Stabilizing Material Drying and Curing Processes with Compact Reflow Ovens

Are you facing these challenges in material drying and curing processes?

Resin curing, moisture barrier coatings, and other material drying processes require more than simply applying heat.
Heating in material processes is not as straightforward as “just warming it up.”

Typical challenges include:

– The surface dries first while the interior remains insufficiently cured
– Solvent remains trapped inside the material
– Results remain inconsistent even when process conditions appear correct

In many cases, these issues are not caused by the material itself, but by how heat is applied during the process.
This page explains why ANTOM’s compact reflow ovens are effective solutions for stabilizing material drying and curing processes.

Common challenges in material heating processes

In material heating processes, the following issues are commonly observed:

– Strong airflow damages or roughens the material surface
– Surface hardening occurs first, preventing the interior from drying properly
– Final results vary depending on lot size or workpiece placement
– Process control relies heavily on operator experience rather than data]

All of these issues originate from insufficient control over how heat is applied to the material.
In drying and curing processes, applying heat too quickly in a short period of time can actually destabilize quality.

– The surface forms a skin layer prematurely
– Solvent or moisture becomes trapped inside the material
– The material surface ripples or flows unevenly

For materials, what truly matters is applying gentle, uniform heat for the appropriate amount of time.

Why compact reflow ovens are well suited for material processes

Compact reflow ovens were originally designed for processes that demand high repeatability and precise thermal control.
These characteristics translate directly to material drying and curing applications.

– Stable temperature distribution throughout the chamber
– Airflow that is not excessively strong
– Process conditions that can be managed numerically

Instead of designing a process based on “how long it was heated,”
the process can be defined by “what thermal profile the material passed through.”

Why compact reflow ovens are well suited for material processes

Compact reflow ovens were originally designed for processes that require a high level of repeatability.
These characteristics are equally effective in material drying and curing processes.

– Stable temperature distribution inside the chamber
– Airflow that is not excessively strong
– Process conditions that can be controlled and managed numerically

Instead of designing a process based on “how long the material was heated,”
the process can be defined by “what thermal profile the material passed through.”

Long-duration heating through low-speed and stepwise conveyance

Antom’s compact reflow ovens allow heating control tailored specifically to material processing requirements.

– Extremely low conveyor speeds for gentle, extended heating
– Stepwise conveyance that holds the workpiece inside the chamber for a defined period

This makes it possible to achieve:

– Long-duration drying processes
– Gradual and controlled temperature ramp-up
– Uniform heat retention

without relying on conventional batch ovens.

The fundamental difference between compact reflow ovens and batch ovens

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With conventional batch ovens, variations are almost unavoidable:

– Differences caused by workpiece placement
– Differences caused by stacking conditions
– Variations introduced by operator judgment

In contrast, with a compact reflow oven, every workpiece always passes through the same path under the same conditions.

As a result:

– Process conditions become clearly defined
– Repeatability is significantly improved
– Quality explanations and documentation become easier

This is the essential difference between batch oven heating and conveyor-type compact reflow heating.

Typical applications for material heating processes

Processes that initially seem to require a dedicated material oven can often be handled effectively with a compact reflow oven.

Based on actual installations, compact reflow ovens have been used for:

– Drying and curing of resins*
– Drying of moisture-proof and coating materials
– Thermal treatment of impregnating and coating agents
– Long-duration, low-load heating processes
* Examples include epoxy resins, silicone resins, magnetic powder compounds, and potting materials.

As shown above, compact reflow ovens are applied to a wide range of materials and solvents for drying and curing processes.

Antom’s unique heating approach

Antom’s compact reflow ovens adopt a heating approach that does not rely on strong airflow.

– Materials are not unnecessarily disturbed
– The surface is not rapidly overheated
– Heat is delivered gently and evenly to the interior

The system is designed with the highest priority placed on maintaining material integrity and ensuring stable quality.

For those facing challenges in material and solvent drying or curing processes

Evaluation using actual boards and component configurations, as well as process condition verification, is available.

For inquiries regarding ANTOM’s reflow ovens for SMT applications, please contact us using the form below.
We welcome consultations not only for equipment selection, but also for demonstrations using actual machines and temperature profile measurements.