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UV Curing Technology – A Smart Solution for Manufacturers

 

UV Curing is defined as ‘a speed curing process in which high intensity ultraviolet light is used to create a photochemical reaction that instantly cures inks, adhesives, coatings and other materials’.

This technology has gained momentum in the manufacturing sector in recent years and it is easy to see why. With a long list of benefits, UV light curing is recognised as the smart solution for original equipment manufacturers. In this latest blog post we explain the process of UV curing, highlight the benefits of this technology and explore some key UV curing products from Dymax, the industry leading manufacturer of UV curing systems.

 

Advantages of UV Curing

The incorporation of UV curing technology into a manufacturer’s production process can have enormous advantages including cost efficiency, enhanced quality, increased safety and boosted production.

One of the greatest draws of UV Curing technology is its rapid cure speed. This benefit is particularly important because of the positive ripple effect it has on production. Manufacturers will see a reduction in labour costs meaning less assembly stations are required. Furthermore, shorter cycle times and reduced work in progress will result in improved lead times for customers.

Another significant perk of UV curing technology is its simplicity. No racking or ovens are required and UV curing dispensing equipment tends to be less expensive than required for the heat curing process. In addition, since UV curing materials are single component, there is no need for mixing and issues with pot life are avoided, leading to less waste.

A final benefit of UV light curing technology is that it is environmentally friendly since it provides a safe alternative to the use of harmful chemicals. Manufacturers also benefit from reduced regulatory and disposal costs and production workers need not worry about any potential risks to their health.

 

UV Curing Systems

When selecting UV curing equipment, there are three main systems to consider – a conveyor system, a flood cure system or a spot cure system and each of these equipment categories have been designed to meet different objectives.

The focus of a UV curing conveyor system, for example, is consistency. Due to their high intensity, this system type eliminates stray UV light and offer users a consistent line speed and lamp height.

The Dymax UVC-5 Light-Curing Conveyor is one of our most popular UV curing conveyor systems, thanks to its great features.The UVC-5 Conveyor is supplied with a Teflon coated belt and one UV lamp. Users can manually adjust the distance between the belt and the lamp, as well as the belt speed, to suit their specific requirements. Other helpful features include air-cooled casing with an aluminium reflector for the bulb, a counter to track timing and an electric control unit located in the transportation device.

The UVC-5 Conveyor from Dymax is perfect for curing smaller parts and has the ability to cure materials applied to a whole range of substrates from metal to laminated materials.

An alternative to the conveyor curing system is a Spot Cure or Flood Cure system. With typical cure times between 1 and 30 seconds, these UV curing systems are well suited to users searching for a high speed cure.
The Dymax BlueWave QX4 is a Spot Cure system capable of UV light curing at high speed and high intensity. As a spot cure system, this equipment has been designed to cure small surface areas, making it well suited to more intricate applications. The Qx4 unit is also very compact, however its neat size does not compromise its powerful curing ability. The Dymax BlueWave QX4 is equipped with a foot controller switch and four different LED heads.

While a spot cure system focuses on a small spot with a diameter around 5-10mm, a flood cure system covers a larger area up to 6 inches squared. The Dymax BlueWave LED Flood System provides high-intensity curing energy for larger surface areas. The standard system includes one array, a power supply and power and interface cords. Easy to use, this Dymax UV Curing equipment can be used as a stand-alone system or integrated into an existing production line. The Dymax BlueWave LED system is available in three irradiator wavelength configurations allowing the operator to optimise the process between their light cure system and UV curing material.

 

UV Curing Materials

There are a wide selection of light curable materials on the market – from adhesives and coatings to maskants and potting compounds…

Adhesives

UV curing adhesives from Dymax are special in that they can bond to a wide range of substrates – even materials which are dissimilar. Available in a range of viscosities, UV curing adhesives cure capidly and provide a tough, clear bond. Notable UV curing adhesive products include Dymax 3025 for plastics, Dymax 425 for bonding glass and Dymax 6-621 for metals.

Coatings

Light-curing coatings are designed to protect the surface of substrates and components from harmful agents. Coatings are commonly used on printed circuit boards but can also be used to provide a decorative cover on materials, depending on their composition. Dymax 9482 and Dymax 987 are two commonly used UV curing coatings. 9482 offers superior reworkability and excellent thermal shock and chemical resistance, whilst 987 is rigid in structure for high chemical and abrasion resistance. Both products contain a secondary cure mechanism, useful for applications in which the liquid may escape to an area that the UV light can’t reach but while 9482 has a secondary moisture cure, 987’s secondary cure mechanism is heat.

