V Curing Systems

What is UV curing?
Curing is converting photo resist from a liquid into a solid utilizing light energy.
UV curing is a light curing process that utilizes the energy of ultraviolet (UV)
radiation invisible to the human eye.
UV curing has several superior characteristics. The main characteristics are as
follows.

1. Rapid curing speed

The adhesive can be cured from a few seconds to a few tens of seconds,
depending on the irradiation conditions of the UV light and the characteristics
of the adhesive.

2. Heat application unnecessary

As the process utilizes UV light energy, application of heat is unnecessary.
This is suited for adhesive applications that are sensitive to heat.

3. Minimal emission of hazardous substances

As the amount of hazardous substance emitted during curing is minimal, this
process is considered environment friendly.

4. Easy positioning
As the adhesive does not cure until the UV light is irradiated, this is suited for
precise adhesive applications where positioning is necessary after application of
the adhesive.

How Is It Different from UV LED Curing Method?

UV curing has two types: UV Lamp curing method and UV LED curing method.
Here is a look at the item-by-item comparison.

1. Cost
Compared with UV Lamp curing method, UV LED curing method has an
advantage in power consumption, but its device (controller) and consumable
parts (LED heads) are both expensive.
Especially for the recent curing process that needs to cure plural points at the
same time in order to reduce the tact time, UV Lamp curing method can be
relatively inexpensive by using poly-branch light guide, whereas the UV LED
curing method requires an expensive LED head for each irradiation point,
resulting in a large difference in the cost.

2. Compatibility with Adhesives

It is widely known that not only the action of 365 nm, but also the auxiliary
actions of other wavelengths are important in UV curing. UV Lamp curing
method can irradiate UV light with a wide range of wavelengths centering at
365 nm. In addition, it is also easy to control the wavelength range of light,
using a filter depending on the characteristics of adhesives. UV LED curing
method uses a single wavelength light based on 365 nm, and it is not suited for
 a wide variety of adhesives.

3. UV Intensity
The intensity of UV LED curing method is generally lower than that of UV
Lamp curing method, which results in different tact times.

4. Heat Damage to Irradiated Objects

UV LED curing method gives the impression that it does less heat damage to
irradiated objects than UV Lamp curing method does. Is this true?
Compared to UV LED curing method, UV Lamp curing method uses a higher-
power light of wider wavelength range, therefore, a direct comparison of these
methods yields no accurate data.
Our comparative examination under the same condition has yielded the result
that the temperature rise characteristics of irradiated objects are approximately
equivalent.

5. The Shape of the Irradiation Area

UV LED curing method is combined with front lens, and the irradiation area
generally becomes circular. In UV Lamp curing method, on the other hand,
combination with various light guides and lenses enables applications
corresponding to the actual irradiation areas.

Spectral distribution characteristics

UV Intensity (*1)
LED lamps produce UV light in a totally different way than traditional UV lamp technology. The light is
produced by the movement of electrons within a semiconductor and not from an electrical arc in a
vacuum as with a traditional UV lamp. By producing light in this manner, UV LED lamps do not contain
mercury.

The photoinitiators for UV LED that absorb the correct wavelength of light are typically more expensive
and higher amounts of photoinitiators are required to overcome oxygen inhibition to achieve proper
curing.

As with any UV free radical curing system, oxygen at the surface of the substrate inhibits the cure. In
order to overcome this, the formulation must be optimized to reduce the oxygen inhibition at the surface
of the ink or coating. The most effective ways to offset oxygen inhibition is the following:

1. A combination of high levels of photoinitiators and high intensity light sources providing an excess of
produced photoinitiator free radicals.

2. The use of a gas to remove the oxygen at the surface such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide.

3. The use hydrogen donors to quench the peroxy radicals. (amines, thiols, ethers, silanes, phosphites)10

4. The use of waxes in the ink or coating that provides a surface barrier.

5. Short wavelength UV light.

Some of the drawbacks with traditional UV curing lamps are: The lamps contain a small amount of
mercury. If they are broken, special care is needed to ensure that the mercury is contained and safely
disposed of. Due to the toxic nature of the mercury, there is a push to eliminate its usage worldwide.
Based on RoHS 2 (restrictions of hazardous substance) directives, the use of mercury needs to be
eliminated in all instances where an acceptable alternative is available. Up until July 22, 2016, UV lamps
for curing purposes have an exemption associated with them. If this exemption is not extended, the use
and production of UV lamps containing mercury will not be allowed in Europe for curing purposes.
UV curing lamps emit wavelengths in the UV region below 240 nm and if not filtered out, ozone is
produced. Due to the health effects of ozone, either an exhaust to the outside or an activated carbon filter
is needed to remove it from the production floor. A UV curing lamp must stay above a minimum light
intensity in order to stay lit

The output spectra of the LEDs are monochromatic.

Mercury heavy metal thats why dangerous.

http://www.uvprocess.com/product.asp?code=UV+LED+++A
Silicone hydrogel contact lenses are advanced soft lenses that allow more oxygen to pass through the
lens to the cornea than regular soft ("hydrogel") contacts. In fact, silicone hydrogel lenses enable up to
five times more oxygen to reach the cornea than regular hydrogel lenses.

Silicone Hydrogel (Not Silicon Hydrogel) Contacts

Silicone hydrogel contact lenses sometimes are erroneously called silicon hydrogel lenses. Silicon is a
very common mineral. In fact, ordinary sand is composed primarily of silicon dioxide (silica). And highly
purified silicon is used to manufacture semiconductors, which is why the southern part of the San
Francisco Bay area, home of Apple and many other high-tech and computer companies, is nicknamed
Silicon Valley.

Silicone is the name of a group of flexible, plastic-like materials that contain silicon, carbon, oxygen and
other chemicals. In addition to its use to increase the oxygen permeability of contact lenses, silicone is
used to make breast implants, medical tubing and other medical devices.

Silicone hydrogel lenses are soft lenses, but silicone also is used in the production of many rigid gas
permeable contacts to improve oxygen permeability of the lenses.
Benefits Of Silicone Hydrogel Lenses

All contact lenses reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the front surface of the eye to some degree.
When the cornea's oxygen supply is significantly reduced — a condition called hypoxia — a number of
problems such as red eyes, corneal swelling, blurred vision and eye discomfort can occur. Hypoxia also
can increase contact lens wearers' risk for a number of eye infections.

Hypoxia-related eye problems became a significant issue in the 1990s when extended wear contact
lenses first gained popularity. As the number of people who wore contacts overnight and continuously for
several days increased, so did the number of contact lens-related eye infections.

Silicone hydrogel lenses were introduced in hopes of decreasing hypoxia-related problems and
increasing the safety of both daily wear and extended wear of soft contact lenses.

Increasing the oxygen supply to the eye is potentially beneficial for all contact lens wearers, especially
considering that many wearers are not complying with their eye doctors' instructions regarding proper
lens wear and replacement.

According to Alcon, nearly one in five soft contact lens wearers wear their lenses during sleep, and
among patients who sleep in their lenses, nearly two out of three are wearing lenses that are not
approved for overnight we