Laboratory Ovens
Ovens that are used in laboratory settings provide many different thermal processing applications for general lab work and testing. They provide consistent and uniform temperatures up to 1400 degrees F for the healthcare, technology, agricultural and transportation industries. Most often used in research laboratories, these ovens are also found in hospitals. They are used for baking, drying, annealing, conditioning, sterilizing, evaporating and dehydrating testing of many different sample materials and products. They may be cabinets, have a continuous conveyor system, or be large enough for an operator or truck to enter. There are a wide variety of heating systems used for laboratory ovens, including combustion, electric, conduction, infrared, gas, propane, oil, microwave or steam.
The controls of laboratory ovens are either automated or must be manually programmed. Cooling systems, shelving, filtration, timers and alarms, and information recorders are often components found in laboratory ovens. Some are available with observing windows on the front door, and most are equipped with ports that have removable covers. They are measured in cubic feet and are composed of heavy duty explosion-proof materials to increase the safety of workers and operators. The main types of laboratory ovens are vacuum, large-capacity or high temperature. They all must meet specific standards put fourth by the IS and ASTM.