Coatings World - April 2016

David Savastano, Ink World Editor

Energy curing technologies (UV, UV LED and EB) have long been growth areas for paint and coatings, graphic arts and industrial applications. There are numerous benefits driving its growth, from environmental advantages, instant curing and improved performance characteristics, to name a few.

From May 15-18, RadTech International North America, The Association for Ultraviolet and Electron Beam Technologies, is hosting its biennial show, Rad Tech UV+EB 2016 Technology Expo and Conference. Rad Tech 2016 will be held at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago, IL.

With five short courses, 22 Technical Conference tracks, five Special Sessions and more than 80 exhibitors, RadTech 2016 is billed as the world’s largest event dedicated to UV and EB technologies. With speakers from P&G, Ford Motor Company, Toyota, PepsiCo and Nestlé, among others, Rad Tech 2016 will have plenty of information for attendees looking to use UV, UV LED and EB for their applications.

Short Courses

RadTech 2016 begins on May 15 with four short courses: All You Ever Wanted to Know (and more) About UV-C LEDs and Applications; UV/EB Professional Short Course ( Undergraduate-Level); Advanced Photopolymerization Topics (Graduate level); and Click Chemistry in Radiation Curing, led by Christopher N.

Bowman, University of Colorado Boulder.

There is an additional Short Course, Design of Experiments for UV/EB Scientists and Engineers, which will be held May 16 and May 17. In addition, there will be an Introduction to the Basics of UV/EB Curing held on the mornings of May 16 and May 17.

May 16 Sessions

The Technical Conference splits into two tracks on May 16.

Track A is focused more on graphic arts, featuring sessions on

3D Printing (speakers from Dymax Oligomers & Coatings,
HRL Labs, Sartomer and Siltech); Specialty Applications
(Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Lipscomb
University, China General Nuclear and University of Houston-
Downtown); Printing & Packaging (BASF, Nazdar, EIT and
Phoseon Technology); and Digital Printing (BASF, Fujifilm
Dimatix, Jiangnan University and SPF Inc.)

Track B will cover four topics relating to paint and coatings and adhesives: Formulation (presenters from Colorado Photopolymer Solutions (CPS), Myriant and University of Iowa); Hardcoats (Allnex and Momentive Performance Materials); Coatings (Lipscomb University); and Adhesives (Arkema Inc., Sartomer Business Unit, KIWO, EIT, Novagard Solutions and Sidney Hutter Glass & Light Inc.) The five Special Sessions feature a mix of end users and leading suppliers.

Advanced Technology for UV Wood Applications will offer talks by Mike Higgins of Phoseon, Jim Arvin of DuBois Equipment Company and Roy Pagan, Cefla North America – Finishing Division.

3D is a major topic for UV, and the panel discussion covering the Latest Advancements in 3D Printing Using UV Technologies will feature Victor Latour of Stoopid Buddy Stoodios; Sumeet Jain of Arkema Inc., Sartomer Business Unit; Lance Pickens of MadeSolid; Mike Idacavage of Colorado Photopolymer Solutions; Brian Adzima of Autodesk; and Alex Mejiritski of Spectra Group Limited.

Material Innovation: A Discussion with Consumer Product Companies, which will look at how companies analyze and choose new technologies, including UV and EB, should be a particular highlight. Dr. Sharon Tracy of Steelcase Inc., Alrick Warner of P&G, Christopher Seubert of Ford Motor Company, Todd Fayne of Pepsi Co. and 3M’s Robin Wright will provide their insights into this topic.

UV/EB Curing for Automotive Applications should be another strong session, with Ford Motor Company’s Seubert, and Cynthia Templeman, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, scheduled to offer their thoughts on potential uses for energy curing in the automotive market.