What are Heat Mats?
Industrial environments that use machinery for manufacturing processes usually require process heating equipment. This is because in many cases Heat Mats ensure the free flow of viscous liquids or gases by IBC, drum, pipe or heated hose. There are several types of heat mats, all delivering specific requirements and needs.Heating Mats are flexible and economically effective. They are incredibly useful in applications where it is difficult to heat from the inside such as surfaces that have unconventional curved angles. Electric Heating Mats are easy to install and are long-lasting.The main heater pads are Silicone Heaters and Micathermic Heating Pads. There are different types and designs for both of these pads, which are tailored to specific needs dependent upon the heat source and temperature.
Silicone Rubber Heater Mats
Silicone heater pads are flexible heating devices made from silicone rubber. Wires or foils are laminated between the sheets of silicone, offering a rapid and efficient transfer of heat. These heater mats can then be connected to heat control devices such as thermocouples, platinum sensors and limit switches to deliver the required heat or temperature.
What Types of Silicone Heater Mats are there?
There are 2 types of Silicone Heater Mats,
Wire Wound - Wire wound mats are robust and ideal in applications where the heater is installed or regularly removed, applications include industrial catering units, aircraft and laboratory equipment.
Etched foil heater mats - These have chemically etched foil heating tracks laminated between the silicone sheets. They provide a very precise and even heat and are temperature accurate.
Applications
Laboratory EquipmentAnti-condensation HeatingGRP Pipe Curing SystemsSatellite Dish Snow Melting
Micathermic Heaters
Micathermic heater pads are space heaters that are used to heat only a small single area to a very high temperature. They are made with thin sheets of mica and are able to withstand extremely high temperatures. They are used to heat surfaces with electrical appliances.
Applications
Air HeatersEnclosure SystemsFood Service EquipmentProcess & Packaging EquipmentThere are 2 types of mica heating mats, flat design and band design.
Flat design are small and thin, they are best suited to flat surfaces and for fitting between two metal surfaces where one or both require heating.
Band design are encased in brass casing and typically used in dies, platens, moulds and process machinery.