UV light emitting diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor components that produce light when electrical current flows through them. UV LED systems are growing in popularity for a wide variety of materials, but is LED curing right for your application?
Our UV LED Systems
Our curing systems use cool-output, long-life UV LEDs in multiple spectral types for high-intensity, rapid curing. They are a great match for substrates that are sensitive to heat or for adhesives and coatings designed to work with a narrow spectral range.
A compact, programmable LED flood curing system that:
Includes all system components in a small lamp head for easy mounting anywhere on a factory floor without requiring a remote controller, power supply box or remote cooler
Illuminates a 5 x 5” curing area with cool and evenly distributed, high-intensity light
Can be mounted side by side with multiple units for a larger curing area
Can be used in conjunction with the light-shielding Rayven chamber, UV Conveyor 40 Plus or the SunBelt BT9 conveyor, all designed for laboratory or high-volume production applications
Application Matters
Compared to arc lamps, UV LED sources are more energy efficient, have a more consistent output, transmit less heat to the substrate and last up to 10 times longer (ours have a life expectancy over 20,000 hours). But that doesn’t mean they are right for every application. If you have a very large cure surface, require a scratch-resistant finish, or have a surface with a lot of contours, arc lights may still be the best option.
It’s important to remember that UV LED curing works best with materials—inks, coatings, varnishes and adhesives—that are formulated to react to the available output of this light source.
So, is LED curing right for your application? Contact us and tell us your application details including the dimensions, weight and exposure area of the part to be cured; the wavelength range; irradiance; energy; desired rate of production; and other specific requirements. We’ll recommend the best curing option for your project. If needed, we also offer free sample testing and demo units to verify compatibility.
The holiday season is officially upon us, and with it comes plenty of gifts and food shared between friends and family. You probably don’t think about what goes into making the packaging for these presents and treats safe, strong and optimized for printing—but UV light curing systems such as ours play a big role. From corrugated cardboard to plastic clamshells, here’s how UV curing for holiday packaging is used every year.
Printing and Coating
If you’ve ever bought a gift from a retailer or been shipped a present from a loved one, it likely came in a package with printed text or designs on the outside. It may not seem like it, but there’s a lot that goes into making sure these packages make it to you looking nice—and some of it wouldn’t be possible without UV curing.
UV-based inks can be used for package printing as they dry instantaneously during the curing process and are very durable. UV LED curing of UV-based inks also requires less energy than the drying of water-based inks, according to Industrial Print Magazine, leading to a more environmentally friendly printing method.
UV-based inks can be used on materials such as corrugated cardboard, although a pre-treatment primer will help control the absorption of the ink on corrugated sheets. Many UV inks are rated for food safety, according to Industrial Print Magazine, and low-migration UV-based inks have been developed for food-safe packaging so ink doesn’t seep into holiday treats.
UV Sealing
We’ve all seen plastic clamshell packaging before—it’s used for everything from toys to batteries, razors to toothbrushes and much more—but you might not know that UV curing plays a key role in creating the final product.
In addition to printing designs, UV curing is also used for sealing items such as these clear plastic clamshells that are used for consumer merchandise. Their adhesives are activated by exposure to UV light and work like glue to bond elements together for a tight seal. So, if you find yourself struggling to help the kids in your family open a brand-new toy packaged in plastic this holiday, a UV-cured seal might be why.
Our UV Curing Solutions
From electronics assembly to the medical industry, we have helped many companies successfully incorporate UV light curing to streamline their production and packaging processes. To learn how UV curing can benefit your application, contact us and we’ll recommend a solution.
When choosing the best light source for your UV curing application, there are a lot of factors to consider, ranging from compatibility with adhesives and coatings, to speed, light uniformity, versatility, cost and more.
UV Arc Lamp Advantages
An arc, or electrode lamp, is the most common of all UV light sources; UV light is produced when mercury vapor passes between an electric arc. Arc lamps typically provide between 500 and 2,000 hours of lamp life, which is significantly lower than a UV LED alternative. However, depending on the object being cured, an arc lamp may be advantageous to employ, due to several factors, including lower cost, speedy curing, versatility and compatibility.
We offer a variety of affordable high-performance broad-spectrum arc lamp systems, available in spot, flood and conveyor types.
UV LED Advantages
UV light emitting diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor components that produce light when electrical current flows through them. With a life expectancy of over 20,000 hours, UV LEDs are growing in popularity, but not all UV LED curing suppliers or solutions are created equally.
Our LED curing systems use cool-output, long-life UV LEDs in multiple spectral types for high-intensity, rapid curing. They are ideal for applications that are sensitive to heat or designed to work with a narrow spectral range.
