Infrared emitters from Heraeus Noblelight deburr plastic parts

Injection molded plastic parts are often further refined by painting, laminating or flocking. In the case of technical plastic parts, the formation of burrs cannot always be avoided due to the component geometry; however, it is essential to remove the burrs before further finishing. Burrs stand out unattractively on the surface after laminating or painting, and peeling can also occur on sharp edges. If burrs cannot be avoided on plastic moldings, they must at least be removed easily and reproducibly. Heraeus Noblelight will be demonstrating the possibilities offered by modern infrared systems at the Fakuma trade fair in Friedrichshafen. Infrared emitters can be adapted precisely to contours and infrared modules can be tailored exactly to existing processes. Infrared heat acts without contact and so burrs are melted away without damaging the product. This can significantly reduce the scrap rate in the production of molded parts. Handles, housing parts, covers, intake manifolds or lids made of plastic are often produced by injection molding. The occurrence of sharp-edged burrs, for example at the mold parting line, cannot always be prevented. Particularly in the case of complexly shaped parts, removing the burrs before further processing or coating can be a real challenge. Infrared emitters made of quartz glass can be shaped to follow the course of edges or burrs, melting off exactly only the burr without damaging the actual workpiece. This makes them superior to many conventional methods, because manual removal, for example with special knives or by using gas flames, does not produce uniform results and costs time. Infrared modules are compact in design and can be easily integrated into production, even in existing equipment. In this way, infrared heat makes inline deburring possible and the plastic molded parts can be processed immediately. Infrared emitters are precisely matched to the production step; they heat large surfaces as well as narrow edges. Flexible designs allow adaptation even to complex-shaped workpieces, and the ability to switch infrared emitters on or off in seconds saves energy and costs. Plastic parts are deburred, welded or riveted particularly efficiently within a few seconds because heat is applied for a limited time, only at exactly the right place. Infrared emitters offer the advantage of being able to apply heat in a targeted manner: Heat only where it is needed and only as long as it is needed for the process. In this way, energy is used efficiently, time is saved and, ultimately, production costs are reduced.