UVA LEDs in Industrial Applications

Date Announced: 13 Mar 2015

It is a well-known fact that LEDs are used in smartphones and tablets, as well as different types of displays and sensors, but they are also widely used behind the scenes.  In manufacturing processes, LEDs with a special wavelength range (i.e. UVA LEDs with wavelengths from 365nm to approximately 400nm) play a role.

UV LEDs Used to Cure Touchscreens

UVA LEDs are used to cure adhesives; for example, touch-sensitive screens are assembled by bonding together the display glass, touchscreens, and LCD displays across the entire surface.

When smartphones first came out, the touchscreen and display were stacked on top of each other without a surface adhesive - air was sealed between the layers.  As the screens got larger, framing and pressure distribution became more difficult.

Full-surface adhesion became an integral part of production. This has made it possible to produce flatter and flatter smartphones, as well as to produce and assemble them more quickly and easily.

Curing of Other Adhesives

UVA LEDs are also used to cure DVDs, automotive electronics, and cabin equipment in airplanes. Another prominent example is the curing of laminate flooring.

Also Ideal for Varnishes and Printing Inks

In addition to adhesives, varnishes and printing inks also need to be cured.  These substances start out as a liquid and are solidified via a chemical reaction within a matter of seconds by the high-energy radiation of UVA LEDs.  UVA LEDs are also used in the dental industry to cure composite fillings in teeth.  Activating an initiator at a wavelength of from 300nm to 450nm triggers the polymerisation of the composite and the curing of the filling.

UV LEDs in place of UV Lamps – The Advantages:

LEDs continue to replace UV lamps and flash lamps in these applications. The reasons for this are:

• UVA LEDs have a longer lifetime, typically >10,000 hours
• LEDs feature short switching times because they do not need to warm up
• LEDs require very little space
• the heat radiation of UV LEDs is minimal

For more information visit our website at www.lasercomponents.co.uk

Trade Show               

• Photonex Scotland Roadshow, June 03, 2015, The Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC), University of Strathclyde, Booth S1
• Photonex 2015, October 14 - 15, 2015, Ricoh Arena, Coventry, Booth D15

The Company           

The Company formed in 1986 and is located at six locations in Germany, France, UK, Canada and USA.  Extensive in-house production accounts for approximately half its turnover.  Currently, the family-run business employs more than 120 people worldwide.

Contact

E-mail: info@lasercomponents.co.uk

Web Site: www.lasercomponents.co.uk