UV LED curing floors use ultraviolet light emitting diodes (LEDs) to instantly cure UV curable inks, coatings and adhesives as items move along a conveyor belt. These industrial curing systems provide efficient and high-volume curing solutions for printing companies, coating manufacturers, and product finishers.
UV LEDs have significant advantages over traditional UV lamps for curing floors. LEDs can generate UV light in a more targeted wavelength range that is optimized for curing specific formulations. They also allow for more precise control of UV energy dosages through automated systems. This results in deeper cures with excellent surface finishes, minimal defects, and minimal waste.
Some key components of a UV LED curing floor include: UV LED arrays, an air cooling system, a conveyor belt system, UV cure dosage controllers, and safety interlocks. UV LED arrays contain high-powered UV LEDs, often covered with lenses or reflectors to focus the light onto the passing products.
An air cooling system is essential to prevent overheating and ensure maximum LED life and power. Fans blow cool air over and around the LEDs to keep critical components under safe operating temperatures. Some systems use chillers to cool the air for higher performance.
Conveyor belts move the products through the curing system at pre-determined speeds that match the LED outputs to achieve the targeted UV dose required for full cures. Variable speed control allows optimizing the line speed for different products. Precise positioning of LED arrays relative to the conveyor ensures accurate exposure across large surfaces.
UV cure dosage controllers are used to monitor and adjust the UV LED power outputs as products pass under the arrays. This maintains consistent curing results over time and compensates for factors such as UV LED aging or product variations. Safety interlocks automatically disable the UV LEDs when doors or hatches open to prevent exposure.
With precise control of UV energy delivery, UV LED curing floors achieve exceptional curing quality in a fully hands-free environment. They are essential for automated high-volume production and enabling industry 4.0 smart manufacturing capabilities. UV LED curing floors open up new possibilities for production efficiency, product consistency, and improved material properties.
In summary, UV LED curing floors utilize UV LED technology to offer sophisticated solutions for high-volume automatic curing of UV curable inks and coatings with unparalleled quality and control.