Drying Tunnel DS6-250
Fast-cure infrared drying for instant stacking, no more waiting
The Challenge
After vacuum coating timber mouldings, you face a bottleneck: wet boards that need careful handling, racking with spacer laths, and hours (or overnight) of drying time before they can be stacked or moved to the next production stage. This double-handling eats up labour time, requires dedicated floor space for drying racks, and delays order fulfilment.
The Solution
The DS6-250 Infrared Drying Tunnel sits directly behind your Vacuum Coater, force-drying water-based coatings as mouldings exit the coating process. Boards emerge dry enough to handle and stack immediately, no laths, no waiting. Transform your batch process into a continuous production line.
How It Works
The advanced vacuum coating process delivers precision results in a single pass
Infeed from Coater
Wet-coated mouldings feed directly from the VC6 Vacuum Coater (or standalone infeed). Variable speed control (5-35 m/min) matches your coating throughput. Pin cross bars minimize contact marks on the underside.
Dual-Bank Infrared Drying
54 fast-response infrared lamps (27 top, 27 bottom) deliver targeted heat. Concave reflectors maximize efficiency. Top heater bank physically adjusts for moulding heights up to 50mm. Independent top/bottom controls fine-tune drying for each product.
Immediate Handling
Mouldings exit at 935mm height, dry to the touch and ready for immediate stacking or transfer to denibbing/top coating. No spacer laths required. Continuous workflow maintained.
Technical Excellence
Advanced engineering for superior results
Modular "Future-Proof" Design
The DS6 is a standalone unit that can be purchased with a new Vacuum Coater or retrofitted to an existing line years later. This allows you to spread capital costs and upgrade as production volume increases. When paired with the VC6, electronic drive synchronization makes the Drying Tunnel's control desk the master controller, adjusting both coating and drying speeds simultaneously.
Compact Footprint, Maximum Throughput
At just 3.9 metres long (shorter than many of the mouldings it processes), the DS6 minimizes floor space while handling boards up to 250mm wide. Processes up to 35 metres per minute, making it suitable for high-volume joinery, cladding, and moulding operations.
Proven Infrared Technology
Palmer Primer has been installing drying systems since 1992. The DS6 uses mature, field-tested infrared lamp technology with concave reflectors for efficient heat transfer. Low maintenance design ensures long-term reliability.
Water-Based Coating Specialist
Optimised specifically for water-based primers, paints, and stains on timber and MDF substrates. Not suitable for clear lacquers (risk of crazing) or solvent-based products. The focused application ensures best results for the intended use case.
Engineered for Excellence
Precision engineering meets practical efficiency
Immediate Handling
Mouldings exit dry enough to stack without spacer lats, eliminating double-handling costs and freeing up floor space.
Synchronized VC6 Integration
Electronic drive linkage with VC6 Vacuum Coater allows single-point speed control for the entire coating-to-drying line.
Adjustable Heat Configuration
Top heater bank physically adjusts for moulding heights up to 50mm. Independent top/bottom controls fine-tune output for each product.
Compact 4m Footprint
Shorter than many of the mouldings it processes, the DS6 maximises throughput while minimising floor space requirements.
Real-World Applications
Solving challenges across multiple industries
High-volume Architectural Moulding Production
Pre-Finished Moulding Supply Lines
Perfect for skirting, architraves and window boards
Return on Investment
No need to place spacer laths between layers or transfer wet boards to drying racks. One operator maintains continuous flow from coating through to stacking.
Overnight drying racks removed. The 4-metre DS6 footprint is offset by eliminating dedicated wet-storage areas. Customers report reclaiming 20-30m² of production floor space.
From overnight drying to immediate handling. Mouldings move to denibbing, top-coating, or packaging within minutes of coating, not hours. Typical customer quote: "We wished we had done it years earlier."
Technical Specification
Dimensions
- Machine Length3900mm
- Machine Width1000mm
- Machine Height1100mm
- Work Take Off Height935mm
- Control Unit Width1200mm
- Control Unit Height1000mm
- Control Unit Depth410mm
Performance
- Feed Speed Range5–35 metres/minute
- Maximum Power (without external fan)56kW
- Maximum Power (with 7.5kW external fan)64kW
- Electrical Supply125amp 400V 3P, N+E
- Heating TechnologyFast-response infra-red lamps
- Reflector TypeConcave reflectors for maximum efficiency
Moulding Capacity
- Minimum Width50mm
- Maximum Width250mm
- Maximum Height50mm
- Minimum Length910mm
Additional Specifications
- Heating SystemTop and bottom heater banks (independently adjustable)
- Transfer MechanismPin cross bars (minimizes underside marking)
- Control SystemMain control desk with feed speed and heater power controls
- CompatibilityCompatible with Palmer Primer Vacuum Coater VC6-250
- Suitable CoatingsWater-based paints and stains only
- Design FocusLow maintenance costs
Compatible Materials & Finishes
Ideal For
Need faster drying in your production line?
Let's configure a DS6-250 system for your coating operation.
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