 

Potting compounds

Dymax UV potting compounds are well suited to a number of electronics applications including shallow component potting and sealing of detectors, connectors, inductors, capacitors, RF circuits and many more. Processing in seconds, UV potting resins provide tenacious adhesion to a host of different substrates. The Dymax Multi-Cure 921 Series is a range of high tensile strength potting materials formulated for adhesion to metals, glass, ceramic and thermoset plastics.

Maskants

Light-curable maskants provide a level of surface protection that cannot be obtained from traditional masking materials such as tapes and waxes. Dymax has a range of light curable masking resins available in varying viscosities and which can be applied through dipping, spraying, screen printing or by syringe. There are over 18 Dymax maskant products with each having its own unique set of characteristics. Dymax 738 for example is a thermal spray coating maskant which contains no nonreactive solvents. It provides great cavity and surface protection as well as high adhesion on nickel alloys or high-temperature steel. Dymax 750 also offers a high level of adhesion and as a peelable maskant, it cures tack free and is resilient to blast media.

 

UV Curing Accessories

Over and above the essential UV curing kit, there are various accessories available that will enhance or improve the UV Curing process.

The use of a Liquid light guide, for example, is the most economical way of delivering high intensity UV light to materials. Light guides come in two, three or four pole configuration and filter mount assemblies are available to prolong their shelf life.

A radiometer is a useful tool to have in the UV Curing process since they allow operators to monitor and record the UV light curing process – for example a low UV intensity measurement would indicate to the user that part of the apparatus needs to be replaced. Radiometers also have the capability to confirm if the operator is sufficiently shielded from the UV light.

Other accessories have been designed to offer protection from UV and visible light. Shields and stands offer protection from UV and visible light, whilst providing the user with clear visibility of the curing parts. Protective eye goggles are also recommended to provide additional protection from UV light exposure.

Ellsworth Adhesives supplies an extensive range of UV Curing products.

Shop our range of UV Curing Equipment and UV Curing Materials.

Our Glue Doctor is available to answer any technical questions you may have regarding UV curing materials or equipment. Simply fill out our enquiry form.

Pre-Mixed and Frozen Resins – The Convenient Choice for Users of Two Component Adhesives

Two component adhesives undoubtedly provide a strong, reliable bond, however some end users may be put off by the hassles of the manual mixing process…

When mixing the two components, the reaction typically begins instantly, meaning that users must work ‘against the clock’ to ensure that the mixed adhesive does not become so viscous that it cannot be applied, and also to avoid decreasing the bond strength due to the diminished wetting of the surface. Special care must also be taken during the mixing process to maintain the prescribed ratio of resin and hardener, since even a small deviation from the specified mix ratio can prevent the adhesive from curing properly. Furthermore, because of the precise mix ratios required, a number of two component systems cannot be accurately proportioned in the small sized batches needed for production. To counter this problem, larger batches must be prepared where only a small percentage of the material is actually utilised, and this results in a considerable amount of waste.

By choosing pre-mixed and frozen resins (PMF), these problems and hassles are completely eliminated as the end user only needs to thaw and dispense the material.

PMF refers to the blending, packaging and freezing of two component resin or catalyst systems, and offers the ultimate in convenience and reliability. Utilising the Pre-mixed & Frozen Resins service available from Ellsworth Adhesives, end users need not worry about human error on their production line – the experts at Ellsworth will mix, degas, weigh and package the two component system, before flash freezing the package and contents at -80C.

Upon receiving the pre mixed frozen product, the customer’s only responsibility is to store the goods in a freezer with temperature no lower than -40C. The PMF product will arrive in an insulated carton and full instructions for handling, thawing and storage are provided.

During the mixing process of PMF packages, it is possible to modify the resin and catalyst systems with the addition of a third or fourth ingredient. Options include precision glass spacer beads, adhesion promoters, pigments, fluorescent indicators and fillers, all of which have the potential to enhance the physical properties of the final material.

Another major perk of using Pre-mixed Frozen resins is increased productivity on the production line. With a regular supply of PMF, production need not be halted or held up while fresh material is dispensed, mixed and distributed. The need for cleaning time is also virtually eliminated since there are no messy containers or sticky bench tops to be considered.

The benefits of Pre-Mixed & Frozen Resins are unquestionable and Ellsworth Adhesives is one of few companies in the global adhesives market offering this unique product and service. To make an enquiry about our PMF services please contact: infoeurope@ellsworth.com.

