Choosing the Appropriate Width for UV LED Curing Systems

Most UV LED curing system consists of LED lamps arranged and connected to form an emitting surface. Therefore, the larger the area, the more UV LEDs are required to maintain the same radiation intensity.

However, UV LED chips are generally more expensive and a larger area means a higher price for UV LED lamps. Therefore, in the case of UV ink curing line width is fixed, reasonable selection of the width of the LED lamp to obtain a more cost-effective light source, not only can better complete the ink curing, but also can save costs. 

So, how do we choose the appropriate width for UV LED curing systems?

UV Ink Curing Principles

Before understanding the selection method, we first need to understand the curing principle of UV ink. UV ink curing involves the photo-polymerization initiator in the ink absorbing photons of a specific wavelength under the irradiation of the UV curing equipment, causing them to be excited and form free radicals or ions.Then, through energy transfer between molecules, the polymer becomes excited and generates charge transfer complexes.

In simple terms, UV ink needs to absorb ultraviolet energy to achieve curing. Therefore, it only requires providing sufficient energy within the irradiation time.

Width Calculation Formula

The width of the UV LED light source can be calculated using the following formula:

Light source width (L) = QV/W

（Q: Energy Required for Ink Curing; V: Conveyor Belt Speed; W: Curing Light Source Power）

For example, if a UV ink requires 4000mJ for curing, and the UV LED curing machine has a power of 10000mW/cm²and a conveyor belt speed of 0.1m/s. Based on the above formula, it can be calculated that a 40 mm wide UV LED curing machine is required.The length of the light source is generally the width of the conveyor belt. The length of the light source is generally the width of the conveyor belt, if the conveyor belt width of 600mm, the ink curing equipment required is probably 600x40mm irradiation area of the light source.

Considering the stability of the operation of the equipment, a certain margin can be left when selecting UV LED curing systems, either by slightly increasing the width or by selecting a higher intensity machine.