(openPR) - During the manufacture of optical storage media, plastic discs are stuck together by means of an adhesive. These adhesives are cured by UV light. The selection of the correct UV lamp, matched to the specific process, has a great influence on the process stability. This improves disc quality and reduces maintenance costs.
For nearly twenty years, Heraeus Noblelight has been the original equipment supplier for leading German manufacturers of CDs and DVDs.
Optical storage media, such as CDs and DVDs, are widely spread and much used in industry and in the private sector. They are, in fact, used virtually every day. However, the fact that UV lamps are used in the manufacture is known only to insiders.
The blanks for CDs and DVDs are polycarbonate discs, which are stuck together by an adhesive. This adhesive also serves additionally as a spacer between the data planes. The adhesive is cured by UV radiation.
In operation, the UV light impacts upon photo-initiators, which activate the polymerization process only at a certain wavelength. It is also important that the lamp spectrum is precisely matched to the photo-initiator. The more precisely that the light spectrum coincides with the absorption spectrum, the more efficient is the curing process. Often, mercury lamps are good enough to allow effective UV curing. Sometimes, it is also possible that the light spectrum is best matched to the photo-initiators by the addition of metal halogenides. The power density of the lamp also has significant influence on the process quality and the production speed. Typical power densities lie in the range 80-400 W/cm.
Tests in our in-house Applications Centre or measurement laboratory help to match the radiation source precisely to the process prior to installation. It is worthwhile also to invest in high quality lamps, whose power out put remains roughly stable over the total lamp operating life. This avoids extended irradiation times or quality problems. Moreover, the use of high quality lamps minimizes maintenance and servicing and reduces down times. Heraeus offers UV lamps for the manufacture of optical media for all current types of process equipment. These deliver radiation which can be precisely matched to the process and the equipment.
Thomas Arnold, sales manager for UV curing lamps for Heraeus Noblelight in Germany, says proudly, “For almost twenty years, we have been original equipment suppliers to leading German manufacturers of equipment and plant used in the manufacture of optical storage media!”
With this experience, Heraeus can now offer ex-works a complete replacement lamp range for CD and DVD copying lines from manufacturers such as Singulus and Steag.
There are also other processes in the manufacture of storage discs where light plays a role. For example, clear lacquers, overprinting and the printed accompanying booklet need to be dried. All of these processes can be carried out with UV or IR radiation and Heraeus Noblelight offers the specialist light sources which can be precisely matched to the product and process.
Heraeus Noblelight GmbH with its headquarters in Hanau and with subsidiaries in the USA, Great Britain, France, China, Australia and Puerto Rico, is one of the technology- and market-leaders in the production of specialist light sources. In 2006, Heraeus Noblelight had an annual turnover of 88 Million € and employed 651 people worldwide. The organisation develops, manufactures and markets infrared and ultraviolet emitters for applications in industrial manufacture, environmental protection, medicine and cosmetics, research, development and analytical laboratories.
Heraeus, the precious metals and technology group headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a global, private company in the business segments of precious metals, sensors, dental and medical products, quartz glass and specialty lighting sources. With revenues of more than EUR 10 billion and more than 11,000 employees in over 100 companies, Heraeus has stood out for more than 155 years as one of the world’s leading companies involved in precious metals and materials technology.
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