What are industrial UV curing applications such as coating, web converting and finishing?
Industrial UV curing applications are wide ranging. Web converters, as well as industrial manufacturers who produce three-dimensional parts and assemblies of all shapes, sizes and materials, often apply functional UV curable coatings at various stages of the production process. Industrial coatings are designed to alter or improve the mechanical, physical and protective surface features of manufactured items or enhance visual appearance.
Examples include safeguarding against corrosion and weathering, sealing against moisture and foreign matter ingress, priming for better receptivity to the application of other coatings or formulations, creating barriers, increasing strength and hardness, establishing an ability to stick, changing the coefficient of friction (COF) to improve grip or enable slip, changing surface colours, and adjusting the degree of reflection and gloss.
Manufacturing processes that coat, convert, and finish a wide range of industrial and consumer products rely on a mix of UV application technologies including various roll and flow coaters, offset, flexo, and gravure transfer methods, as well as dispensing, spraying, vacuum coating, vapour deposition, and atomising systems, all of which can be seamlessly integrated into coating lines with GEW’s mercury arc systems, UV LED curing technology and even hybrid ArcLED systems that provide the ability to quickly swap between the two.
UV curing benefits to coaters, converters and finishers
instantly cures coatings in-line with other production processes
negligible heat transfer to thermally sensitive parts
eliminates energy consuming drying tunnels, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and greenhouse gases
enables fast machine speeds and reduced machine footprint
immediate slitting, re-winding, stacking, assembling and packing of coated parts
superior lightfastness, weatherability, and chemical, scratch and stain resistance
GEW product advantages
UV output suitable to fast machine speeds and cycle rates
Web converting refers to the process of transforming or converting rolls of material such as paper products, films, foils, nonwovens, and other substrates into modified versions that are typically slit into smaller widths, rolled into shorter lengths, and even sheeted.
Topcoats, hardcoats, primers, silicone coatings, and pressure-sensitive, hotmelt, and laminating adhesives are frequently applied to raw web stock having widths that range from 300 mm (12 inches) to over 2,500 mm (100 inches).
Industrial coating refers to the process of applying formulations that deliver functional performance properties to 3D parts and assemblies.
Common examples are coatings applied to flooring and furniture, beverage, food, aerosol, and industrial cans, fibre optic cables, pipe and tube, parts for household and industrial appliances, automotive components used in engines, brake systems, headlamp and taillight assemblies, and internal and external side panels, aerospace parts, medical devices, and other durable and personal goods.
Industrial UV coatings are typically applied in liquid-like form but can also be transferred as electrostatic powders. For shapely parts, UV applied coatings are more commonly sprayed, atomised, vacuumed coated, and flowed onto parts.
Finishing refers to coatings applied to three-dimensional metal, plastic, wood and other products in a secondary process that occurs after the items have been formed into the final configuration.
The formed parts can be flat with a defined and constant thickness, have a slight shape, contour or profile, or exist as an assembly.
Finishing includes all coatings applied to achieve an aesthetically pleasing look. This includes stains, varnishes, lacquers, paints and all exterior topcoat formulations.
Other industrial coating, converting and finishing applications
GEW will be pleased to assist your evaluation and decision-making process to ensure that the optimal mercury arc, LED or hybrid solution is matched to your coating, converting, and finishing application as well as specific process and integration needs.
Please contact our experienced team. We are available to offer guidance on product selection and can deliver the level of experienced system integration and ancillary components you require.
If you are unsure about which UV curing system best suits your requirements, we are here to help. Please contact one of our sales representatives directly.
Region, UK: David Lyus International Sales Manager
