FIREROD^® Immersion Heater Helps Clean Lithographic Printing Plates

Problem:

A plate processing machine, used in the printing industry, cleans lithographic printing plates. The machine requires heating degreaser and cleaning fluids to 175°F (80°C) in spite of the reduced thermal transfer caused by suspended particles acquired during the cleaning cycle.

Solution:

The FIREROD^® immersion heater replaced a bulky, low watt density tubular immersion heater. It could withstand the resulting concentration of heat while furnishing high watt density in a small area. Also, by taking up less space for the heater, the user can clean more plates in the machine at one time. The FIREROD's RTV potted cavity prevents spilled fluids from seeping into the heater while a double threaded fitting permits mounting an enclosure on the terminal end for protecting lead wire connections.