At ITS, we have long been committed to in-house research and development of industrial technologies. Our team of specialists works on solutions that improve production efficiency and help customers reduce operating costs. One of our current projects focuses on developing a new generation of curing and drying ovens for powder coating lines, designed to significantly reduce energy consumption and contribute to more sustainable industrial production.
Significant Energy Savings Potential in Drying and Curing
Curing and drying ovens are among the most energy-intensive components of industrial coating lines. According to ITS data, their operation can account for approximately half of the total energy consumption of a continuous coating line. A substantial amount of heat is lost to the surrounding environment, for example through the oven structure, its entry and exit openings, or exhaust air.
Reducing these losses is one of the main objectives of our development efforts. The project aims to improve oven energy efficiency and achieve energy savings of approximately 20% across the entire coating line, while maintaining the required process parameters for drying and curing powder coatings.
A New Generation of Ovens with Intelligent Control
The solution under development combines an innovative design, more efficient thermal energy management, and advanced process control. We also focus on enabling the flexible use of different energy sources, including renewable energy.
The development includes a modular design concept that will allow the ovens to be tailored to specific customer requirements and facilitate future upgrades or repairs. Selected solutions are also expected to be suitable for retrofitting existing equipment without the need for complete replacement.
In-House Development in Cooperation with ČVUT – RCMT
The project is being carried out at our Research Center in cooperation with experts from the Ústav výrobních strojů a zařízení (RCMT), Fakulta strojní ČVUT v Praze. This collaboration combines our practical experience in designing and manufacturing industrial coating lines with advanced computational methods, simulations, and experimental validation.
Our goal is to develop technologies that offer customers lower energy consumption, long-term operational efficiency, and greater production flexibility. For us, in-house research and development is a way to actively contribute to a more sustainable future for industrial coating facilities.
The project „Vypalovací a sušicí pece pro udržitelné lakovny budoucnosti“, registration No. CZ.01.01.01/01/25_067/0009459, is co-financed by the European Union under the Operační program Technologie a aplikace pro konkurenceschopnost (OP TAK), Aplikace – výzva IV. – DEEP TECH.
The project is carried out by IDEAL-Trade Service, spol. s r.o., in cooperation with České vysoké učení technické v Praze (Fakulta strojní, RCMT).
