On the blow molding floor, preform heating is where cycle time, bottle quality, and uptime all meet head-on. When the heating tunnel runs hot in one spot and cold in another, you end up with uneven wall distribution, flash, or worse—unplanned stoppages while you hunt down lamp failures. We built the short wave halogen heater as a straightforward retrofit for preform lines, so you can get back to the original OEM heating profile without guesswork.
What matters, technically
Short wave infrared gives you fast response. The lamps hit operating temperature in seconds, so the tunnel tracks setpoints quickly when you switch grades. The quartz tube and halogen filament keep the spectral output tight, centered on the preform’s absorption band. That means consistent surface heating with less wasted energy.
We match the envelope and electrical interface to common blow molder setups, including R7s connectors and standard voltages. Output is repeatable across lamps, so the heating curve stays stable from one replacement to the next.
Why it plays in stretch blow molding
In stretch blow molding, preform temperature uniformity is what drives yield. These short wave halogen heaters restore the intended thermal balance across the heating zones, cutting down hot spots and cold seams. The result is fewer rejects, steadier stretch ratios, and more predictable bottle wall thickness.
Because the emitter starts and stops fast, you can shorten warm-up, stabilize the process sooner after startup, and run closer to the machine’s rated output without overshoot. energy use drops, too, since the system spends less time compensating for lag and drift.
The field notes that save you headaches
Installation is straightforward, but alignment and reflector condition matter. If reflectors are pitted or out of position, you lose irradiance uniformity—even with a good lamp.
Double-check that the lamp wattage and voltage match the socket and control settings. Confirm the cooling airflow meets the tunnel’s requirements. Handle the quartz tube by the ends only; oils and scratches create hot points and cut service life short. Plan replacements around scheduled maintenance windows so you don’t get blindsided by production interruptions.