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IR Fields / PanelsTurnkey IR heating fields — precisely matched to your line
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IR fields are complete heating modules combining multiple IR lamps or emitters in a housing with reflectors, protective glass and electrical connections. They are what converting customers know as an 'IR field' in their line — a ready-to-install module with defined heating area, zone division and power control. SOPARA designs and manufactures IR fields custom: power density, dimensions, voltage, number of zones and the entire arrangement are precisely matched to the process and machine. IR fields can be equipped with short-wave lamps, medium-wave lamps, medium-wave area emitters or combinations. Through the SOPARA system design with separately mounted reflectors, active reflector cooling is eliminated — no fans, no cooling sensors, no heat loss through cooling air. In practice, this often results in 20–30% higher energy efficiency at field level with the same lifetime.
Technical Documentation
Brochure
Manual
STEP / Drawing
Technical Data
Max. Working Width>6,000 mm
Max. Speed>1,200 m/min
ConfigurationSW lamps, MW lamps, area emitters or combinations
DimensionsCustomer-specific
Zone DivisionIndependently controllable, number as required
Voltage230V / 400V / customer specific
Power ControlThyristor controller with phase angle and soft start
Temperature ControlPyrometer (non-contact) or thermocamera /-couple
Protective GlassHigh-temperature glass, front side
HousingAluminum, Ceramic or stainless steel
Benefits
Turnkey module — Install, connect, produce. IR lamps, reflectors, protective glass, housing and power control — completely pre-assembled and tested.
Easy Clean Design — Reflectors and protective glass separately accessible, cleanable and replaceable. A decisive advantage in industrial environments with plasticizer vapors, coating mist or dust for consistently high field performance.
No active reflector cooling — No fans, no cooling sensors, no process heat removed by cooling air. Often 20–30% higher energy efficiency at field level compared to conventional systems.
Multi-zone control — Independently controllable heating zones for uniform temperature profile across the web width — including edge compensation.
Wavelength flexibility — Short-wave and medium-wave lamps in the same cross-section — reconfiguration without cassette change. Combination of different wavelengths in one field for multi-stage processes.
Tilt-away mounting — Quick swiveling during line stops protects sensitive web materials from overheating.
Reference project
IR field retrofit at leading flooring manufacturers: Existing IR fields in a vinyl flooring production line were retrofitted with SOPARA technology. The new IR fields combined with the cooling-free system design resulted in energy savings of over 30% per year — at the same line speed and product quality. The retrofit was performed without major changes to the machine geometry.
Available Options
Single or double-sided irradiation — above and/or below the web
Combination of different wavelengths — e.g. short-wave for preheating and medium-wave for drying in one field
Integrated extraction — for solvent vapors and moisture directly from the process zone
Pyrometer control — non-contact product temperature measurement in a closed control loop
Swivel-mounted suspension — quick swing-away during web stoppage
Quick-change lamp cassettes — minimal maintenance time when replacing lamps
Diagonally arranged emitters — for homogeneous heating without shadow zones
More options on request
Applications
Coating drying on knife-over-roll, doctor blade and roller coating machines. Pre- and post-drying in laminating lines. Ink drying in printing and finishing machines.
PVC gelation in artificial leather and flooring production lines
Preheating before embossing, calendering or lamination
Curing of adhesives and lacquers on films, paper, textiles and nonwovens
For machine builders: SOPARA delivers the complete IR field including switchgear as a ready-to-install module — wavelength, power density, zoning and interfaces coordinated directly with your engineering
For plant operators: Existing IR fields can be completely replaced with SOPARA modules — often with identical connection dimensions and without changes to machine geometry
Why SOPARA
84 years of infrared expertise — Founded 1942 in France. As one of the oldest specialty brands for industrial infrared technology, SOPARA brings over eight decades of development and manufacturing expertise to every plant.
References with European industry leaders — SOPARA IR systems are running at market leaders in automotive, composites, flooring and nuclear — powering the most demanding thermal processes at French and European top companies.
Test laboratory in Pusignan near Lyon — Your material is validated in the SOPARA infrared lab on actual substrates: wavelength, power density and process parameters. Concrete results before the investment decision — no theory, no assumptions.
