IPC to develop safety standard to minimize fire risk from electrically heated process equipment

IPC

IPC to develop safety standard to minimize fire risk from electrically heated process equipment

Keywords Health and Safety, IPC

IPC has announced that it will develop a safety standard to provide members with guidance on the safe design, installation, and operation of electrically-heated process equipment. The printed wiring board (PWB) and electronics assembly industries typically use such equipment to heat process solutions and dry PWBs during the manufacturing process.

The industry will develop a standard for electrically-heated process equipment to minimize the fire risk that such equipment poses to the PWB and assembly industries. Fires can start in heated tanks if the safety devices that are designed to shut-off power to heater elements when liquid levels are low are missing or malfunctioning. This fire risk can easily be minimized through the use of quality heat controllers and sensors, the proper design of heatingsystems, and through regularly scheduled maintenance.

"Providing IPC members with concrete steps to minimize the fire risks associated with electrically-heated process equipment will go a long way toward enhancing the operational stability of the industry", says IPC president Thom Dammrich. "In addition, the standard may help lower facilities' insurance premiums, enhancing their bottom lines."

For more information on how to get involved with the development of this standard, contact IPC director of public policy Christopher Rhodes at +1 (847) 790-5306, or e-mail ChristopherRhodes@ipc.org .