Batch Ovens vs. Conveyor Ovens: Which One to Use?

If you are encountering some problems with your heat treatment process, then it’s time to think about integrating a new industrial oven into your production line. There are two popular types of ovens: conveyor ovens and batch ovens. In today’s blog, we will help you decide which one to choose. Though both of these ovens can provide you a lot of applications, such as curing, drying, pre-heating, and more, one would be a better option than the other on certain conditions.

Here Is a Useful Comparison of Conveyor vs. Batch Ovens:  

Process requirements

If your process demands multiple rates of production and you need to produce various shapes and sizes of items, then a batch oven would be the best choice. Batch ovens are more versatile because they can be adjusted to accomplish specific settings and can work on a varied amount of products or materials all at once. Conversely, the conveyor ovens, are a great option if your production demands a higher volume of work that involves smaller items with some differences in their physical compositions.

Manpower

Batch ovens require more manpower because the racks involved have to be moved, loaded, unloaded, and staged inside the oven. They also need to be pushed into the next stage of processing. Not to mention, loading and unloading a number of small parts onto the rack and moving them around also takes a lot of time and labour. On the other hand, conveyor ovens can be automated as part of the entire production line. This reduces the amount of time that the workers need to load and unload the materials inside the oven.

Space

Space is also a very important consideration to make when choosing between the two ovens. Batch ovens have the tendency to consume smaller space than conveyor ovens, particularly in the case of a cabinet or bench-top type oven. However, other units may also occupy the same amount of space that conveyor ovens need, especially truck ovens. Conveyor ovens would need a space where their carts and shelving would be placed. However, once they’re integrated with automated parts, they take up a smaller amount of space.

For more information on conveyor or batch ovens, contact us at Eastman Manufacturing today.