Heat guns
Removal of old films, automotive heat forming, softening of thick films: the temperature-adjustable heat gun that works before, during, and after installation.
The heat gun is the only tool in the kit that is used before, during, and after installation. Before, to soften an old film and remove it in clean strips. During, to heat-form a tinted film on a rear windshield or soften a thick film on a curved surface. After, to remove a film that needs to be replaced. Our heat guns offer precise temperature control to adapt the heat to the type of film and the surface.
One tool, three uses
Removal of old films
This is the most common use. A film that has been on a window for several years cannot be removed by hand. The adhesive has hardened, the film has become rigid, and pulling on it only tears it into small pieces. The heat gun changes everything. By heating the film to 200–300°C for a few seconds, the adhesive softens, the film regains flexibility, and removal can be done in clean, continuous strips.
The technique is simple: heat an area of 20 to 30 cm, lift the edge with a scraper, and pull slowly while continuing to heat ahead of the peeling area. The film follows, the adhesive releases, and the glass is gradually cleared. For a very old film where the adhesive has completely hardened, a second heating pass may be needed to soften the remaining residue before cleaning with a scraper.
Automotive heat forming
On curved rear windows, the tinted film must follow a curve that flat film cannot naturally match. Heat forming consists of heating the film to make it pliable, then shaping it onto the curved glass so it takes its final shape. Without a heat gun, there is no heat forming, and without heat forming, there is no proper installation on a rear windshield.
Temperature control is critical for this application. Too cold, and the film will not deform. Too hot, and the film shrinks, deforms uncontrollably, or burns. The ideal range is between 150 and 250°C depending on the thickness and composition of the film. The movement must be steady and continuous: never stay in the same spot for more than two seconds.
Automotive installers use the heat gun daily. It is as essential a tool as the squeegee in a window tinting workshop.
Softening thick films and PPF
High-thickness safety films, anti-explosion films, and paint protection films (PPF) are rigid at room temperature. On curved surfaces, edges, and high-stretch areas, this rigidity makes installation difficult. The heat gun locally softens the film so it conforms to the shape of the surface without wrinkles or creases.
On PPF in particular, heating also activates the film’s self-healing properties. Surface micro-scratches disappear under heat, allowing minor installation defects to be corrected without removing and reapplying the film.
Temperature control: why it matters
Each type of film reacts differently to heat. A 23-micron automotive tint film forms at 150–200°C. A 350-micron safety film requires 250–300°C to soften. A polyurethane PPF is worked between 80 and 120°C to avoid deforming the material.
A fixed-temperature heat gun forces the installer to manage heat through distance and movement speed, which is imprecise. A temperature-adjustable heat gun allows setting the exact value for each film and situation. It is safer for the film, the glass, and the installer.
Our heat guns display real-time temperature and offer an adjustable range from 50 to 600°C. The airflow is adjustable to concentrate or diffuse heat depending on the area to be treated.