Wednesday Afternoon, 14 October 2009

13.00 - 16.15h  SESSION 2
Chairman: t.b.a.

CURING EQUIPMENT

Today UV/EB curing is a well-known and established technology since decades in many different applications. The productivity, power consumption and efficiency of UV/EB production lines is steadily improved and new applications emerge due to highly sophisticated and process optimised equipment in interaction with the nowadays widespread and extensive possibilities of the coating chemistry.
Since the RadTech Europe Exhibition 2005 an additional UV technology is coming up with UV-LED which will enable new possibilities with their properties. Advancements and current drawbacks for a wider usage of this promising new technology will be shown.

2.1 13.00 - 13.25h
Emission behaviour of UV light sources: The influence on the polymerisation process and the properties of cured films
Dawn Skinner, Fusion UV Systems Inc., USA

As UV curing technology moves into ever more demanding, high added value end applications such as optical films and high density recording media, and applications requiring exacting combinations of flexibility, scratch resistance and weatherability; the properties of the UV light used to effect the curing process and it's influence on final film properties, is of increasing interest.
This paper will investigate the effect of the emission behaviour of UV light sources on the micro domain structures of cured materials. A comparison will be made between a UV light source powered by a constant current power supply and others emitting pulsed UV light according to the frequency of the alternating current powering the light source. The paper will discuss the influence of different irradiation conditions (pulsed and substantially constant) on the polymerisation reactions. Further investigation includes examination of polymer formation and molecular weight distribution and the effect on film properties including Tg values, weathering resistance and other physical properties.

2.2 13.25 - 13.50h
New generation electron beam equipment, "Lowering customers operating costs"
Urs V. Laeuppi, Energy Sciences, Inc., CH

The success of low voltage electron beam processors, since its introduction used mostly for curing inks coatings and laminating adhesives for packaging applications, has been overwhelming. However, the packaging market is high volume and extremely cost driven. This market has challenged the EB manufacturers for higher product speeds, better equipment performance and overall total lower operating cost. How the new generation EB equipment has met with these challenges will be presented.

2.3 13.50 - 14.15h
New developments in low energy EB equipment
Dr. Stephen C. Lapin

Low voltage EB equipment has been available to cure inks, coatings and adhesives for many years. New developments have been recently introduced which extend the benefits of these designs. Digitally controlled high voltage power supplies are now available for high throughput production applications. This technology enables lower operating costs through increased electrical efficiency. Direct communication connections provide for improved control integration and remote troubleshooting. Another development is the application of an integrated chill roll to provide both web support and radiation shielding. This simplified design is well suited for processing of thin, flexible films at high line speeds.

2.4 15.00 - 15.25h
Curing capabilities of high-powered UV LED sources
Rob Karsten, Phoseon Technology, GB

This paper examines UV LED Curing of materials including inks, coatings and adhesives and the effects various process parameters on the curing process. Cure data obtained through real time FTIR and ATR-IR is examined. The results are helpful in guiding both formulators, raw material suppliers and end users to better understand the impact of the UV source on the speed and degree of cure for various systems.

2.5 15.25 - 15.50h
UV-LEDs - Contesting established UV mercury lamps?
Dr. Oliver Starzmann, IST METZ GmbH, DE

The well known and established UV technology has advantages like instantaneously curing, immediate processing, energy efficiency and nowadays nearly no limitations of substrates. In the past decades the UV curing technology is based on mercury medium pressure lamps uncontested as environmental friendly and energy saving technology. The mercury lamps are used for industrial UV curing processes due to their performance and high UV-output in the wavelength range of 200-420 nm and the short visible light range. Since the last Radtech Europe conference in Vienna 2007 a new UV technology keep attraction of the UV industry, the UV-LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology. LED systems for curing are currently available in the UVA/VIS light range with peaks at 365 nm, 395 nm and 405 nm. At the world leading printing exhibition Drupa 2008 some different LED applications have been shown and on the market a LED hype arose at the end-user side due to a strong marketing. The presentation will give an update of the new LED semi-conductive technology. Current performance, advantages, limitations and obstacles which must be overcome from this new technology for a broad market success will be discussed in depth.

2.6 15.50 - 16.15h
Optimized LED systems for adhesive curing
Florian Garnich, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, DE

Critical cooling path of LED-array. Conversion efficiency of electrical power to light in dependance of wavelength. Conversion efficiency of typical photoinitiators with sensitizers. Overcoming oxygene inhibition for tack free curing. Transparancy of typical substrates incl. UV-stabilized plastic materials. The mutal dependance will be discussed and an optimized system will be presented.

18.00h   After Work Party