Batam, Indonesia

Introducing Our New UV Coating Painting Line

In an exciting development for our manufacturing operations, we have successfully installed a state-of-the-art UV coating painting line at our factory. This is designed and built to raise product standards, strengthen performance, and deliver a complete one-stop solution, particularly hearing aid accessories such as charger.

What is UV Coating?

UV coating, or ultraviolet coating, is a finishing process used in manufacturing to apply a protective layer to surfaces. It involves the application of a liquid resin or varnish that is cured (hardened) almost instantly when exposed to ultraviolet light. Unlike traditional coatings that rely on heat or air drying, UV coating uses photochemical reactions triggered by UV radiation to polymerize the material, forming a tough, glossy, or matte finish.

In our case, we apply UV coatings to hearing aid chargers and similar accessories, where the coating provides a seamless, high-quality surface that enhances both functionality and aesthetics. The result is a thin, uniform layer—typically 5 to 25 microns thick—those bonds tightly to the substrate without altering its underlying properties.

Why Use UV Coating?

• Superior Durability and Protection: UV coatings offer exceptional resistance to scratches, abrasion, chemicals, and moisture.
• Enhanced Aesthetics and Customization: The process allows for vibrant colours, high-gloss finishes, or textured effects, improving the visual appeal of our products,
• Efficiency and Sustainability: UV curing happens in seconds, significantly speeding up production cycles compared to solvent-based or thermal drying methods. This reduces energy consumption and minimizes volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, aligning with our group's environmental goals.
• Specific Benefits for Hearing Aid Accessories: Chargers for hearing aids must be hypoallergenic, non-toxic, and easy to clean.

Technical Aspects of UV Coating

The UV coating process is a blend of chemistry, engineering, and precision control. Here's a breakdown of the key technical elements:

• Materials and Formulation: UV coatings are typically composed of oligomers (resins), monomers (thinners), photo initiators (which trigger the curing reaction), and additives for specific properties like flexibility or adhesion. For our hearing aid chargers, we use urethane- acrylate based formulations that adhere well to plastics like ABS or polycarbonate, common in electronic housings.
• Application Methods: The coating is applied via spraying with robotics programmed based on the part geometry. In our new line, we employ automated spray systems with gear pumps for precise dispensing of paint composition and automated spray guns for spraying coverage on chargers, ensuring no drips or inconsistencies. The line includes conveyor systems that move parts through application stations at controlled speeds.
• Curing Process: After application, parts are exposed to UV lamps (mercury vapor) emitting wavelengths between 200-400 nm, which we've adopted cure the coating in 1-5 seconds. This rapid polymerization creates cross-linked polymers, resulting in a hard, durable film.
• Integration with Production: Our setup includes inline quality checks with monitoring of coating thickness and curing uniformity. We've calibrated the system for our specific substrates, with parameters like lamp intensity (measured in mJ/cm²) and exposure time optimized through testing.

This technical sophistication allows us to handle high-volume production while maintaining tight tolerances, essential for medical-grade accessories.

Challenges Involved in UV Coating

While UV coating offers significant benefits, implementing it isn't without hurdles. We've encountered and addressed several challenges to ensure smooth operations:

• Material Compatibility and Adhesion issues: Not all substrates bond well with UV coatings; for instance, certain plastics may require plasma pre-treatment to enhance surface energy.
• Process Control and Safety: Precise control of UV exposure is critical—under-curing leads to tacky finishes, while over-curing can cause brittleness or yellowing.
• Environmental and Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring low-VOC emissions and waste management is key.

Through collaborative problem-solving and iterative improvements, we've overcome these challenges and made significant improvements.

Conclusion:

Our new UV coating painting line represents a leap forward in manufacturing excellence.

Susanto
Managing Director