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Suitability of aluminum carts and fixtures for use in high temperature cure oven

June 24, 2008

Hello, I am a design engineer that would like to design a component rack to cure steel painted parts using an aluminum rack.

My company manufactures custom steel packages and we would like to reduce the amount of heat up time for the rack that holds painted components.

Our curing ovens blow hot gas fired air in excess of 1,100 deg to cure the paint in a rapid time. Currently, our racks are made of steel (probably 1010 or 1008 CRS).

I have been asked to copy the design and have it made from some kind of aluminum.

I was wondering if there were any suggestions as to the alloy recommended or if even this is worthwhile.

Sincerely,
Larry

Larry Thompson
Product Designer - Chicago, Illinois, USA

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Hi, Larry. The most common grades of aluminum for general purpose structural work like this would be 6061 or 6063, probably based on a combination of extrudability, machinability, cost, strength, and weldability. If you talk to an aluminum supply house I think they will bear this out.

I'd suggest that you get a test panel -- a small thin sheet of aluminum -- and wire it onto a rack at a hotspot and get a prognosis before committing to the manufacture of racks.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 24, 2008

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I can be all wrong, but my failing memory says that aluminum will lose a considerable amount of strength at that temperature. Absolutely if you use alloys like 2xxx and 7xxx which are the stronger ones.
I would look at trying to use shapes to be able to use lighter steel and still have the same strength as bar stock.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
June 26, 2008