The use of high density infrared heating for surface modification/coatings processes

The present paper introduces a brief history of high density infrared (HDI) lamp systems and their use in advanced materials development and fabrication. Two types of lamp systems have been developed and are in use at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Infrared Processing Center (IPC), namely, plasma arc lamps and tungsten halogen lamps. The plasma arc lamp is used for processes that require high heating rates or high temperatures. Such applications include sheet fabrication and coatings using refractory metals, traditionally difficult-to-process materials, such as intermetallics and ceramics, thermal forming, and selective heat treating. There are significant cost savings for thin sheet fabrication when compared with standard warm/hot deformation processes. Tungsten halogen systems are used for lower temperature materials. Applications include coatings and claddings, debindering operations, braze joining, tooling preheating, and billet heating. A mathematical model has also been developed for the simulation of infrared heating.