Radiation Curing for the Automotive Market

UV curing is in the early stages of penetrating the automotive manufacturing assembly and decorating. There are several reasons the automotive market is considering and beginning to use UV curing processes. VOC reduction continues to be a major driving factor worldwide in all industries. UV cured coatings provide high performance which fit well into the ever increasing performance requirements. Significantly reduced process time, parts in inventory, floor space requirements and capital investment are all features of the UV curing process that interest automotive parts manufacturers. A review of the different types of UV curing equipment, heat management, importance of spectral distribution and its interaction with photo initiators will reveal important factors in a successful UV process. Finally, a look at existing UV automotive applications currently in use and in development will reveal the powerful advantages of UV curing.