Watlow FIREROD User Manual
WATLOW
FIREROD®CARTRIDGE HEATERS
PROVIDE QUALITY
AND
ENGINEERING
EXPERTISE FOR YOUR
MOST DEMANDING
APPLICA TIONS
Selecting cartridge heaters for
industrial applications should involve
more than just specifying temperature
and power requirements. Today’s users
benefit when their cartridge heater
supplier can provide:
•
Custom design for specific
applications
•
On-time delivery
•
A quality product for maximum
performance
•
Expert technical assistance
Watlow began answering these
cartridge heater needs in 1954, when
we designed and manufactured the
first swaged cartridge heater — the
FIREROD
®
—and revolutionized the
heating element industry.
We have continued to meet our
customer’s most challenging needs
with ongoing research and
technological improvements; solving
your toughest heating problems
through quality products, engineering
assistance and fast delivery.
..........................
FOUR QUESTIONS TO ASK
WHEN SELECTING YOUR
CARTRIDGE HEATER SUPPLIER
1.
2.
3.
4.
1. Does my cartridge heater supplier
provide a complete product and
service package?
2. Can I be sure I’ll get the products
I need, when I need them?
3. Is my cartridge heater supplier
building the best product possible?
4. Does my cartridge heater supplier
provide application assistance to
solve my heating problems?
2.
1.
1. Does my cartridge
heater supplier provide
a complete product
and service package?
Watlow does.
•
Watlow is the only designer and
manufacturer to offer single source
thermal system capability with our
complete line of heaters, sensors and
controllers. Y ou are assured of Watlow
quality in each system component.
•
Continuous product testing is one
way we ensure quality at Watlow. Our
commitment to Total Quality and
World-Class Manufacturing programs
also leads to continual product
improvements for the FIREROD heater.
•
Prototype testing is often performed
for special customer applications, such
as unusual zoning, temperature
response and special life requirements.
Based on test results, Watlow can
recommend the proper operating
conditions to ensure long heater life
while providing optimal performance.
•
Watlow is a certified cartridge
heater supplier for many major
industrial manufacturers, having
passed stringent quality and
delivery tests.
•
Watlow’s worldwide sales and
distributor networks provide instant
access to expert technical advice,
application assistance and after-thesale service.
our customers send us their production
usage schedules and we ensure that
the required number of heaters are in
their plant, on time.
Watlow offers ship-to-stock delivery
as required by many vendor
certification programs. We’ve
established partnerships with a
number of customers requiring the
quality levels and reliability necessary
for these programs to succeed. This
has led to instituting specific in-line
inspection and test fixtures that
duplicate those used by our
customers.
Our in-house quality control teams
are well equipped to handle your
inspection needs.
Ordering a special or customdesigned cartridge heater doesn’t
mean you’ll have to wait months.
Because of our flexible World Class
Manufacturing “work cells” for the
FIREROD heater line, custom sizes can
often be designed and manufactured
in three to five working days.
2. Can I be sure I’ll get
the products I need
when I need them?
Watlow says yes.
Product availability is recognized as
industry’s single biggest problem in
maintaining demanding production
schedules.
Watlow offers several delivery
programs, such as Same Day
Shipment, Just-In-Time and Ship-ToStock, that allow you to reduce heater
inventories as well as costly downtime.
Watlow’s unique LA —or Lead
Adaptor —modification method
utilizes a patented lead connection
technique permitting same day
shipment on more than 150,000
configurations of stock FIREROD
heaters and lead combinations. Many
orders received by 4 p.m. local time
can be shipped same day.
The LA modification begins with a
standard FIREROD unit. The heater is
stocked on the shelf prior to lead
attachment. When the order is
received, the stock unit undergoes a
patented process and a specially
designed cap is swaged onto the
FIREROD heater to permanently
secure the leads.
Watlow has taken a leadership role
concerning your JIT programs. We
have special account coordinators
who can work closely with your
purchasing department to assure that
both release and ship dates are
closely monitored and met to avoid
costly shut downs or delays. Some of
SAME DAY SHIPMENT
...........................
JUST-IN-TIME DELIVERY
SHIP-TO-STOCK
EMERGENCY DELIVERY OPTION
(EDO)
3.
While many cartridge heater
manufacturers now swage their
products, Watlow has developed its
own unique swaging process. This
assures consistent heater compaction
for longer heater life and uniform
temperatures. It also allows us to
manufacturer higher watt density
heaters.
Due to our tight manufacturing
controls, Watlow can provide the
smallest “no heat” section - on both
ends of the heater - of any cartridge
heater manufacturer. This is true of our
stock FIREROD heaters as well.
FIREROD cartridge heaters are
available in 1⁄8-inch to 1-inch
diameters and various lengths to
cover different applications. Watlow is
one of the only companies to offer
such a variety of specifications.
..........................
resistance, two factors that will reduce
lead wire failure and makes installation
easier.
•
The Pins: High-grade nickel pins
assure resistance to corrosion at high
temperatures and minimize the
chances of embrittlement.
Swaging was introduced to the
cartridge heater field in 1954 with
Watlow’s FIREROD heater. This
mechanical procedure reduces the
diameter of the heater by
compacting the unit, directly
improving heat transfer efficiency.
Swaging compacts the MgO
insulation, which increases its thermal
conductivity and, also, enhances its
dielectric strength.
Swaging also provides these
advantages:
•
Permits the resistance wire to
operate at lower temperatures, a
critical factor in longer heater life
•
Enables users to achieve process
temperatures faster
•
Provides more uniform heating to
the application
•
Reduces energy costs through
better heating efficiency
•
Makes the heater more durable
and more resistant to shock and
vibration
3. Is my cartridge
heater supplier
building the best
product possible?
Watlow is.
FIREROD cartridge heaters from
Watlow are built using only the finest
materials and construction methods,
and are backed with extensive quality
assurance programs. The FIREROD’s
advantages:
Watlow refuses to take shortcuts.
Y ears of testing have proven certain
construction materials and
manufacturing methods to yield the
best performance for FIREROD
cartridge heaters. Following are the
standard materials we use.
•
The Sheath: Our standard Incoloy
®
800 provides high temperature
resistance to oxidation and corrosion,
proving far superior to 304 stainless
steel alloys used by other
manufacturers.
•
The Insulation: We use only high
purity MgO, compacted to a carefully
predetermined and closely monitored
density. This assures high dielectric
strength and efficient, fast heat
transfer.
•
The Resistance Wire: Our nickelchromium wire of computercalculated gauge, length and
spacing is wound on a supporting
core and precisely centered for
uniform temperatures.
•
The Lead Wire: Watlow purchases
only the finest high temperature wire
available from certified suppliers. This
ensures wire flexibility and fray
PREMIUM MATERIALS
SWAGING
SMALLER “NO HEAT” SECTION
VARIOUS SPECIFICATIONS
AVAILABLE
Incoloy® is a registered trademark of Special Metals Corporation.
MgO Insulator
Seal
Lead Wires
Sheath
Pins
Nickel-Chrome
Resistance Wire
No Heat
Section
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