November 18, 2022

Heater Bands are an essential part of the injection molding process. They are used to heat the barrel and nozzle of the molding machine to the desired temperature for melting the plastic resin. Injection Machines can use any number of heater bands at one time and extras should always be kept on hand.

1. Purpose: Heat the barrel and nozzle of the injection molding machine. It is crucial for melting the plastic resin uniformly and maintaining it at the right temperature throughout the injection process.
2. Design: Typically made of resistant materials that can withstand high temperatures and designed to wrap around the barrel or nozzle snugly to ensure efficient heat transfer.
3. Temperature Control: Modern injection molding machines often come equipped with advanced temperature control systems that regulate the heater bands’ temperature precisely. This control is essential for achieving consistent and high-quality molded parts.
4. Types: There are different types of heater bands available, such as ceramic, mica, and tubular. The choice of heater band depends on factors like the required temperature range, energy efficiency, and durability.
5. Installation and Maintenance: Proper installation of is crucial to ensure they function optimally. Regular maintenance, including cleaning and inspection, is necessary to prevent issues like uneven heating or failure of the heater bands.
6. Safety Considerations: Safety precautions must be followed during installation, operation, and maintenance. Operators should be trained in handling these components safely to prevent accidents and injuries.

Choosing a quality heater band is critical to your shop’s ability to run efficiently and effectively.  However, the proper usage and application of those heaters is equally important. To protect your inventory investment and save on down time – IMS has compiled Essential Tips to extend the life of your Heater Bands.  

Tech Tip – IMS recommends using soft start practices for all mica insulated heater bands. Utilize the controller soft-start feature, or manually heat to 212°F to drive off moisture, then 100° at a time until desired temperature is achieved.

# 2 Avoid Contaminants – Most oils and other organics do not necessarily conduct electricity well at lower temperatures, but can become conductors when heated. Failure will occur after the heater temperature is high enough to cause carbonization. Similar to water, oils on the lead wire can be wicked into the heater causing failure.

#4 Avoid Over Wattage – Choose the lowest wattage heater band that will maintain the desired operating temperature and still provide a short start-up time. Using a heater band with a wattage higher than what is required will cause the controller to switch on and off constantly to maintain the desired temperature. This fluctuation will shorten heater band life.

#5 Avoid Excessive Cycling – Maintaining a higher temperature helps the oxide coating protect the wire, but when the temperature is reduced the oxide coating contracts and breaks, exposing fresh metal to more oxidation. Continuous cycling causes the surface of the element wire to oxidize rapidly and melt, the insulation over the wire breaks down and causes a short in the sheath. reducing the amount of cycles will promote longer heater life by reducing the oxidization build-up.

#6 Avoid Improper Handling – Never carry the heater band by the lead wires. Use two wrenches to handle post terminals; one to hold the bottom nut and the other to tighten the top nut.

IMS Company is a trusted source of quality Heater Bands with a large selection of sizes, wattages, voltages and styles – in stock! Can’t find what you need – custom heater bands are available. For 70+ years, one thing has never changed at IMS — our single-minded focus on providing products and services designed to help your shop increase efficiency and ramp up productivity.