Commercial usage for UV Curing LEDs are growing quickly because of improvements in energy efficiency and the growing the availability of adhesive, ink and coating chemical formulations. The power output of UV LEDs is rising at the rate of 12 percent per year!
This means that applications that require speedier production are becoming more feasible.
This article will provide engineers in process design and development with a quick overview of UV Curing with LEDs. It also outlines the its benefits for production lines in manufacturing, and steps to follow to ensure that you are ahead of the competitors.
UV LED Output
Contrary to traditional UV Curing Systems, which produces a broad spectrum of light the output of UV LEDs for curing are currently available in three narrow, near monochromatic wavelengths namely 385, 365, as well as 405nm.
It also results in less wasted output (unneeded or non-useful wavelengths) but it also means that chemistry formulators are required to create new chemistry that is sensitive to these specific wavelengths and still meet the exact coating, ink or adhesive needs. Certain applications, such as electronic encapsulating, potting fiberglass composites and UV powder coatings laminating and spot cure adhesives already make use of longer wavelength additives or “doped” arc lamps. These applications are therefore an ideal fit for UV LED curing.
Commercial UV LED cure
Presently, UV LED curing is utilized commercially in graphic arts printing, like digital inkjet, offset sheet-fed printing aswell for industrial inkjet marking and coding, adhesion bonding sealing, screen printing optical fiber coatings wood decorating and coatings applications, photoresist, as well as many other applications across sectors like medical devices, automotive electronics packaging, building materials, packaging as well as alternative energy sources and numerous others. Retrofitting production lines of manufacturing that are already equipped with UV curing with UV curing technology (in place of or as a substitute) is a must for certain applications due to the substantial technological advancements and the profits for business owners.
Design of manufacturing processes and the commercial advantages of UV LED curing
In comparison to the existing UV curing technologies, UV LED curing systems have greater uptime because of their extended life span and their instant off/on capability. UV LEDs last 10 % greater (10,000plus hours) than curring systems using arc UV.
The capability to turn off or on instantly of UV LEDs means there’s no waiting for a line to be restarted or work with the maintenance-prone shutters, as is the case with arch UV lamps. A higher level of uptime means higher production rates.
Systems for curing UV light work at much lower temps than UV curring traditionally,. This makes it possible to treat heat-sensitive substances without damaging the material. Controls for dimming allow you to set precisely the amount of ultraviolet energy required for evolving process requirements. Additionally, in addition to reducing product waste, this greater flexibility and control of processes can enhance the capabilities of your production and result in more efficient production lines.
If you have space in your line adding UV LEDs to your existing UV curing systems can offer more flexibility as well as the ability to use it as a “test bed” prior to implementing on other lines or plant places.
The small size that comes with UV LED curing devices make them simple to retrofit on existing production lines for manufacturing, like conveyor lines that are flat or 3D as well as indexing machines robotic arms. UV LEDs require cooling but this is done using the internal fan type of muffin or water cooler. They don’t require shutters and heat management and light shielding has been significantly simplified. Additionally, because UV LEDs don’t produce the ozone (traditional UV lamps generate ozone by emitting short-waves at 180 nm – 220 nm) and do not contain mercury, working surroundings are safer.
Modern process designers require stable constant UV curing procedures that are easy to replicate, and even move around the world. UV LEDs are less hefty and smaller, therefore it is much easier to relocate them and less expensive in comparison to conventional UV curing.
Since UV LEDs require significantly less exhaust air or cooling production lines in lower or higher elevations will not require substantially different cooling capacities. Thus, UV LED curing offers an improved and reliable process regardless of where it’s located on the world’s manufacturing sites.
UV LED curing provides significant savings on operating costs when in comparison with traditional curing because of lower energy consumption, less consumable parts, and less maintenance costs. UV LEDs typically consume around 30% to 70% lesser energy when compared with traditional UV curing. The absence of having consumable components like ballasts, lamps and reflectors, lowers the cost.
Additionally, lower maintenance costs result due to the less time needed for cleaning and servicing other components like ballasts, shuttersand reflectors and fans.
Challenges
Similar to how LED technology replaced certain interior lighting, automotive lighting, and various other traditional lighting sources UV LED curing is likely to eventually replace the conventional UV curing technologies for certain coatings, inks and adhesive applications thanks to the benefits described in this article. However, there are challenges to be overcome for UV Curing with LEDs within certain manufacturing processes, including identifying suitable and readily available chemical formulations.
The applications that need a tough coat are particularly difficult to UV LED curing since short wavelengths, a little less than the 365nm threshold, are required to cure the surface.
Combining UV LED curing and existing UV curing could be an ideal option.
Next steps
So , what can manufacturing process engineers and design engineers do to make sure they do not get out of the loop?
The first step is to learn more concerning UV LED curing technology, equipment manufacturers, and chemical formulation partners to determine whether UV LED is a fit to any of your processes in manufacturing.
Third, develop connections with reputable service providers who can help you design reliable and flexible LED curing techniques through laboratory testing and in-plant experiments. It is essential to have partners who can assist you in assessing the feasibility of your idea, calculate ROI, and offer guidance and development assistance .
