High-efficiency laser heating solutions are poised to impact the food processing industry as low carbon footprint alternatives to conventional ovens. Since their recent introduction, laser ovens have quickly gained market share in productivity-focused industries such a Li-ion battery cell manufacturing and drying/curing of industrial coatings such as paint or powder coat. Food processing industries and applications are able to realize similar advantages, namely, lasers can process food quickly with precise control, while saving energy.
Understanding the potential benefits begins with a demonstration of a laser oven. IPG’s Applications Lab setup consists of a 30 kilowatt laser uniformly illuminating a 130 cm x 30 cm surface beneath a projection head. Notably, the oven requires no insulating walls, because all laser energy is directed onto the processing surface. A close-up of the head reveals an infrared metrology camera just behind.