Level 1: Foundations of UV/EB Curing Technology

Faculty: Dr. Mike Idacavage, Radical Curing, LLC, Gina Martinelli, Cork Industries
Sunday, May 18, 2025, 11:00 PM – 2:30 PM

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This course is designed for professionals in the polymer, coatings, or related industries who are new to UV/EB curing technology or looking to build a strong foundational understanding. Participants should ideally have a background in general and organic chemistry, equivalent to an undergraduate-level course. Whether you’re an entry-level professional or transitioning into UV/EB curing, this course will provide essential knowledge in chemistry, equipment, safety, and introductory applications.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This half day course is designed to acquaint UV/EB chemists and other This half-day course is designed to acquaint UV/EB chemists and other technical professionals with the fundamentals of working with UV/EB technology at an undergraduate level. Specifically, it will cover the chemistry of free-radical and cationic polymerization processes. The session will include a detailed discussion of the chemistry of the photo initiation process and will highlight a variety of polymer characterization techniques for UV/EB polymers. The equipment used to initiate the UV and EB curing, along with the safety aspects of working with these processes, will be covered. In addition, formulation strategies for UV and EB curing will be discussed, along with brief discussions on a wide range of applications.

FEES

$295 – member
$395 – non-member
Free – student

 Level 2: Advanced UV/EB Curing Technology and Applications

Faculty: Dr. Molly Hladik, Henkel Corporation
Sunday, May 18, 2025, 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This course is intended for experienced professionals with a background in polymers, chemistry, or related fields who are interested in exploring advanced aspects of UV/EB curing technology. It is also ideal for UV/EB practitioners seeking to deepen their expertise in formulation science, advanced applications, and emerging trends in UV/EB. Whether you’re expanding your knowledge or seeking cutting-edge insights, this course will provide a comprehensive understanding of the latest in UV/EB technology.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will begin with a brief review of photochemical and polymerization processes in UV/EB chemistry. From this common language, we will explore the implications of pigments, radiation sources, and environmental conditions on the cure reaction and performance of the final product. By focusing on the reactions and structure-property relationships, we will discuss ways to understand and control the properties of the final product. In addition to photo-initiated radical polymer chemistry, cationic, thiol-ene, and hybrid chemistries will be illustrated through examples. The course will cover implications for developing applications in low migration materials, as well as requirements for inkjet, 3D printing, and LED curing.

FEES

$390 – member
$590– non-member
$250 – student

Intro to 3D Printing

Sunday, May 18, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Faculty: Amelia Davenport, Arkema

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This course is for attendees interested in understanding the basics of UV-curable 3D printing and learning how to use the process in their business.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This short course is designed to introduce participants to resin 3D printing. It will cover terminology and general information to empower participants to ask relevant questions of machine and material suppliers. The course will also cover general UV fundamentals used in 3D printing. It will review different resin 3D printing technologies, their characteristics, and how each might be best suited to various applications. An overview of example workflows will be shown to familiarize participants with additional considerations.

FEES

$100 – member
$150 – non-member
$50 – student

Low Migration Strategies for Food Packaging

Sunday, May 18, 2025, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Faculty: Jin Lu, allnex

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This graduate-level short course is designed for professionals with a background in UV/EB curing technology and a solid understanding of its fundamentals. It is particularly valuable for individuals working on packaging applications such as primers, inks, and overprint varnishes (OPVs). Participants seeking to deepen their expertise in addressing challenges in food packaging, including regulatory changes and low migration solutions, will benefit most from this course.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course explores the challenges in food packaging, including recent regulatory changes affecting photoinitiators and the increasing demand for low migration solutions. Participants will learn about the definition of low migration and the testing methods used to ensure compliance and safety. The course also covers strategies for achieving low migration, focusing on innovations in photoinitiator and resin development, and provides an overview of industry offerings that incorporate these approaches.

FEES

$150 – member
$200 – non-member
$50 – student

Design of Experiments for UV/EB Scientists and Engineers

Pt 1 – Monday, May 19, 2025, 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Pt 2 – Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Faculty: Dr. Allan Guymon, Brigham Young University

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This course will provide the foundation and motivation for using Design of Experiments to improve and optimize UV/EB curing processes and formulations. Students attending the course do not need previous experience in Design of Experiments or statistics. The course is appropriate for individuals with backgrounds ranging from technicians to Ph.D. scientists and engineers.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

the maximum amount of information to be obtained by performing the minimum number of experiments. For those in production, product design, or quality control, knowledge of DOE can dramatically enhance effectiveness in solving problems and optimizing systems. Most experiments not based on DOE concepts are two-dimensional, i.e. one variable is changed while a response is measured. DOE, on the other hand, varies all of the important variables simultaneously and systematically, thereby examining the response(s) in many dimensions.

Even with the great potential of DOE, few are familiar with its concepts. The goal of this course is to provide the basic tools needed for DOE implementation in the UV/EB industry. While DOE is based on statistical principles, primary emphasis will be placed on practical aspects in using and applying DOE techniques and on the motivation behind using DOE. Specific topics that will be addressed include:

• Background and History of DOE
• Steps in a DOE
• DOE Terminology
• Screening Designs
• Model Building Designs
• Mixture (Formulation) Designs

FEES

$475 – member
$600 – non-member
$325 – student