Maintenance guide for Krones heater lamps

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 07:53:20 +0800

When the heating tunnel on your Krones blow molder starts drifting, you don’t have time to guess. Preform temperature variance shows up as PET wall thickness issues, flash, or weak bases. Every minute the heating is off-spec is costing you material, scrap, and cycle time. The fix usually starts with the heater lamps. Here’s what matters technically. Krones heating sections use short-wave infrared halogen lamps, typically 240V, with power densities matched to preform wall and line speed. The quartz tube runs hot—surface temps can hit 800°C or more—so the lamp has to take rapid thermal cycling without cracking. We specify matched filament geometry and consistent spectral output so the heating curve stays stable over thousands of hours. Most lamps use an R7s connector, and the lengths are set to OEM clearances. Even a millimeter off changes the focal distance and leaves the preform shoulder underheated. On a Krones line, lamp output directly controls stretch consistency. When the lamps are within spec, you get tighter control over preform temperature, fewer pinholes, and less energy wasted on over-current. Replace lamps on schedule, and you cut unplanned stoppages, stabilize bottle weight, and keep the heating profile repeatable shift after shift. In practice, that means fewer rejects and a more predictable OEE. Now, the practical bits. Install only lamps matched to the OEM voltage and wattage. Mismatched lamps drive current spikes that can damage the heater block and the power terminals. Handle the quartz by the ceramic base only. Skin oil creates hot spots and shortens life. Make sure the lamp sits flat in the reflector and aligns to the focal line. Misalignment is a common cause of uneven heating. Plan replacement during scheduled stops, not after quality drifts. Once the heating tunnel is off, every minute of downtime is paid for in scrap.

Maintenance on Infrared Heat Incorporated

Maintenance guide for Krones heater lamps