Watlow Silicone Rubber Flexible Heaters
Thin and lightweight flexible heaters with the versatility to perform almost any heating function
Availability
Usually ships in 1-2 weeks
Features
- Part number SILICONEFLEX
- Manufactured by Watlow
- Can be designed to almost any shape and size
- Wire-wound or etched foil elements available
- Operating temperature of up to 500°F (260°C)
- Watt densities up to 80 W/in2 (12.5 W/cm2)
- Just 0.055 inch thick (0.018 inch with an etched foil element)
- Numerous configurations available
- UR, cUR and VDE recognitions available on many designs
Watlow silicone rubber flexible heaters are rugged yet thin, lightweight, and flexible. They are versatile enough that their use is limited only by your imagination. With Watlow silicone rubber flexible heaters, you can put the heat where it's needed and, in the process, improve heat transfer, speed warm-ups, and decrease wattage requirements. Fiberglass-reinforced silicone rubber gives your Watlow silicone rubber flexible heater dimensional stability without sacrificing flexibility. Because very little material separates the element from the part, heat transfer is rapid and efficient.
Watlow silicone rubber flexible heaters are available with either wire-wound or etched foil elements. These heaters have an operating temperature of up to 500°F (260°C) and can generate watt densities up to 80 W/in2 (12.5 W/cm2) depending upon application temperature. At just 0.055 inch thick (0.018 inch with an etched foil element), these heaters can be designed to almost any shape and size, including 3-D geometries, to conform to your equipment. The silicone rubber material is moisture and chemical-resistant providing longer heater life and making it easy to bond or attach to your part through the use of vulcanizing, adhesives, or fasteners. UR®, cUR®, and VDE recognitions are available on many flexible heater designs.
Applications for the Watlow Silicone Rubber Flexible Heaters:
- Freeze protection and condensation prevention for many types of instrumentation and equipment
- Medical equipment such as blood analyzers, test tube heaters, etc.
- Computer peripherals such as laser printers
- Curing of plastic laminates
- Photo processing equipment.
The versatility of Watlow silicone rubber flexible heaters allows them to be used for many purposes. Watlow has developed a number of special configurations for common uses:
Enclosure
Designed for freeze and condensation protection, these enclosure heaters are rugged, reliable and safe to operate. These rectangular shaped, wire-wound Watlow silicone rubber heaters can be ordered by themselves with adhesive or vulcanized to an aluminum mounting plate. A thermostat can be attached to the heater or mounted separately. Enclosure heaters are for temperatures up to 150°F (66°C) and watt densities up to 5 W/in2 (0.8 W/cm2). Enclosure heaters are ideal for traffic signal boxes, automatic teller machines, temperature control panels, control valve housings or other situations where it is critical to control the temperature in housings containing electronic equipment.
Drum Heaters
Watlow flexible drum heaters are designed for use on 5-, 30-, and 55-gallon metal drums. They include a thermostat, latch fasteners and springs and a six-foot cord and plug set. These heaters protect fluids stored in drums from freezing temperatures and are easy to install. Drum heaters are for temperatures up to 330°F (165°C) and watt densities up to 6 W/in2 (1 W/cm2).
PVC Wire-wound Conduit Heaters
Watlow's conduit heater simplifies bending PVC plastic conduit to the desired shape right on the job site. Just plug it in and within four to 18 minutes - depending upon heater size - the conduit is ready to be formed by hand into the shape or radius you need. This lightweight silicone rubber heater is easily wrapped around the conduit because of its flexible, self-conforming construction. Conduit heaters are for temperatures up to 250°F (121°C). Plastic conduits as large as four inches (100 mm) in diameter can be handled with these heaters.
Flexible Composite Heaters
Watlow offers a number of heaters commonly used for composite bonding and curing. The design includes equal length circuits and a no-heat tab for temperature uniformity. Also, the contact surface is made of a smooth silicone to prevent composite surface imperfections. The heaters are fiberglass reinforced to provide lasting field service durability and life. Composite heaters generate 5 W/in2.
Modular Gas Line Heaters
Many gasses (including TEOS, BCl3, AlCl3, ClF3 and DCS) will condense or liquefy at low temperatures. The condensation occurs in the gas line and puddles before being injected into vacuum chambers. A substantial number of wafer defects will occur if liquefied gases are injected into vacuum chambers. Uniform heating of the lines will prevent condensation. TEOS lines are typically heated above 194°F (90°C) and BCl3 above 86°F (30°C), depending on pressure and flow rate. The optimum line temperature will vary depending on the process parameters. Gas line heaters generate 2.5 W/in2 (0.39 W/cm2) on gas line O.D. and meet UL94-HB flammability requirements. Inside diameters of 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 inch (6, 10, 13, 19 mm) are available.
Modular Pump Line Heaters
The tight contact fit of Watlow's pump line heaters provide superior, uniform heating of transfer lines.
Ordering Information
Please contact us to order a Watlow silicone rubber flexible heaters. To help us determine which Watlow heater will best satisfy your application requirements, please determine as closely as possible the size, voltage, wattage/watt density, operating temperature, element type and required options of the heater you will need. Please consult the Watlow Silicone Rubber Flexible Heater Data Sheet PDF for additional information.