IQS Newsroom Articles on Ceramic Heaters
Ceramic Heaters
Electric ceramic heaters are perhaps one of the most widely used type of heating element. Ceramic heaters are used as heating elements in a variety of configurations to provide conductive and radiating heat. Conductive ceramic heaters may be combined with aluminum nitride, silicone or other elements to form warming plates or bonding instruments for medical devices and semiconductor applications. Stand-alone ceramic heating elements may be packed with magnesium oxide and terminated with lead or copper wires for use in a number of industrial applications. Ceramic space heaters also use ceramic insulated heating elements combined with aluminum baffles and fans to provide safe, energy efficient radiating heat as ceramic room heaters. Many other types of electric heaters, including ceramic strip heaters and ceramic band heaters use ceramic insulation to conduct heat.
Basic construction of ceramic heaters comprises of electric wire heating elements encased in ceramic insulation or ceramic fibers; this basic element is used in a variety of shapes and rods to provide a heating source in copiers, dehumidifiers, glue guns, heat sealing guns, shrink wrapping machinery, soldering equipment, valve heaters, resistors and many other radiating heat applications. Medical, packaging, aerospace, appliance, semiconductor, plastic, food processing, OEM and finishing industries use ceramic heaters to warm, plasticize, seal, test and mold various materials. Because ceramic materials are capable of absorbing so much heat, they are commonly used in infrared ceramic heaters for paint drying, vacuum chamber, powder coating and other baking applications. Ceramic heaters are highly energy efficient, prized for their even heat radiation, high heat capacity and cost efficiency.