Radiometric Methods for UV Process Design and Process Monitoring

By R.W. Stowe

A wide variety of radiometric instruments are now available for measuring the radiant characteristics of industrial and laboratory UV lamps. Relating these characteristics to the performance of a UV-cured product depends on how well the selected parameters match the critical factors of the cure process. Further, the distinction between process design and process monitoring is significant, especially in the UV exposure characteristics to be measured.

The differences in instruments and the reasons for these differences are followed by suggestions of how to avoid some common errors and how to report data more completely. Optical terminology, specifications, methods, and how radiometric measures are used in system design and in production monitoring are presented.