Enquire about our Pre-Mixed and Frozen Resins service here. 

Few would argue that ‘Cyanoacrylate’ is difficult to pronounce, however the elaborate name given to this adhesive type is in stark contrast to its nature.

Quite simply, cyanoacrylate adhesives are super glues – the most commonly used adhesive in the industry.

This blog post explores cyanoacrylates in depth – from the product’s origins to its key attributes and most typical applications.

If you’d rather skip straight to shopping for cyanoacrylate adhesives, click here. 

History

Discovered less than a century ago, cyanoacrylate adhesives are a relatively new product on the market and like many great innovations, were actually invented by accident!

In 1942 whilst attempting to make clear plastic gun sights for the guns of allied soldiers in World War 2, a gentleman named Dr Harry Coover created a formulation that worked extremely well as a quick bonding adhesive. However, so dedicated was Harry to the invention task at hand, it was 9 years later before he reinvigorated his interest in the cyanoacrylate formulation.

Fast-forward to the present day and you will find many variations of the original cyanoacrylate formula – with each kind optimised for specific application requirements.

Typical Applications

Cyanoacrylate adhesives are considered as ‘general-purpose’ due to the wide range of applications to which they are suited.

From metal and wood to rubber, plastic and ceramics, cyanoacrylates will adhere to a host of substrates – even human skin. Because of this versatility, cyanoacrylate adhesives are widely used in the general consumer market – often to repair everyday items which have broken.

Cyanoacrylate adhesives, do however have their place in the industrial sector – particularly for applications that are not exposed to chemicals or physical agents.

Cyanoacrylate adhesives are commonly used for bonding small pieces together since a very small amount of glue will achieve high level of polymerisation and the fast bonding time, benefits more intricate applications.

Furthermore, cyanoacrylates are used for medical applications thanks to their quick cure and high adhesion to skin – making them perfect for closing wounds.

Selecting a Cyanoacrylate

When deciding which cyanoacrylate adhesive to use, users must consider the following specifications:

Temperature: What is the maximum temperature that the cyanoacrylate can be exposed to before its properties are altered?

Viscosity: How resistant does the material need to be to the flow? Viscosity controls the amount of cyanoacrylate adhesive dispensed onto a substrate.

Set Time: The amount of time an adhesive can be applied and repositioned or removed before curing is a major selection consideration, since it will result in the hardening of the bond.

Gap fill: The spacing or gap between the substrate that the cyanoacrylate adhesive can accommodate and still maintain a functional, full strength bond.

Chemical Composition

In their liquid form, cyanoacrylate adhesives consist of monomers of cyanoacrylate molecules.

There are two main kinds of cyanoacrylate – Polyethyl-2-cyanoacrylate and Polymethyl-2-cyancoacrylate.

The monomers within these compounds bind together in polymer chains through a process entitled polymerization and it is this union that gives the substance the power to hold two materials together.

Benefits of Cyanoacrylates

Cyanoacrylate adhesives are considered to be an economical adhesive solution since the best quality cyanoacrylate bonds are achieved by using a minimal quantity of adhesive (just enough to fill the joint). In fact, the thinner the adhesive film, the faster the cure and stronger the bond!

With no need for measuring or mixing, cyanoacrylate adhesives are simple and easy to use. Strength is another key attribute of cyanoacrylate adhesives – with just a tiny amount of cyanoacrylate, an outstanding mechanical strength can be achieved.

Additionally, cyanoacrylate adhesives are known for their rapid cure time. This adhesive type sets almost instantaneously and achieves handling strength in seconds.

Limitations of Cyanoacrylates

As with most adhesive products, as well as a great number of benefits, there are some limitations of cyanoacrylates.

The most notable limitation of this adhesive type is its short shelf life. Once opened, cyanoacrylate adhesives must be used within 6-12 months. Other constraints of cyanoacrylates include the potential for stress cracking and poor resistance to friction.

It is important to remember that for every limitation a specific adhesive has, a solution can usually be found in another adhesive product. If you find that the limitations of cyanoacrylates make them unsuitable for your application and you are unsure where to turn now, don’t hesitate to Ask The Glue Doctor.

Key Cyanoacrylate Brands and Products

As an adhesives distributor, Ellsworth Adhesives Europe supplies a broad range of cyanoacrylate adhesives from major brands, including Henkel Loctite, Permabond, 3M and Resinlab.

A few key cyanoacrylate adhesives worth checking out are: Loctite 406, Permabond 102 and Robnor Resinlab 6503

Shop our full range of Cyanoacrylate adhesives here.