JPW Industrial Ovens & Furnaces has been designing and manufacturing industrial ovens for start-up companies in the electric vehicle (EV) industry for several years. However, requests have been more frequent and more specific as of late. President Mike Jameson believes he knows the reason.

“Mainstream automakers from around the globe are noticing that electric vehicles are the future,” Jameson said. “While the smaller start-ups have been researching, testing and creating electric vehicles for years, the well-known automakers want to make sure their hats are tossed in the ring as they notice the demand from potential customers steadily increasing.”

According to JPW, the two types of ovens that are being requested most often are continuous process and batch. Jameson sees oven needs geared toward battery technology and research and electric-motor-processing testing. Requests vary from small batch ovens to large continuous process ovens that expand to more than 40 feet long.

“Mainstream brands moving into the field are looking to have their ovens in a position to conveyorize so they can do more volume to supply products for assembly lines,” Jameson said. “They may begin using a batch oven but work their way up to a continuous process oven.”

When electric-motor-processing testing is needed, Jameson finds the ovens are being used to finish curing the product. When EV companies are requesting ovens for battery technology, ovens are typically used to test a battery’s stability in various temperatures without failing.