At work we have a new paint that dries by uva light. Im still trying to understand it but the UV breaks down something in the paint and reacts to make it dry I think. At the moment we have a handheld 100w led uva torch but it’s to share between about 20 people. As I work on bonus I’d rather have my own method of drying it with out looking for the magic torch.
So does anyone know if a UV torch would work? Or would it work on certain wave lengths? Maybe a standard led torch and switch the LEDs for UV type ones.

Who makes the paint?

Do you have the name?

I can answer your question almost certainly but I need some more info.

My work was on an iodonium initiator sensitized by a thioxanthone to work at the blue vis end of UV about 485nm. I believe radical initiated ones are slightly different.

You’d be lucky if any UV light would work but the way UV LEDs function you get a specific wavelength emitted. It is actually quite hard to tune them. You need to dope the semi conductor to adjust your band gap.

Anyway, paint and I’ll try to help….

http://www.sikkensvr.com/en/products/Primers_Fillers/Autosurfacer%20UV

It’s this one jonba. Hope this helps. Thank you

Ha, I work for AkzoNobel (Sikkens brand owners) in a different division. All views are my own and in no way represent professional advice or AkzoNobel!

I was playing in a different chemistry but the same principles apply. To be honest, I don’t think a normal hand held torch is going to cut it. The TDS says a 400W UV LED or a UV HID lamp. Pros and cons to each but either is a fairly hefty industrial unit, not a torch. What is a bike light, about 5W? There are also different wavelengths to consider but as I alluded to above there are only certain options and last I was aware everyone was trying to move towards the visible end because it is safer – most torches will just be the cheapest.

They do mention

R100 LED UVA

but it looks expensive.

UV HIDs are cheaper I think but the bulbs don’t last all that long and if my memory is correct they are a little more hazardous in that they cover a broader spectrum of radiation. Still not as bad as the sun if I remember but work place rules are different to normal life rules.

Biggest UV light that are available are those used in clubs, bars etc. but they are decorative rather than industrial. Wouldn’t know the output or the wavelength and I certainly wouldn’t fancy using one where I was also using solvent which I guess you are?

If you mess up the drying/cure it will have knock on effects. IT may look alright for a while but it could deteriorate or fail in other ways sooner than it would normally do.

I’d suggest dropping customer service a line. They will have looked at a few options and will probably be able to point you in the direction of a few suppliers at different price points. Buy the wrong thing and you’ll be throwing money away or creating problems for yourself later.

http://www.sikkensvr.com/en/contact

I used to work with UV cured inks.
The wavelength is important, as is the power. We used fairly beefy LED lamps, that often needed water cooling because the LED’s got that hot. Not cheap, £100’s to £1000’s.
You can also use Hg vapour lamps, but the bulbs only last about 1000 hrs, and degrade over time.
Hg lamps put out a wider range of wavelengths, so will cure a wider range of ink/paint. LED’s are more focused around a narrow wavelength, which needs to match the chemistry in the paint.

The Tesla cure is the one we are using now. It’s a brilliant system, too good if anything! I couldn’t justify going out and spending 1k on a new lamp but just wondered if there were other possibilities.
When I Google UV curing lamps all I seem to get is lamps for nail polish!

We used these:
LED UV lamps

You could try a home tanning lamp – honestly! They output at 365nm so bang on for UVA and are reasonably broad spectrum. I used to use them for some exposing some iron based photographic papers I used to play about with.

https://www.philips.co.uk/c-p/HB175_01/facial-tanner/overview