tesa® UV-Strips

New measurement technology for higher precision and greater efficiency in curing processes

UV inks are gaining more and more importance in nearly all printing techniques. Nevertheless reliable and easy determination of the required UV dosage for proper curing is still a concern. In the past commercially available UV dosage detection devices were either too large for inaccessible areas or failed due to their imprecision. In cooperation with UV machine manufacturer Hoenle AG, tesa AG now offers a complete new approach for a simple, reliable and process efficient determination of UV Dosages: the tesa® UV strips.

tesa® UV Strips: flexible handling combined with precise data

tesa® UV strips are self adhering, flexible and paper thin. They are the ideal tool where a radiometer is not possible: web printing, sheet fed printing, liquid cup / 3D printing.

The new tesa technology comprises the tesa® UV-Strips and a special reader. The tesa® UV-Strip, for which patents are pending worldwide, is a photosensitive adhesive strip that turns red under UV light.

This measurement strip is adhered to the surface that is to be coated, thus precisely measuring where the dose of radiation is needed – even in or on three-dimensional objects.

After the object passes through the UV unit, the strip is removed and inserted into the reader. The precise UV dose is immediately readable and can be saved in the device or externally. Due to this precision and the reproducibility of data, the process and quality can be monitored continuously. Sources of error such as defective, soiled, or weakening UV lamps are identified quickly, reducing production waste and thus allowing the efficiency of UV technology to be fully utilized in optimum fashion.