6 Key Considerations When Comparing Batch Ovens Vs. Continuous Ovens
Industrial processing can’t avoid the use of ovens. May it be for sterilization or any thermal processes, ovens are important in most businesses. It’s important to consider which is appropriate for your business, as it will make an impact in a variety of ways. There are two common types of industrial ovens – batch ovens and continuous ovens. Since both can be used in many applications, how can you know what’s appropriate for their needs? Simple! You just have to weigh their strengths and weaknesses. The six key considerations to look at are as follows:
Size and Shape of Samples
If your business requires thermal operations of products that have different sizes and shapes, then a batch oven will be best for you. But, this does not mean that continuous ones are no good. They can also process the products, however, it must be done systematically.
Amount of Samples
Continuous ovens can hold large amount of samples. Rest assured, you can test the whole sample without having to worry about inconsistency. On the other hand, batch ovens can only operate on a smaller scale. That’s why it is titled as ‘batch ovens’, samples go in by batch.
Cost
A continuous oven is costly. It is more high tech compared to a batch oven. A more convenient approach can be one of its advantages but it also puts holes thru your pocket especially if you are on a tight budget. Contrary to that, batch ovens are cheaper.
Manual Labour
The extra money you save from the initial cost of a batch oven will be tied down to the labourers. It can only hold as much so the next batch must be mounted after the first one is up. It shows that this type of oven is more labourious to handle. On another note, since the continuous ones are more modern and can do thermal processing in large amounts of samples, there would be less need to hire people for mounting and dismounting.
Maintenance
Continuous ovens are more complicated to maintain compared to batch ovens. They have lots of operational buttons and the machine is quite big. The necessary maintenance will mean an added expense for the continuous types.
Production
If you want fast production with ease and more consistency, then a continuous oven is a beneficial choice. You don’t have to wait for each set of samples per batch. However, if each set has specific needs, then a continuous oven will not be able to produce these the way a batch oven can.
It is important to remember that choosing the best one doesn’t really mean that you’ve picked that right one. Make your decision based on your business, budget and quality. Consider all important factors, while keeping our suggestions in mind as well.
