Electrification Cures Safety Woes of Webbing Manufacturer

Some industries benefit from electric heat by improving their process and making them safer. One of our distributors introduced us to a company that was adding a coating to webbing. The type of material used for industrial strength tow ropes, tie downs, and ratchet straps. They were adding the coating to make them waterproof. The challenge was curing the coating fairly quickly in order to keep production moving. In order to achieve this heat is used to cure the coating.

The company was using open-flame propane burners to cure the coated webbing. Like many chemicals, at a certain temperature, you reach a flashpoint where it ignites. If and when their production line slowed, the webbing would ignite and they would be dealing with a fire. The plant manager showed us their solution. A single fire extinguisher on the floor near the production area. Based on the residue on the floor this safety solution had been used more than once.

Precise, controllable, and safe

We quickly offered up a simple solution. An all-in-one electric heater, controller, and flow switch. We even offered a demo unit for them to test. This particular company was slow to see the benefits of electrification. Two years later, we found ourselves back for another tour of the plant with the same plant manager. They had upgraded their safety features and now had two fire extinguishers at the ready. 

 We developed a modified system that was customized to the specific needs of the application and electrified their process. The solution, which cost less than $10,000 to design, manufacture and implement, solved the greatest safety issue in the facility.