IR-AK6 Hybrid IR & Air Impingement Dryer
Hybrid infrared and air-impingement drying engineered around chemistry, substrate, web width, and production speed.
IR-AK6 combines one infrared drying zone with two zones of high-velocity heated air impingement. Adjustable IR output, VFD-controlled airflow, configurable air-knife geometry, and widths up to 80 inches allow Prime UV-IR to match the dryer to the production process rather than forcing the application into a fixed drying configuration.
Get in Touch with a Product and Application Specialist
Hybrid Drying for Water-Based and Oil-Based Chemistry
Water-based and oil-based chemistries often require both heat input and efficient moisture removal.
IR-AK6 combines two drying methods within one system:
infrared radiation transfers thermal energy directly toward the substrate
high-velocity air impingement disrupts the boundary layer above the material and moves heated air across the surface
That combination gives Prime additional control over heat transfer and moisture removal for coated, porous, and non-permeable substrates.
Key Outcomes
Combine IR and heated air impingement in one drying platform.
Support water-based and oil-based chemistries.
Configure systems for substrate widths up to 80 in. / 2032 mm.
Match active IR zones to product width.
Adjust IR output in 1% increments.
Control air delivery with variable-frequency drives.
Adjust air-knife width, angle, and height around the process.
Support remote maintenance and machine-control integration.
Application-Engineered Drying
Drying-system design starts with the production application.
Prime evaluates factors including:
chemistry
substrate
coating weight
web or sheet width
production speed
available machine footprint
required drying temperature
airflow requirements
press or line geometry
controls integration
That application review informs IR output, air-knife placement, airflow, extraction, heater configuration, and controls.
The result is a drying system configured around how the line actually operates.
Two Air-Impingement Zones for Moisture Removal
High-Velocity Air Across the Substrate
IR-AK6 includes two sets of three Hot Air Impingement Knives, for six air knives total.
The air knives direct heated air toward the substrate, helping break through the boundary layer and increase heat and mass transfer during drying.
Air delivery is controlled through a variable-frequency drive, allowing airflow to be adjusted around the production requirement.
Adjustable Air-Knife Geometry
Configure Air Delivery Around the Web or Sheet
IR-AK6 allows the air-impingement system to be adjusted for:
air-stream width
air-knife angle
air-knife height
That gives the application team more flexibility when matching airflow to substrate width, machine geometry, and drying conditions.
Infrared Drying Zone
Add Direct Thermal Energy Where the Process Requires It
The IR section uses single-tube infrared emitters with gold reflectors.
Supported lamp characteristics include:
short-wave or near-medium-wave IR emission
up to 2.5 kW per lamp
standard spacing of 3 in. / 75 mm
individually configurable zones matched to product width
IR power can be adjusted in 1% increments, giving operators more control over thermal input as production conditions change.
Match Active IR Width to the Product
Use IR Energy Across the Required Width
IR-AK6 supports IR zones that can be configured to match product width.
For lines running different substrate widths, this allows the active IR area to be aligned with the production requirement instead of operating the full drying width for every job.
Air Extraction and Cooling
Manage Airflow Through the Drying Zone
IR-AK6 uses filtered-air cooling and includes two IR ACTION air-extraction ports controlled through variable-frequency drives.
This allows air handling to be treated as part of the drying-system configuration rather than a fixed operating condition.
Controls Designed Around Production
Monitor and Adjust the Dryer From the Line
IR-AK6 uses a standard Beckhoff PLC and Prime Premier 7-inch HMI.
The system can support:
1% IR power adjustment
VFD air control
remote maintenance access
optical IR measurement
fault reporting
alternative PLC configurations where required
Siemens and Allen-Bradley PLC options are also listed for applications requiring compatibility with existing machine-control standards.
Remote Access Available
Remote access can support system review and troubleshooting without requiring every service event to begin onsite.
Controlled Electrical Startup and Fault Monitoring
Controlled Power Delivery to the Emitters
IR-AK6 controls can provide a soft-start function that gradually raises current as the IR emitter reaches operating condition.
The system also monitors emitter and over-current conditions so faults can be identified and reset through the control architecture.
Where IR-AK6 Fits
Applications
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Hybrid IR and air-impingement drying for compatible sheetfed printing and coating applications where inline moisture removal is required.
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Drying of compatible water-based primer coats used in digital and packaging workflows. Prime specifically recommends IR-AK6 for primer-coating applications.
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Hybrid drying for packaging applications using compatible water-based or oil-based inks, coatings, and primers.
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IR and air-impingement drying integrated into converting lines where substrate width, chemistry, and line speed determine system configuration.
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IR-AK6 can also be configured for industrial coating and finishing applications requiring controlled thermal input and heated airflow.
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Prime also recommends IR-AK6 within its wide-web application portfolio, so wider packaging and converting processes are a legitimate fit where the 80-inch design envelope is appropriate.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | IR-AK6 HYBRID |
|---|---|
| Drying Technology | Infrared + heated air impingement |
| IR Emission Range | Short, Near-Medium |
| IR Lamp Tube | Single tube |
| IR Reflector | Gold |
| IR Lamp Power | Up to 2.5 kW |
| IR Lamp Spacing | 3 in. / 75 mm standard |
| Maximum Substrate Width | 80 in. / 2032 mm |
| IR Zones Match Product Width | Yes |
| Power Adjustment | 1% increments |
| Cooling Method | Filtered air |
| Remote Maintenance | Yes |
| IR Measurement | Optical |
| Standard PLC | Beckhoff |
| HMI | Prime Premier 7 in. |
| Air-Impingement Knives | 2 sets of 3 / 6 total |
| HAK Air Supply | Variable-frequency drive |
| IR Air Extraction | 2 VFD-controlled ports |
| Air-Stream Width | Adjustable |
| Air-Knife Angle | Adjustable |
| Air-Knife Height | Adjustable |
Available Options
Configure IR-AK6 around the drying application with available options including:
IR lamp type
HAK heater drivers
HAK pressure drivers
Siemens or Allen-Bradley PLC
custom IR and HAK configurations
Support Beyond Installation
Support for the Life of the Drying System
Prime’s involvement continues after installation and startup.
Customers have access to technical support, remote maintenance on supported systems, OEM replacement components, and controls expertise throughout the operating life of the equipment.
As production requirements or control systems change, Prime can also evaluate replacement components and system modifications intended to keep installed drying equipment productive.
Talk Through Your Application
Get in Touch with a Product and Application Specialist
Chemistry, substrate, width, line speed, coating weight, airflow, temperature, and machine geometry all affect drying-system design.
Talk with a Prime application specialist about the production process and determine whether IR-AK6 — or another Prime IR / air-impingement configuration — is the appropriate fit.
Related Products
For sheetfed press applications where the dryer needs to integrate specifically into press delivery geometry.
For digital-printing and primer-coating applications requiring a drying platform designed around digital press conditions.
For applications centered primarily on infrared drying without the same two-zone air-impingement architecture.