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Dymax BlueWave® LED VisiCure® User Guide
perspective, cloudless summer days in Connecticut regularly exceed 3 mW/cm
2
of UVA light, which
includes the more dangerous UVB light, primarily responsible for sun tans, sun burns, and skin cancer.
Checking the Workstation
A radiometer should be used to measure stray light to confirm the safety of a visible light-curing process.
A workstation that continuously exposes an operator to more than 1 mW/cm
2
of UVA light should be
redesigned.
Protecting Operators
Light-curing technology can be a regulatory compliant, "worker-friendly" manufacturing process when the
proper safety equipment and operator training is utilized. There are two ways to protect operators from
visible light exposure: shield the operator and/or shield the source.
Shield the Operator
Tinted eyewear will shield the operator from high intensity visible energy, and reduce eye fatigue.
Shield the Source of the Light
Any substrate that blocks Visible light can be used as a shield to protect workers from stray light. The
following materials can be used to create simple shielding structures:
Sheet Metal
–
Aluminum, steel, stainless steel, etc. Sheet metal should be coated black or black anodized
to minimize reflection of UV and visible light toward operators.
Rigid Plastic Film
–
Transparent or translucent/light-blocking plastics (typically polycarbonate or acrylic)
are commonly used to create shielding where some level of transparency is also desired.
Flexible Film
–
Translucent light-blocking, flexible urethane films can be used to quickly create
workstation shielding. This light-blocking, flexible urethane film is available from Dymax. Call for
assistance.
High-Temperature Surfaces
Surfaces exposed to high-intensity curing lights will rise in temperature. The intensity, distance, exposure
time, cooling fans, and the type/color of the surface can all affect the actual rise in surface temperature.
In some cases, exposed surfaces can reach temperatures capable of producing a burn or causing damage
to a substrate. In these cases, care must be taken to ensure either a more moderate surface temperature
or appropriate protection/training for operators. No infrared radiation is produced by these LED systems,
so surface temperatures will be lower than with conventional lamp systems. Empirical testing should be
used to verify the exact temperature rise in each application.
Ozone
The Dymax BlueWave LED VisiCure does not generate UVB or UVC, therefore no ozone is generated while
operating this equipment.
Bright, Visible Light
The bright, visible light energy emitted by curing systems can cause eye strain if proper eye protection or
shielding is not used. The proper use of tinted eye protection and/or opaque/tinted shielding can be
utilized to reduce eye strain and address this concern.
