Gas-Fired or Electric Oven? How to Pick the Right One

Compared to electric ovens, manufacturers that utilise gas-fired ovens are few and far between due to the pricier construction costs. On top of this, not every facility can accommodate the gas tanks or gas lines that are necessary to operate them. 

In any case, there are specific applications where investing in an industrial gas oven is very much worth it, even when considering its electric counterpart. 

Higher upfront costs associated with industrial gas ovens are easily recuperated from the savings you’ll reap when putting it to use. Why? Utility costs for gas appliances are lower than electricity. 

What’s more, gas-fired ovens heat up faster than electric or even infrared industrial ovens, making them – as time is money - an economical option for manufacturers looking to heat their products promptly. Their ability to maintain these high temperatures for a long period of time makes them an ideal candidate for products that need to stay inside the oven for extended lengths of time. 

Gas-fired ovens operate via natural gas or propane. In general terms, natural gas is less costly than propane; however, it should be noted that its use require the installation of gas lines in your manufacturing facility. On the flip side, propane gas is more efficient than natural gas as the former can hold ~2.5x more energy within the same volume than natural gas. This makes both sources a viable solution for industrial oven applications, depending on the availability of a utility line.

You may now wonder, what products are suitable for gas-fired ovens? Widely implemented and renowned in the manufacturing process for various types of automotive parts like linings and brake pads. Second, they can be used to dry or cure protective coatings on metal parts. Third, gas ovens excel for part casting and even in heating electrical parts such as the copper windings found in transformers. Finally, they prove useful for curing varnish on stators - a pivotal step in manufacturing electrical generators.

Industrial gas ovens may not be the most popular equipment in use but, as outlined above, they are often the most suitable when your items require high temperature treatments for long periods of time while remaining cost-effective. Get in touch with Eastman Manufacturing for your industrial oven needs – gas, electric, or otherwise. Our ability to customise your heat treating equipment regularly exceed clients’ expected production capabilities, let us do the same for you!