System expertise — from component to turnkey plant — Not just IR lamps. SOPARA delivers complete thermal process solutions: lamps, reflectors, protective glass, IR fields, power control, switchgear and process control. One contact for the entire thermal process. Made in France, ISO 9001:2015 certified, 5 % of sales invested in R&D.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an IR field? — An IR field is a modularly constructed infrared heating unit, equipped with multiple IR emitters (twin-tube, single-tube or area emitters). It is typically installed above a material web and delivers uniform, zone-by-zone controllable heat for drying, gelation, curing or preheating.
When is infrared drying better than convection drying? — IR drying is more efficient when rapid surface heating is needed, when line length is limited (IR requires less floor space), or when energy should be directed specifically at the surface rather than into the surrounding air. IR fields are also frequently used as boosters before convection dryers.
How is the power of an IR field controlled? — Via thyristor controllers with phase angle control and soft start. Each zone is independently controllable. Temperature is monitored contactlessly via pyrometers or thermal cameras. Power control and switchgear come from SOPARA as a complete system.
Can existing IR fields be replaced by SOPARA? — Yes — SOPARA fields are custom-manufactured and can be integrated as retrofits into existing lines. SOPARA assesses the current condition, identifies savings potential and designs the retrofit solution incl. power control and switchgear.
How flexible is the zone layout of an IR field? — SOPARA IR fields are delivered with a customer-specific number of independently controllable zones. Each zone can be separately controlled in power and temperature — ideal for processes with different heat requirements across the web width or for product changes with different drying profiles.
How are SOPARA IR fields integrated into existing lines? — SOPARA manufactures IR fields custom-built to the dimensions and interfaces of the existing plant. Integration is done as a direct mount into the existing machine frame — typically without structural changes to the line. Power control and switchgear are supplied as a complete system.
OPEX Calculator
⚡IR Field OPEX Analysis
Current System vs. SOPARA — 3.000 h/a · 0,18 €/kWh
Operating Hours / Year
3.000 h
Electricity Price
0,18 €/kWh
Current System
kW
kW
kW
Savings Potential
kW
kW
kW
▾
Current — Total
263 kW
IR 250 kW + Ex 7,5 kW + FA 5,5 kW
SOPARA — Total
199 kW
−64 kW vs. current
Savings / Year
34.344 €
−24% · 11 €/h
Payback
—
CAPEX ÷ Annual Savings
⚡ Installed Power — Logarithmic Scale (kW)
IR Field
250 kW
188 kW
Exhaust
7,5 kW
6,6 kW
Fresh Air
5,5 kW
4,8 kW
1 kW5 kW10 kW50 kW100 kW250 kW
€ OPEX Comparison by Component (€ / Year)
142.020 €
−33.480 €
−486 €
−378 €
107.676 €
Savings / Year
34.344 €
Current
IR Field
Exhaust
Fresh Air
SOPARA
🌿 CO₂ Savings (Grid mix ~380 g/kWh)
CO₂ Savings / Year
72,5 t
Current CO₂ / Year
299,8 t
German Grid ~380 g/kWh
CO₂ Savings / Year
72,5 t
190.800 kWh/a saved
Reduction
−24%
725,0 t t CO₂ over 10 years
* Scenarios based on sopara.com (20–50% savings). CO₂: grid mix ~380 g/kWh. Binding values after SOPARA technical assessment.
Similar Machines
IR Booster
More power from your existing line — without rebuilding
Max. Working Width>6,000 mm
Max. Speed>1,200 m/min
Details
Power Control & Switchgear
Precise control — from a single zone to a 760 kW field
Max. Total Power> 760 kW (documented)
Power ControlThyristor controller (SCR) with phase angle
Details
Twin Tube IR Lamps
Powerful and stable — for wide webs and fast lines
Cross Section23×11 or 33×15 mm
Max. Length (SW)6.500 mm
Details
Single Tube IR Lamps
Compact and versatile — for any integration
Tube DiameterØ 10 – 19 mm
Max. Length (SW)1.500 mm
Details
IR Area Emitters
Robust area radiation — zone-flexible and highly efficient
Standard Dimensions (MW)250×250, 300×200, 500×120 mm
Designs (LW)Concave / Flat / Half-trough / Heated floor
Details
IR Special Emitters
Infrared radiation exactly where it's needed — in any shape
Wavelength0.8 – 4 (application-dependent) µm
Power Densitycustomer-specific
Details