by Industrial Print Magazine Staff
Precise UV curing in industrial print applications is essential. The exact measurement of energy must be met each time to ensure that ink adhesion and any other specifications are achieved.
“Most UV inks require a specific energy density or dose to reach the advertised specifications—adhesion, scratch resistance, hardness. Light sources that either under or over cure can cause waste in the form of scrap prints that cannot be used,” explains Stacy Hoge, Phoseon, marketing manager, Excelitas Technologies Corp.
Errol Moebius, president/CEO, IST America, believes “the necessity for precise curing arises from the stringent demands of the coating, ink, or adhesive, which often require an extremely specific curing timeframe. This demands a stable and tightly controlled output, often monitored through closed loop systems.”
How to achieve a tightly monitored system depends on the user and application(s) printed, but in any scenario, they benefit from precise UV curing.
The Importance of Precision
Users expect predictable output, especially in today’s fast-paced world. Industrial digital print applications are no exception.
Industrial, automotive, and aircraft manufacturing industries are just some of the segments that require precise curing. “It is essential due to the need to access challenging areas or specialty shapes. In such applications, curing is often a crucial step in constructing components holding together critical parts of vehicles or aircraft. Without precise curing, there’s a risk of compromising safety and quality, potentially leading to concerns regarding the integrity of these critical components,” shares Moebius.
“If an area of a print is over cured, the ink can crack and flake. If it is under cured, it will remain tacky and possibly smear. Over and under cured materials can result in unusable printed material and excess scrap. These results can also lead to increased downtime for the printer,” notes Hoge.
This is why Excelitas’ line of Phoseon products feature TargetCure Technology. It offers stable curing over the lifetime of the unit, consistent through temperature variation, and precise curing when the lamp is turned on.
Precise curing when a lamp is turned on is especially helpful. “When air-cooled products are first turned on, they overshoot the target irradiance resulting in over cured and brittle material. TargetCure Technology delivers precise irradiance, eliminating overshoot and providing a consistent and reliable cure,” explains Hoge.
How to Achieve Precision
UV curing providers offer proprietary technology to achieve precise curing.
For example, Excelitas’ Phoseon UV LED curing products use proprietary technology to maintain stable output, both over the life of the lamp and during each run. This keeps the product of the print job consistent from start to finish, with no over curing at the beginning.
“Phoseon’s patented Semiconductor Light Matrix technology encapsulates LEDs, arrays, optics, and cooling to maximize UV LED curing performance and precise curing. Each of these four components are strictly engineered into a system that provides maximum UV energy and superior performance while also increasing long-term robustness for demanding applications,” shares Hoge.
IST America accomplishes precise curing through a combination of technologies refined over 25 years, according to Moebius. “Our system utilizes a high-precision radiometer beneath each UV bulb, allowing us to control irradiance levels precisely and to a set value that can then be automatically controlled. Additionally, our engineered reflectors manage 75 percent of the bulb’s output by reflecting short-wavelength UV and allowing long-wavelength infrared to pass through. Moreover, our solid-state power controllers enable fine adjustments to the lamp’s power output.”
UV Curing Products
The following vendors promote UV curing systems with precise curing.
Phoseon UV LED curing products from Excelitas are ideal for digital printing applications due to the compact size, ease of integration, and high intensity output achieved through optimized thermal management of the LEDs. The FireEdge and FireJet products are air cooled, compact UV LED curing lamps ideal for large and small area curing for digital inkjet printing. The FireEdge products are also well matched for pinning to “freeze” the ink without fully curing.
Phoseon FireLine products are water-cooled UV LED curing lamps with uses in a variety of web/conveyor-based, UV curing applications. The FireLine architecture is designed to allow the systems to be scalable and built up to two meters in length.
IST America offers a range of UV curing solutions. Some competitors opt for a more standardized “plug-and-play” method, but IST’s approach involves close collaboration between its technical experts and clients. IST works to understand each clients’ unique challenges, specifications, and ultimate objectives. This understanding allows for tailor-make solutions that precisely meet those individual needs.
ProPhotonix Limited offers industrial laser modules placed in UV curing systems, this includes UV lasers at 375nm. In UV curing applications, 375nm lasers can provide precise curing of small areas. This precision curing is ideal when areas or components around the target area are susceptible to damage from UV radiation. UV laser diode modules can enable higher speed and higher definition in three-dimensional printing applications.
It’s In the Details
Precise curing plays an important role in the overall printing process. Without it, ink can crack or smear; compromising the integrity of a part or print. With correct systems in place these errors are avoided.
Feb2024, Industrial Print Magazine
