Infrared Ovens-response to inquiry
John A. Zeffer
Description
Collection
Title:
Infrared Ovens-response to inquiry
Creator:
John A. Zeffer
Date:
1/4/2000
Text:
Friends and Collegues:
Below, following the original question, are the responses received regarding
Infrared Ovens and use by practitioners of our field. Thank you all for
sharing
your experience and opinions.
John Zeffer, CP
**********
I am interested in hearing from those who have experience with Infrared ovens
in O&P production. I am looking at the PDQ Ovens from OTS in particular, but
have no others to compare. They (OTS) are responsive and informative, but I
would like to hear from practitioners who use this technology. Pros and
Cons of
use, maintenance, tricks and tips, and cost savings if any. Thank you in
advance.
John Zeffer, CP
Cambodia School of Prosthetics and Orthotics
**********
John,
We have two of the ovens from OTS and they work great. They arrived well
crated and were set up and have worked without a problem since then. The
one is six years old and the other is going on three years. Only advice I
could give you is to buy the largest one your area will handle.
Don Zielke, C.O.
**********
John - I use a home built oven very similar to the PDQ design. Rapid heat,
no wasted energy idling, easy visibility of the plastic while heating are
among the chief advantages. I also have noted that because the heat is
greatest on the top of the sheet, and the plastic is resting on teflon over
fiberglass not a heavy, hot metal plate, that I do not get any surface
marring with most plastics.
Largest drawback I have found is that it is difficult to heat thicker foam
sheets (i e flex-foot cosmetic foam, or one inch plastazote) properly. We
use a convection oven for these materials.
For the job of heating plastics I love it. I've been using my oven now
since the summer of 1991 without any service or maintenance. Moist of the
complaints regarding IR ovens seem to come from systems with the spotlight
type coil generators. These seem to heat a little unevenly, the quartz rod
generators are far superior.
Ted A. Trower C.P.O.
**********
Happy New Year,
My name is Roberto Valines, from Biopro, Inc. / Biotron. I have a 30 X 42
oven. It is fast, have very good heat dispersion. Because of it heat
characteristics,
it takes a time to get use to the heat times when you compare it with gas or
electric (resistance) oven. Overwise it is very good. Company service has
been
excellent.
**********
PDQ is a good oven. Heats quickly, evenly and tech support is good. Only down
side is bulbs are very fragile. I have recieved a few broken in shipping.
good luck
steve
**********
Hi John -- just my 2 cents - When I worked in Phoenix - at Certified O and P
- before prosthetics school -- they had a new infa red oven --- they loved it
-- it didn't heat up the lab as much - something to consider when you are in
Phoenix in the summer. There were some tricks to the plastic technique -
but they seemed easier than the pizza oven techniques - I wasn't pulling the
plastics - socan't tell you more than that, but I know they are picky - so if
they thought it was good - I would go with that -
Hey - happy New year - S
**********
hi john
louie has used the roll about & the bench top he likes the roll about alot
but for p the endolite oven is great
mikey
*********
i forgot to tell you i have heard negative comments concerning ots's
prosthetic bubble forming oven, it is a dedicated oven used for p only
**********
Hi John,
We have an OTS P02 model and it has been one of the best investments in
equipment I have ever made. It has the bulbs top and bottom and a roll out
tray that can hold sheet material or bubble (droop) forming frames. I highly
recommend it for its versatility. It heats up rapidly and evenly without
heating up the whole lab. Lower A/C bills and faster production times are a
couple of the advantages I think you'll see.
Eddie V. White, CP
Beacon Prosthetics and Orthotics
**********
Not impressed with this type of oven, as a result of the amount of
maintenance we have to perform. They go thru bulbs and they operate at such
high temps that they burn out the ceramic/metal bulb attachment sites for
lack of a better description... I vote thumbs-down unless the PDQ oven fixes
the things that I've mentioned. Just my experience as well... I'll be
interested in hearing the results others have had!
**********
Hi John,
We recently purchased a PDQ oven and it has been great. Steve Hockey, our
technician would be better to speak with about this if you send him an
email - <Email Address Redacted>
He's on holidays at the moment, but may be contactable.
