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UV Curing as a technology for coating, decorating, and bonding carries all of the
correct messages for today's world of industrial processing. As an environmentally "green"
technology, it has the potential of replacing solvent-based systems. As an economical
technology, it has the potential of replacing heat-based systems. UV represents lower
hazards, potentially lower cost, higher speeds, improved productivity, and the ability to be
used in a very broad range of applications. These are the expressions written on the flags
and banners we carry and wave every day. But we are not the only ones in the parade.
In fact, there are four leading radiation technologies which are experiencing growth
in industry today. They are Ultraviolet (UV), Electron Beam (EB), infrared (IR), and
microwave (MW) systems. They are all growing in use. They are replacing solvent-based
and heat-dependent systems in many industries. All of them carry messages of efficiency,
low- or non-emission of VOC's, and each one brings its own advantages to new processes
and to "conversion" projects. Yet another new heating technology is Radio-Frequency (RF)
heating. Because RF is generally used for closed-field heating and principally in bonding and
laminating applications, it is not included in the four radiation technologies.
Although UV seldom competes directly with these other radiation technologies, they
together share the competition to replace older methods. In this sense, they compete with
each other, and UV Curing has to "share the stage" with these other technologies. Electron
Beam systems capitalize on the simplicity and efficiency of direct energy conversion -- high
energy electrons which directly interact with chemical bonds. Infrare4 systems produce
surface heating, to evaporate water-based solvents from inks and coatings, or to flow
powder coatings. Microwave ovens are large versions of the well-known home ovens, which
directly operate to remove moisture from composites, woven and non-woven products, and
from coatings.
