In a classic example of Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground’s ability to be innovative and inventive in order to keep customers’ costs as low as possible, staff have adapted an existing CV paint shop oven so that it can double-up as a hot climate chamber. The modern, fully-compliant 18m long x 8m wide x 5m high gas-fired oven was built to service Bruntingthorpe’s CV refurbishing business.
It has a specially-reinforced grid floor able to carry a battle tank or the largest HGV recovery truck. Under-floor air extraction ensures even heat distribution and prevents hot spots.
“As a hot-climate test chamber it can raise temperatures from ambient to 85°C with an accuracy of ±1°C,” said Paul Atkin, Bruntingthorpe’s general manager of business development. “That’s much hotter than most of the purpose-built climatic chambers available.
“Our chamber doesn’t have solar simulation and it is specifically a hot chamber because there’s no facility for taking temperatures lower than ambient. But it is able to cover elements of defence standard 0035 and, as a development tool, it is extremely cost-effective. What’s more, we are able to sell time in the chamber at an hourly rate so customers don’t have to pay for time they don’t really need.
“We can offer overnight soak as the chamber is available 24/7.”
Within days of the oven being modified by Bruntingthorpe’s on-site facilities engineers, and tested, it was used by the first customers requiring use of a cost-effective climate chamber. “All those using the paint oven since we’ve adapted it to double-up as a hot climate chamber have been more than satisfied,” added Atkin.