student laboratory as they are cheaper, effective, safe, and the user does not have to wait for a bath to cool down after use. Industrial hot plates Hot plates are widely used for many industrial applications. These hot plates vary in size from 2 to over 300 square centimetres. Typical operating temperatures vary from 100 to 750 °C and power requirements are usually in the 120 to 480 volt range. Most industrial hot plates will withstand loads more than 150 pounds. Industrial hot plates which incorporate a porous heated plate are referred to as heated chucks. These plates are used to heat thin sheets evenly by drawing the sheets firmly on the plate with a vacuum. These plates are widely used in the process of manufacturing semiconductors. Hot plates using special material and protective coatings are used in mining and related industries to heat samples of toxic chemicals. Such hot plates are usually referred to as corrosion-resistant hot plates. Hot plates are widely used in the electronics industry as a method of soldering and desoldering components onto circuit boards. Hot plates with two heating surfaces are used to fuse plastic pipes. Many of these pipes are over 90-centimeter diameter. The two pipes to be fused are pressed against the plate till the edges are soft. The plate is removed and the two pipes are pressed together and bonded. This process is called butt fusion. See also Bachelor griller Blech, a sheet of metal that may be placed over cooking burners to help in the observation of the Jewish Sabbath Griddle, a flat heated cooking surface, maybe a pan, a gas powered version or in table-top electrical appliance form Heating element, a material that converts electrical energy to heat through resistance List of stoves Portable stove, a portable cooking device that may burn liquid or gas fuel References External links Laboratory equipment Cooking appliances