Getting Your Krones and Sidel Heating Lamps Right
If you’re running Krones Contiform 1/2, SBO, Matrix, or Sidel lines, you know that the heating lamps are the heartbeat of the whole operation. When we design our replacements, we don’t just look at the length of the tube and call it a day. It’s more than that. You need the right spectral output and electrical load, or your preform heating is going to be all over the place.
The Power Side of Things
Most of these setups rely on high-wattage shortwave infrared. Here’s the thing: your voltage and wattage have to be a perfect match for your oven’s power supply. If they’re off, you’re looking at lamps that burn out way too fast or preforms that just aren’t getting hot enough. You want that high-density heat to keep your cycle times fast, but don’t forget your cooling blowers. If those are clogged or restricted, the housing overheats. Then, your filament dies. Simple as that.
Glass, Connectors, and the Little Details
We use high-purity quartz glass because PET blowing is brutal. The constant heating and cooling would crack cheaper glass in no time. Then there are the connectors—usually R7s or SK15. We machine these to be incredibly tight. Why? Because a loose fit leads to arcing. You’ll see pitting on the connector, and eventually, the lamp just quits. Plus, some of our tubes have a special coating. It pushes the IR radiation toward the preform instead of letting it waste away against the oven walls.
Plugging Them In
These are true drop-in replacements. You won’t have to mess with your wiring or swap out lamp holders. We’ve spent the time mapping the dimensions from the old-school SBO units all the way to the new Matrix series. They seat correctly without putting any stress on the glass. One quick tip: be careful about jumping to a higher wattage than the OEM spec. It puts a lot more strain on your transformers. Just double-check your current draw before you decide to crank up the power across the whole bank.