UV-curing equipment

The UV curing equipment consists essentially of fhe following fhree components  

Lamp (or bulb). The electrical energy supplied to the bulb is converted into UV energy inside the bulb. 

Lamp housing. The housing is designed to direct and deliver to the substrate or the part to be irradiated. The lamp housing contains the reflector that focuses the ultraviolet energy generated by the lamp. Also referred to as the irradiator. 

Power supply. The power supply delivers the energy needed to operate the UV lamp. 

A typical UV curing unit may house one or more lamps. Most frequently, the material to be cured is passed underneath one or more lamps using a moving belt. The speed of the belt determines how long the web is exposed to the UV. The UV generated by the lamp is reflected by a reflector, which may either focus or defocus it, depending on the process. 

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Disadvantages cited are cost of raw materials and cost of installation of the UV curing equipment. ... 

UV Curing (Chapter 5) provides the chemical understanding of UV curing, and later other chapters will study UV curing equipment and also applications in pressure sensitive adhesives, laminating and other industries. 

R. E. Knight UV Curing Equipment and Applications in Chemistry and Technology of UV and EB Formulations for Coating, Inks and Paints, vol. 1, SITA Technology, London 1991, pp. 161-241. 

It is not the intention of this report to fully discuss UV-curing equipment, save to say that a wide range of systems are available with various wavelengths and intensities, with spot-curing and flood systems being available. Articles on equipment and dispensers have appeared in Adhesive and Sealants Industry Magazine [29, 30]. 

The three major benefits of UV-curing adhesives are the speed of cure, the optical clarity and the cure on demand . Although an investment in UV-curing equipment is required, these adhesives are successfully used on transparent substrates like polycarbonate and PVC [4]. 

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