WHAT IS UV CURING ?
- juin 20, 2024
UV CURING : WHAT IS IT ?
Curing or polymerization involves changing the state of matter, meaning a product applied in liquid or paste form becomes solid after irradiation.
UV cross-linking is a specialized field. It requires to determine the power, the time, and more specificaly the UV exposure for the curing process to operate properly.
There are two types of cross-linking:
- Radicals are released by UV radiation and trigger polymerization. Cross-linking can be controlled and executed in several steps.
- Cationic cross-linking releases acids that initiate polymerization. Once the reaction is triggered, it cannot be stopped.
UV curing is the polymerization of a material when exposed to ultraviolet light.
UV ranges from 100nm to 400nm. There are various compositions of UV deposition and protection products, requiring different UV wavelengths to cure.
Either over a spectrum covering a complete range from UV-A to UV-C rays, referred to as a « UV Arc lamp »; or over a specific UV-A wavelength, known as a LED source (typically 365nm or 395nm).
A majority of UV conformal coatings are deeply cured through UV-A and on the surface through UV-C.
The combination of time and intensity defines the exposure dose, which is independent of focusing. Here, the gray and orange curves have undergone the same dose but with a different focus.
Materials have an intensity threshold to initiate curing, which must be maintained for a given time to complete the process (free radicals). Any dose below this threshold does not allow for complete curing and may have a negative effect, hence the importance of controlling all these parameters.
WHY UV CURING?
Productivity is a key focus in today’s and tomorrow’s industry development.
UV technology addresses this need by offering minimal floor space requirements, reduced electrical consumption and short production cycles compared to other existing processes.
Equally important is the environmental impact. It is reduced thanks to the absence of solvents in the used coatings. As a result, not only do curing lines require no solvent reprocessing, but the energy impact is also greatly reduced.
With the will to excel in the above key points: EXELSIUS offers a range of UV curing ovens and supports you in improving your production processes.
EXELSIUS UV TECHNOLOGIES
EXELSIUS has developed a range of UV ovens with a unique design that ensures real-time process control.
The principles are focused on managing key curing parameters, namely intensity, dose, time, and temperature. Closed-loop regulation allows to set the dose and maintain the necessary intensity over time.
Our equipment enables the control and adjustment of the process eliminating any drift throughout production.
Regardless of the used module, EXELSIUS’ patented regulation ensures process reliability and compensates the potential UV source aging by measuring and correcting UV power in continuous production.
The required UV exposure profile is thus maintained and monitored over time. This proprietary function enables to measure, adjust and ensure the appropriate insulation (intensity and dose). In addition, this feature is central for sending process data to the MES and granting production traceability. Else said, a key factor for qualitative production monitoring.
EXELSIUS OFFERS TWO UV TECHNOLOGIES:
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Broad Spectrum, UV-C, UV-B, and UV-A
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Spectrum centered around a defined wavelength in the UV-A range (here, 395nm).
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WANT TO KNOW MORE?
We’ll be delighted to provide you with further information and support for your future project!
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