**********
Below, following the original question, are the responses received regarding
Infrared Ovens and use by practitioners of our field. Thank you all for
sharing
your experience and opinions.
John Zeffer, CP
**********
I am interested in hearing from those who have experience with Infrared ovens
in O&P production. I am looking at the PDQ Ovens from OTS in particular, but
have no others to compare. They (OTS) are responsive and informative, but I
would like to hear from practitioners who use this technology. Pros and
Cons of
use, maintenance, tricks and tips, and cost savings if any. Thank you in
advance.
John Zeffer, CP
Cambodia School of Prosthetics and Orthotics
**********
John,
We have two of the ovens from OTS and they work great. They arrived well
crated and were set up and have worked without a problem since then. The
one is six years old and the other is going on three years. Only advice I
could give you is to buy the largest one your area will handle.
Don Zielke, C.O.
**********
John - I use a home built oven very similar to the PDQ design. Rapid heat,
no wasted energy idling, easy visibility of the plastic while heating are
among the chief advantages. I also have noted that because the heat is
greatest on the top of the sheet, and the plastic is resting on teflon over
fiberglass not a heavy, hot metal plate, that I do not get any surface
marring with most plastics.
Largest drawback I have found is that it is difficult to heat thicker foam
sheets (i e flex-foot cosmetic foam, or one inch plastazote) properly. We
use a convection oven for these materials.
For the job of heating plastics I love it. I've been using my oven now
since the summer of 1991 without any service or maintenance. Moist of the
complaints regarding IR ovens seem to come from systems with the spotlight
type coil generators. These seem to heat a little unevenly, the quartz rod
generators are far superior.
Ted A. Trower C.P.O.
**********
Happy New Year,
My name is Roberto Valines, from Biopro, Inc. / Biotron. I have a 30 X 42
oven. It is fast, have very good heat dispersion. Because of it heat
characteristics,
it takes a time to get use to the heat times when you compare it with gas or
electric (resistance) oven. Overwise it is very good. Company service has
been
excellent.
**********
PDQ is a good oven. Heats quickly, evenly and tech support is good. Only down
side is bulbs are very fragile. I have recieved a few broken in shipping.
good luck
steve
**********
Hi John -- just my 2 cents - When I worked in Phoenix - at Certified O and P
- before prosthetics school -- they had a new infa red oven --- they loved it
-- it didn't heat up the lab as much - something to consider when you are in
Phoenix in the summer. There were some tricks to the plastic technique -
but they seemed easier than the pizza oven techniques - I wasn't pulling the
plastics - socan't tell you more than that, but I know they are picky - so if
they thought it was good - I would go with that -
Hey - happy New year - S
**********
hi john
louie has used the roll about & the bench top he likes the roll about alot
but for p the endolite oven is great
mikey
*********
i forgot to tell you i have heard negative comments concerning ots's
prosthetic bubble forming oven, it is a dedicated oven used for p only
**********
Hi John,
We have an OTS P02 model and it has been one of the best investments in
equipment I have ever made. It has the bulbs top and bottom and a roll out
tray that can hold sheet material or bubble (droop) forming frames. I highly
recommend it for its versatility. It heats up rapidly and evenly without
heating up the whole lab. Lower A/C bills and faster production times are a
couple of the advantages I think you'll see.
Eddie V. White, CP
Beacon Prosthetics and Orthotics
**********
Not impressed with this type of oven, as a result of the amount of
maintenance we have to perform. They go thru bulbs and they operate at such
high temps that they burn out the ceramic/metal bulb attachment sites for
lack of a better description... I vote thumbs-down unless the PDQ oven fixes
the things that I've mentioned. Just my experience as well... I'll be
interested in hearing the results others have had!
**********
Hi John,
We recently purchased a PDQ oven and it has been great. Steve Hockey, our
technician would be better to speak with about this if you send him an
email - <Email Address Redacted>
He's on holidays at the moment, but may be contactable.
**********
Citation
John A. Zeffer, “Infrared Ovens-response to inquiry,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 25, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/213445.
