UV coatings: New Protective Film eliminates waiting time after UV curing
POLIFILM’s innovative adhesive formulation enables manufacturers to continue processing coated surfaces immediately after UV curing.
UV coatings are becoming increasingly popular in many industries. The global protective film specialist POLIFILM PROTECTION has developed a protective film that, unlike other conventional protective films, can be laminated onto the surface immediately after UV curing, without the risk of problematic adhesion. The surface is thus optimally protected and is immediately ready for any further processing required.
UV coatings are being used more and more frequently in the construction, furniture and automotive industries as well as in many other areas of application whether on metal, plastic and glass. Manufacturers benefit from the fact that the coating cures in seconds under UV light, which enables immediate further processing making the whole process more efficient. UV coatings also do not necessitate solvents, which means they are more environmentally friendly which is becoming ever more important with increasing strict environmental protection regulations.
Fresh UV coating: hardened but not cured
The problem could be that even when UV cured coatings are supposedly dry within seconds, the chemical process of curing is still not fully complete. It takes 24 to 48 hours for the coating layer to react completely. If a protective film with a conventional adhesive formulation is applied to a UV coating that has not yet cured, the elements in the adhesive interact with the elements in the coating. The result is an uncontrolled increase in adhesive strength, resulting in the film being difficult to remove after application, either leaving residue behind after removal or, in the worst case scenario, not being able to be separated from the coated surface. Therefore, any advantage gained through fast drying times during productivity are cancelled out by time consuming reworking or increased rejections wasting valuable resources and time.
POLFILM PROTECTION develops saturated adhesive
With the new POLIFILM PROTECTION protective film for UV coatings manufacturers do not have this problem. The protective film specialist from Wipperfürth has succeeded in developing an acrylate adhesive that is saturated resulting in problem free adhesion. Regardless of whether the film coated solution is laminated onto the paint surface directly after UV irradiation or later, it adheres to the surface with optimum adhesive strength whilst still being able to be removed easily after application without leaving any residue or the need for reworking. Manufacturers therefore benefit because the coated surface is ready for further processing immediately with optimum protection. In addition, the new protective film offers a low roll-off force as well as six months of UV resistance, which is indispensable especially for outdoor applications such as on construction sites.
“With our new protective film for UV cured finished surfaces, we offer a simple but highly effective and efficient solution for every surface,” explains Fulvio Camerini, Technical Director of the Italian production & development site of POLIFILM PROTECTION. “Whether on furniture, kitchen units, wall panels, household appliances or automotive interiors, we enable our customers to optimise their production whilst at the same time ensuring complete surface protection.”
