UV curing is one of the most common types of light curing due to its high energy and therefore instantaneous curing effect at a low cost and risk. Typical cure speeds of 1 to 30 seconds are typical for surface cures, with higher intensity light leading to faster cures. UV curing resins can also tolerate overexposure from 100% to 500% without any degradation. Two simple ways of increasing the light intensity include reducing the gap between the light and the substrate, and adding another UV lamp onto the production line.
The rapid curing speed of UV light leads to shorter cycle times, improved lead times for customers, and reduced labour costs for the manufacturer. UV curing is also relatively easy to manage, only requiring simple UV-curing dispensing equipment, and no racks or ovens – in contrast to heat curing. Since most UV curing material are also single component, there is no need for mixing, therefore bypassing the potential issues that come with it. Finally, UV curing technology is environmentally friendly due to the lack of harmful chemicals involved in its process; this produces less chemical waste and reduces the regulatory and disposal costs for the manufacturer. High intensity UV light, however, is regarded as ionizing radiation which can cause harm to the skin and bodily functions; therefore, sufficient care must be taken when handling UV equipment.
