UV Product FAQ's

Red Spot Product Info

Q: What are the advantages of UV curable coatings?

ANSWER: Some of the most discernible advantages of UV curable coatings vs. traditional thermal coatings are:

• Fast Cure
  
• Increased Productivity
  
• Reduced Work In Process (WIP)
  
• Reduced Floor Space
  
• Lower Energy Consumption
  
• Potential for High Solids and Low VOC’s
  
• Multiple Coating Stations
  
• Retrofit Existing Equipment
  
• Reduced Scrap

Q: What are proper safety & handling procedures for UV curable materials?

ANSWER: Good industrial hygiene practices should be followed for all coating operations, with the following items stressed:

1. Safety glasses and/or splash goggles, as well as protective clothing should be worn when using U.V. materials to help prevent skin contact.
   
2. If production spraying, an organic vapor respirator should be worn. This is in addition to good ventilation in the booth.
   
3. If clothing becomes contaminated, remove immediately and wash skin with soap and water. Wash clothing with a strong alkaline soap. (i.e. Tide)
   
4. If UV material gets on skin, immediately wash thoroughly with soap and water. Do not use solvent as a wash agent.
   
5. Never look directly at U.V. lamps when on. Only look through approved viewpoints.
   
6. When mixing, use only plastic or stainless steel tools and containers.
   
7. Keep all containers away from U.V. radiation (i.e. sunlight and fluorescent lights).
   
8. Use absorbing media for spills and discard in a designated container along with the contaminated rags, paper towels, etc.

Click here here for questions or for additional UV safety & handling recommendations.

Q: What is the difference between UV curable coatings and UV resistant coatings?

ANSWER: UV curable coatings are a distinct technology in which the coating cures (polymerizes) in the presence of UV light energy. UV resistant coatings are coatings that offer protection from UV degradation – that is, they are resistant to UV light such as sunlight. UV curable coatings can be UV resistant coatings. However, UV resistant coatings are not necessarily UV curable.

Q: Can UV material be reclaimed?

ANSWER: Because most UV materials are one component systems that do not cure until they are exposed to light, they can be reclaimed, rebalanced & reused. However, to maintain optimum performance with reclaimed material, proper reclaim procedures must be followed. Please click here to request specific information. In some cases is it not possible to reclaim coatings due to the incorporation of flats, pigments or thermally cured materials.

Q: Does Red Spot have a UV hardcoat for polycarbonate?

ANSWER: Red Spot is global leader in UV hardcoat technology for polycarbonate. We currently are the largest supplier of UV hardcoat technology on polycarbonate for automotive forwarding lighting. We couple our technology expertise with a strong understanding of application & processing in order to maintain our market leadership. Our standard products for polycarbonate are UVT200V Series coatings and the next generation UVT610V Series.

Q: What is the best radiometer for measuring UV energy?

ANSWER: The best radiometer for measuring UV energy is application dependent. Not all radiometers read the same and there is a wide variance in cost. Radiometers can vary in type of filters & optics used and bandwidths they read. Red Spot can provide UV energy and intensity equivalents based on most common commercial radiometers. Please click here to request additional information.

Q: What does a UV line cost? Who can build a line?

ANSWER: The cost of a UV line will vary depending on quality requirements, part size, target throughput, and coating selection. There are multiple system integrators who can build lines for UV coatings. Additionally, our Application Engineering Team can assist in line design, and will work with both customer and system integrator to achieve an optimal set-up.

Q: What special engineering controls are required to run your UV material?

ANSWER: Proper light shielding, air flow controls, temperature control, UV energy control and film build controls should be employed to successfully process our UV material. These specifications are subject to vary depending on target application. Please click here to request additional information.

Q: What substrates can you coat with UV technology?

ANSWER: Red Spot has UV coatings for a wide array of substrates including plastic, metal, glass and wood. Among the plastic substrate we commonly work with are: polycarbonate, nylon, PBT, BMC, ABS, PET, PPO, polypropylene and styrene.

Q: What do the various terms like Energy and Intensity really mean?

ANSWER: There are many terms and definitions used in UV curing and processing technology. Radtech.org publishes a glossary of common UV terms.

Q: What is a "heated flash" and why is it needed?

ANSWER: Not all UV curable coatings require a heated flash. The heated flash comes before the final UV cure. The purpose of a heated flash is twofold:

• To allow the coating to level creating a smooth surface
  
• To remove any carrier solvent present. The carrier solvent can interfere with cure if not completely removed from the coating film.

Coatings that are 100% solids (no carrier solvents) do not necessarily require a heated flash. The heated flash could be used to aid in leveling of the coating, not in removal of solvents.