On a blow molding line, uptime is everything. If the preform heating tunnel starts drifting, you’re staring down inconsistent stretch, off-spec bottles, and scrap that adds up fast. And when a lamp burns out mid-run, you’re opening the heater, swapping parts, and burning hours on replacement and recalibration. We built the preform heater rail lamp to stop those losses where they happen.
What matters under the hood
We run short-wave infrared quartz emitters for quick response and tight spectral control, so preforms come up to temperature fast without scorching the surface. Each emitter is rated for standard voltages—230V or 400V—and wired for a direct R7s connection, pin-to-pin with OEM layouts. It drops straight into Sidel, Krones, SIPA, Husky, SACMI, and Nissei ASB rails. Power density is tuned to the wall thickness you’re running, and the quartz tube sits in a compact, low-profile rail mount that keeps alignment solid, even when the machine is shaking. Output holds steady over time; we’ve seen units run 5,000+ hours with under 5% drop.
On the blow molder, minutes translate to money. Faster thermal recovery means you hit target temperature quicker after startup and after each lamp swap, so you cut warm-up scrap. Tighter heating control reduces thickness variation, which drops burst failures and rework. The direct R7s fit and pre-matched wiring mean fewer mistakes during maintenance, so service labor goes down and the line keeps moving. Energy use falls because the emitters deliver heat on demand, with minimal standby loss.
Installation is straightforward, but the heater tunnel is tight and hot. Double-check your rail geometry and emitter length before ordering, and verify reflector orientation to avoid hot spots. Handle the quartz tube by the ends, not the middle, and keep the lamp clean—dust on the tube skews heating and shortens life. If you’re running 24/7, schedule swaps during planned breaks to keep the cycle stable.