Introduction to UV & EB Curing

Chances are several times today you touched an object “cured” using either ultraviolet (UV) or electron beam (EB) processing by simply reaching for your morning cereal box, handling a CD or DVD, reading a magazine, using your credit card, typing on your keyboard, driving your car, or just walking on your floor.

UV and EB curing refers to a special way in which coatings, inks, adhesives, composites and other materials may be cured (dried), rather than using traditional methods which typically use more energy and create harmful emissions. In effect, the ultraviolet light spectrum in a UV lamp and the focused electrons in EB interact with specially formulated chemistries to cure materials–typically more quickly, using less energy and thereby at lower cost than by other methods.

The advantages of UV & EB are well-documented–particularly when used with manufactured products that require fast processing and/or on substrates that are sensitive to heat. In addition, UV & EB is considered environmentally responsible since most of the solvents in traditional processes may be eliminated, thanks to the special capabilities of UV & EB curing.