On the line, acid-etched glass comes out of the bath with a surface that holds onto moisture. If the dryer leaves streaks or cools unevenly, you’re looking at rework—or worse, coating adhesion failures down the road. The dryer has to strip that film fast, without setting up thermal stress in the glass. What matters under the hood We built the acid-etched glass dryer around short-wave infrared quartz emitters, chosen for quick energy transfer and low thermal inertia. The system jumps from ambient to 180°C in under 45 seconds, so you can keep pace with etching without waiting for a long soak. Once steady, belt temperature uniformity is ±2°C, which keeps differential expansion in check and helps avoid micro-cracks. At the emitter surface, power density hits 35 kW/m², putting the flux right where you need it—at the glass surface—without cooking the chamber. Airflow is laminar and counter-current, stripping moisture without disturbing the etched texture. Why this approach fits acid etching With acid-etched glass, the finish is defined by what you remove, and the dryer has to protect that definition. Tight uniformity and fast response keep the surface temperature consistent, so water evaporates evenly and residues don’t bake onto the sheet. In practice, that means fewer rejects, stable adhesion for subsequent coatings, and line speeds that hold up at 6–12 m/min depending on thickness. Energy use comes down because the emitters only heat when needed, and the short cycle keeps the oven footprint tight. What you need to plan for The dryer drops in as a module with standard conveyor widths and PLC interfaces, but it needs a dedicated 400 V three-phase supply—and clean power to prevent voltage sags at start-up. Expect a bit higher peak demand during warm-up; lay out the electrical accordingly. Emitter life is rated for 5,000+ hours, but in humid plant air you have to keep the quartz tubes clean on a routine. Do that, and you maintain output and uniformity without surprises.