Abstract

UV curing, the process of photoinitiated conversion of polymeric materials from a liquid to a solid, is rapidly becoming a popular alternative to conventional drying. The number and variety of applications for UV curable inks, coatings, and adhesives continue to expand at a rapid pace, and pose new design challenges to increase cure efficiency, speed, and the physical properties of the cured polymer film. The latest developments in microwave powered lamps for industrial processing are presented. Among these are: (1) the selection and control of the lamp emission spectra to match the optical properties of the film and its photoinitiator, (2) sustained high power lamp operation at 6 kilowatts, and (3) the use of absorptive dichroic reflectors to manage the relative components of UV and infrared energy in the highly focused radiation delivered to surfaces being processed. The ability of a high power UV lamp system to provide a nearly constant output over thousands of hours of operation is, in large measure, a function of its design, construction, and materials. Five-thousand-hour lamps are now a practical reality.

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