Side-by-Side Comparison
For a side-by-side comparison of the benefits of UV arc lamps vs UV LED, download our free infographic. If you prefer to discuss your light curing requirements with our experts, please call us at 413-731-7835 or email [email protected].
November 8 is National STEM/STEAM Day, designed to encourage kids of all ages to explore their interests in science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. As a company that wouldn’t exist without a team devoted to these subjects, we know how essential it is to ensure the pipeline is full of future experts—which is why we are full STEAM ahead!
Why the Push for STEAM?
The reason behind the push is simple: interest in STEAM-related fields has declined, as has student performance in these subjects. Yet our need for people working in these fields continues to grow, putting the U.S. and its economy at a huge disadvantage.
This has resulted in the need to reframe the educational process to break down the individual subject silos of science, math, technology and art, and instead show how they all come together to solve challenges. In this model, students are taught to think critically, approach problems with a curious mindset, and apply their knowledge, experience and research to find solutions.
Encouraging children to become capable problem solvers not only helps them in their daily lives now, but can ignite their interest in STEAM careers, which are challenging, lucrative and in increasing demand, helping them to find future success as well.
How You Can Help
If you are passionate about the work you do, we encourage you to share that enthusiasm with the next generation. Ideas include:
Helping with internships or outreach programs your company offers; or starting a program if there isn’t one
Participating in community programs that coordinate professionals willing to volunteer in area schools
Calling local schools to ask if they accept volunteers to talk to students about careers
Mentoring students who show an interest in your field (check out this site if you don’t know where to start)
Encouraging your children or the children of friends and family members to pursue STEAM interests through games and activities (here are some that make great holiday gifts)
We’re proud to do our part: Uvitron has been working alongside Springfield Technical Community College and other local universities to find students to train and work (part-time during the school year and full-time during the summer) as technicians and assemblers in our engineering and manufacturing departments. We are grateful for all the STEAM supporters who make up our talented team, and we look forward to many more in the years to come.
We are in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution that is not only reshaping industry itself, but the entire world. Millions of modern manufacturing jobs will be coming online in the next decade, and we need to have a skilled workforce in place to fill them. That’s why we celebrate Manufacturing Day on the first Friday of October each year. This day for manufacturers is designed to showcase the amazing career opportunities the industry offers.
How We Started. How It’s Going.
Uvitron International was established in 1993 as a developer and manufacturer of switch-mode power supplies for light curing systems, developing the first electronic arc lamp power supply. We have since evolved into a total solutions provider of light curing systems, power supplies and accessories.
We work with clients across a broad range of industries that require UV curing as part of their manufacturing process, including:
Medical
Dental
Automotive
We have staked our reputation on manufacturing and selling superior quality products that are made in the USA. All electrical, optical and mechanical design of our products is performed in-house, so our products are fully supported by our experienced staff of engineers, programmers, technicians and professional sales executives who know our products inside and out. We are able to share complete technical knowledge with our customers and offer expert systems consulting, design and manufacturing services.
While the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges to manufacturers around the world, we were proud that our team was able to keep us up and running throughout. In fact, we were able to rise to the challenge and help Production 3D, manufacturers of 3D printed products, meet the demands of run time and product output for their 3D printed FDA-registered Nasopharyngeal (NP) Swabs for COVID testing (read the case study).
How We Can Help You
We look forward to new opportunities. When you reach out with your manufacturing challenges and goals, we will work with you to find the best UV curing solution for your needs.
Our team takes the time to understand your application and requirements upfront. Because our products are developed in-house, including a full line of power supplies and accessories, we can create customized solutions. In addition, we offer free application testing and demo units when needed so you can be sure you are getting a solution that works.
Whip Mix is a familiar name in dental labs, schools and clinics. As a leader in the dental industry, the company provides practical solutions for dental professionals with its vacuum mixing equipment, model trimmers, ceramic pressing and firing ovens, waxes, die stones and more, including a complete line of digital CAD-CAM products. When they decided to begin formulating 3D printed resin to fabricate dental devices, they knew they needed the right provider of curing chambers.
Whip Mix Case Study
We know that every application is different, so we take time to understand each client’s requirements and goals. In this case, Whip Mix needed large UV curing chambers to accommodate customer demand and production needs. In addition, the chambers had to be biocompatible, features not typically achieved with low light intensity and limited wavelengths. If that weren’t enough, they also wanted to shorten the curing time and increase the capacity per curing cycle.
To learn how we met these challenges and exceeded Whip Mix’s expectations, download a free copy of our Whip Mix Case Study.
