’s all about the heat density
Most people think matching the length of the lamp is enough. It isn’t. To get this right, you have to look at the relationship between voltage, wattage, and the surface area of the filament. We mirrored the electrical load of the Sidel OEM units so your power supply doesn’t experience any weird spikes or drops. The result? Your heating zones stay rock solid. The infrared radiation hits the same way it did on day one, so your preforms hit their target temperature exactly when they’re supposed to.
Just plug and play
These are true drop-in replacements. We used high-grade quartz glass because we know how brutal rapid thermal cycling is in blow molding. The connectors fit your existing sockets without you having to tweak or modify a thing. We also spent a lot of time on the focal point of the IR emission. We want the heat hitting the PET wall, not warming up your machine frame.
A quick tip for the floor
The best part is that you don’t have to spend hours recalibrating your oven timers. You wire them in, flip the switch, and you’re back in business. But here is a heads-up: a perfect lamp can’t fix a dirty oven. If your reflectors are pitted or oxidized, your heat distribution is going to suffer regardless of the lamp you use. While you’re in there swapping the lamps, take a second to check those reflectors. Keeping them clean is the only way to ensure your bottle wall thickness stays consistent.