By Robert Rae, managing dir.-sales; Ryan Turner, R&D engineer; and Jennifer Heathcote, business development mgr., GEW The Earth’s atmosphere is a delicately balanced mixture of nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2) and argon (Ar) gases with trace amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and neon (Ne). Precise concentrations vary slightly depending on elevation from sea level but generally are … [Read more...] about Role of Inert Chambers and System Maintenance in UV Curing of Silicone-Release Coatings
UV Curing
Wise Men (and Women) Say…
Relax, this is not a column about Elvis. Instead, even though I am generating this column in mid-September, I’m going to channel the holiday season. By the time you read this, decorations have been in stores for a month and Hallmark movies featuring snow and festive gatherings will be on television 24/7. Growing up, I learned about the “three wise men” in church. As I got … [Read more...] about Wise Men (and Women) Say…
LED Boosters to Improve Surface Cure by LED for Litho or Flexo Applications
By Tong Wang, Ph.D., allnex USA Inc.; Steven Cappelle, Ph.D., allnex Belgium; and Paul Gevaert, Ph.D., allnex Belgium Poor surface cure due to oxygen inhibition presents a consistent challenge in LED curing. Amine synergists can provide abstractable hydrogen to mitigate oxygen inhibition and improve surface cure. Three amino acrylates are evaluated as LED boosters to improve … [Read more...] about LED Boosters to Improve Surface Cure by LED for Litho or Flexo Applications
Little Purple Lies in UV
The upcoming midterm elections in the US, along with the continuous doublespeak from both sides of the political aisle, are the inspiration for this quarter’s column. I no longer wonder why most internet polls rank politicians as one of the least trusted professions. The only campaign promise I have believed was on the button at the top of this page. Do we “stretch the … [Read more...] about Little Purple Lies in UV
Let’s Do a Deep Dive…on Underwater Strobes, UV Sources, Measurement and Reliability
This quarter’s column was inspired by an underwater photography blog (“How Good Are the Strobes for Light Intensity and Coverage?”1), generated by Reef Photo & Video in Florida. My first thought when reading was that it could double as a UV curing blog. For 47 years, my definition of a “deep dive” has been a dive deeper than 60 feet (18 meters). Let’s see if I can do a … [Read more...] about Let’s Do a Deep Dive…on Underwater Strobes, UV Sources, Measurement and Reliability