Tuesday, 15 January 2013

Advantages Of UV Oven Used In Production

By Shanna McNeil


For a long time manufacturing plants had a difficult time trying to streamline the painting or coating of products and their packages. In many instances, companies had to outsource the preparation of the packaging or have the work done by elsewhere in the factory. The problem usually came in the drying or curing of the paints and adhesives used. The speed of production was held up considerably. The introduction of UV oven however helped to solve this problem.

The UV oven works through a photochemical reaction between the particles in special UV based paints and the light from a UV lamp. The reaction is nearly instantaneous and causes the paint to immediately harden. Depending on the amount and type of paint used, the lamps required may be of different wattages.

Many industries have started to use the ovens and their paints more aggressively. Manufacturers of electronics, canned foods and data cables have moved in numbers to secure this process as part of their production line. As a result, previously used solvent, water and oil based paints have fallen in demand.

It has also been noted that because the exposure to the light is often brief, heat sensitive materials are not compromised as they would with thermal drying efforts used with other paints. Delicate items like thin aluminium cans used for soda and other beverages would fold under heat. The use of these ovens has made it possible for a wider range of raw materials to be used in production without fear of damage.

When oil and solvent based paints were used, factories were expelling larger quantities of pollutants. Particularly with solvents that would evaporate into the air as products were heat dried. This would affect eh vegetation and the air. Sickness amongst employees that handled this work was not unusual. Using UV lamps to cure the paint eliminated the pollution of the air. The paint immediately hardens without losing volume.

Because the process is so fast, the inspection of the finished product could be done immediately. With UV cured paints the finishing often resulted being smooth and without voids. The paint was also acknowledged to adhere well to the surface painted. Thanks to the speedy process, any changes to the oven calibrations could be effected without delay and too much damaged product.

Because of the increasing popularity of UV ovens, they have been designed in a variety of sizes to cater to various production needs. Major manufacturers, such as those in the automotive industry, have had the ovens tailored fitted to specific productions lines. Other ovens can be adjusted in size to accommodate varying amounts of products to be cured.

The benefits of UV oven are numerous and far reaching. First they actually help make the work on the production floor move faster. Secondly, the increased pace of production means more goods to be sold. This in turn leads to more revenue and a higher profit. The savings made in energy costs and reduction in pollution also mean a better return on investment.




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