Q: I work as a sale (service) guy for an application equipment company. A customer asked me for a device that is able to measure the part’s temperature in multiple spots during time spent in the polymerization oven.
Which producers are most accurate, for temperatures up to 830°C?
A: Indeed, there are instruments designed to measure the temperature of parts in multiple locations. These devices were developed in the 1980s and are an excellent way to ensure part temperature vs. time. This data is essential to knowing if your coating is developing full cure. As you probably know, you should adhere to the recommended time and temperature stated on the powder coating technical data sheet provided by your supplier.
The most common instrument is the DataPaq Oven Tracker®, but there are many other products from other equipment houses such as TQC and Grant Instruments.
You mention that you need the instrument to be accurate to 830°C, which is rather high for a powder coating. This requirement may force you to consider a specialized device to be able to withstand temperatures this high. Most of these instruments use a thermally insulated box to protect the data logger while it is exposed to the heat in the oven. You will have to check with each supplier to see what they offer.