Reducing curing times and increasing throughput, electric infrared (IR) technology has become increasingly popular. Not just limited to curing paint, it is extremely adaptable and can increase productivity in many areas throughout a repair shop. And with mobile systems, IR technology can be easily incorporated into both prep and paint processes.

Using short wave, electric IR technology to rapidly cure fillers and coatings, REVO Accelerated Curing Systems from Global Finishing Solutions (GFS) offer the fastest curing time in the industry. The smallest member of the REVO Systems family, the REVO Handheld is an immensely versatile and adaptable tool that helps quickly recoup your investment by speeding up processes and increasing quality along the way.

The following are five uses for a REVO Handheld that can get your shop running more efficiently in a matter of minutes:

1. Spot Repairs

The REVO Handheld is a powerful, lightweight tool that is ideal for fast spot repairs in every step of the repair process.

First, when cleaning the repair area, use the Handheld to remove decals or emblems. Then, if you need to apply filler during body repair, it dries in only a couple of minutes. Immediately after, you can use a high-quality, 2k primer (cured in five to 10 minutes) and will be ready to sand. The repair area is then immediately ready for a base coat and clear coat, which can also be cured in a few minutes. Cut hours of spot repairs to a half hour or less with the REVO Handheld.

Not only does the Handheld speed up your processes, it also allows you to use higher-quality products and cure them faster, as opposed to using lower-quality, air dry products. Instead of having to stop for cure times and bounce between jobs, the REVO Handheld allows a technician to do one repair from start to finish before moving onto the next one. This significantly increases throughput and frees up space since you can complete the repair in one location.

2. Soften Glass Seals

With the REVO Handheld, soft set, urethane quarter glass can be easily removed without any cutting or messy cleanup. No need to worry about a stringy mess, the butyl separates quickly and cleanly when heated with a REVO Handheld unit.

3. Aluminum-Body Vehicle Repair

Heat up aluminum to repair aluminum-body vehicles and pry dents out with the REVO Handheld. The Handheld heats up aluminum faster and produces more consistent heat than a heat gun, and is also safer than using a torch. The Handheld reaches full temperature almost instantly, and since it doesn’t need time to warm up, you are saving time in the process — all you need is a standard 110V outlet for the unit.

4. Bumper or Plastic Repair

Arguably the best use for the REVO Handheld, you no longer have to use a heat gun to warm up a bumper. With the Handheld, you can get a bumper to 200 degrees Fahrenheit in 10 to 20 seconds. And because the heating area is so large, it also relieves the stress around the dent, which can be time-consuming using a heat gun or any other method. After the dent is pulled out, the Handheld can then be used throughout the entire paint repair process.

5. Remove Emblems, Vinyl Graphics & Adhesives

Eliminating the need to use a rubber eraser wheel, which can damage or burn off paint, the REVO Handheld heats the substrate underneath the adhesives before heating up the glue, without leaving any residue behind.

When used on plastic emblems, the REVO Handheld separates the emblem from the adhesive, allowing the emblems to be reused without going through the painstaking process of cleaning them with a razor blade. The Handheld can then be used to remove the adhesive from the vehicle. It also softens the adhesive enough that you can remove the emblem with a plastic spreader, as opposed to using a metal putty knife or razor blade which can damage the paint.

When you let the REVO Handheld do the job, you see the dramatic difference of doing things quickly and efficiently, saving you time and money. What normally takes hours and sometimes days can be cut down to minutes.

“It can save so much time,” said Kevin Newton, body tech and plastic expert at Don’s Auto Body in St. Charles, Missouri. “I like to use it to relieve stress on bumpers and smaller plastic areas. It also makes plastic repairs a lot easier because it’s light and heats up quickly.”