Infrared Paint Dryer Lamp: How Does It Work on Cars?

As a car owner, you’ll already be well aware of just how important the vehicle’s paintwork is. The paintwork not only makes your car look more attractive and increases its value, but it also provides an added layer of protection from damage that can affect your vehicle. If you’ve ever had your car repaired or re-painted, you’ll also know that the paint drying and curing processes are critical to get right. We won’t get into the technical details of the differences between the two processes, but paint curing is where the paint reaches the point where it has completely dried and is at maximum hardness. If you don’t cure the paint property, it can lead to problems like cracking.

InfraTech Infrared Solutions is a supplier of high-end infrared paint curing lamps. Their lamps promise to boost productivity, reduce costs and energy usage, and achieve accurate results. InfraTech’s products have shipped all over the world and high-profile clients include championship winning F1 teams and the Royal Navy.

InfraTech have kindly provided us with today’s article which focusses on infrared technology and its application in the automotive industry. They will explain what an infrared paint dryer lamp does and how it can be used on cars.

What Is an Infrared Paint Dryer Lamp?

These type of paint drying lamps use infrared technology to maximise the efficiency of the drying and curing process. As a type of electromagnetic radiation, infrared is considered to be one of the most powerful methods of transferring heat. This means that the infrared heat source can reach high temperatures and can also penetrate the surface, ensuring that the inside is heated as well as the outside material.

Infrared paint dryer lamps can be used in pretty much any industry where a heat source is required for quick and precise results. They may be used for naval aviation, aerospace, manufacturing, textiles, and as we will talk about in the next section, completing automotive jobs. The benefits are clear to see for any business that needs to dry or cure paint. Speed, first and foremost, is one of the most important factors. Infrared lamps are extremely powerful so they’re able to finish tasks quicker than other methods such as air drying. They are also versatile and offer excellent coverage, meaning that you don’t need to focus on repeatedly drying small areas bit by bit. The lamps also allow you to spend your time where it is best suited. You don’t need to manually control the lamps until the job is done, nor do you need to supervise the process around the clock.

How Are Infrared Lamps Used on Cars?

There are several scenarios where a paint drying and curing process may be involved when dealing with cars. Most notably, this can include SMART repairs, such as when the car’s bodywork has been damaged by an accident, or if the car is being repainted to improve its appearance. This is why infrared lamps are especially popular with professional garages and auto body shops. In these examples, automotive repairs and modifications are a daily occurrence. Outdated drying methods can be costly and timewasting. If a body shop chooses to invest in an infrared paint dryer lamp, they will find that this is a solution which increases their productivity. The jobs will be done quicker, allowing the customer to receive their vehicle much sooner, and while the lamps are doing their work, the employees can divert their attention to other tasks.

Infrared curing lamps don’t just help with general paint jobs and repairs either. In recent years, there’s been a surge in motorists choosing to apply ceramic coating to their cars. Ceramic coating applies an added protective layer to a vehicle’s paintwork, protecting it from contaminates and damage, improving the premium appearance of the car, and increasing its value. As with applying paint, ceramic coating must also be applied to the bodywork and left to dry and cure. Paint dryer lamps can then be used to help out with this process, ensuring that the coating cures successfully and efficiently.