Strip heaters are versatile heating elements used in a wide variety of applications. They are generally considered both cost-effective and easy to install, providing dependable surface-contact heating, particularly over wide areas. Easy to control, strip heaters can be purchased in a wide variety of wattages and are available in regular strip and finned constructions.

Strip heaters are used in thousands of applications. They typically feature rugged construction, with a wide variety of terminations. Strip heaters come in many sizes, with holes and notches to suit the requirements of the particular heating application. They can be custom-made as well.

The construction of a strip heater is dependent upon the particular heating application. Sheath temperatures of strip heaters can be quite high, generally ranging from 700º to 1400º Fahrenheit (about 370º to 760º Celsius). These temperatures vary depending on a number of factors, including the type of sheath material and the insulations used.

The highest temperature ratings are realized with mineral insulated strip heaters. With stainless steel construction, these strip heaters can reach 1400º Fahrenheit (760º Celsius). Mica-insulated strip heaters, made with zinc steel, can reach 900ºF (482ºC). When constructed using stainless steel, mica-insulated heaters can reach 1200ºF (649ºC).

Strip heaters are frequently used for process air heating in such applications as cabinet warming, baking ovens, and ovens used for vacuum dehydration. Also effective for surface heating, strip heaters may be used with a variety of surfaces, including, but not limited to, dies, tanks, platens, and molds. Strip heaters are often clamped or bolted onto surfaces for use in heating applications.

Moisture protection is another common use of strip heaters. They are often used in motors and control cabinets, as well as a variety of other areas that need protection from moisture. Frequently used in winterizing, strip heaters are often employed for hoppers and conveyors. Ducts and thawing applications, as well those used in automobile heating, commonly require strip-heating elements as well.

Certain types of original equipment make use of strip heaters. They're considered beneficial for everything from air conditioning and lab equipment to food packaging and certain presses. This type of heater is frequently used for drying equipment also.

Another interesting way strip heaters are employed involves the shaping of certain plastics. For this type of application, a strip heater is used to warm plastic, making it flexible enough to shape into a variety of formations. This process is commonly used with acrylic plastic.