IR Lamps

What are infrared lamps used for?

Non-UV printing inks and coatings (water or solvent-based) are dried through evaporation. This process can be accelerated with the application of hot air and/or infrared lamps (IR lamps) to remove the liquid base and leave only the dry solid ink behind on the substrate.

Alpha-Cure supplies infrared lamps for many different applications and industrial processes including print drying, as well as for the heating of indoor and outdoor spaces in domestic and commercial premises.

Other applications of IR include:

• PET manufacturing
• Domestic/commercial heating
• Curing and bonding
• Plastic welding
• Annealing

In these applications, infrared heaters may replace convection ovens and contact heating, UV curing, and electrical or gas heating systems. In the case of print drying, infrared may be more suitable than UV curing for some inks and substrates. IR heating is increasingly popular for use in warehouse heating as it can be targeted directly towards where staff are working, preventing energy from being wasted on heating air or building structures.