Photonics based solutions from ultraviolet to infrared

News of the Month - Case Stories

Did you know what infrared heat has to do with your tickets?

Did you know what infrared heat has to do with your tickets?

A concert, cinema, theatre play or a visit to the stadium? We receive tickets or entry passes for all these activities. Sometimes colourful, sometimes black and white, often personalised. But what does infrared heat have to do with printing tickets?

In the printing process, the ink must be dried as quickly as possible in order to keep up with the printing speed. It can happen that print and UV inks with up to 10 different colours are applied. Infrared heat dries quickly and efficiently, speeding up the printing process and optimising quality. This is particularly valuable when finished tickets or documents are later personalised.

Excelitas Noblelight used short wave and carbon infrared emitters for drying water-based inks and curing UV inks for flexographic printing at Zebra Technologies. The US company offers a broad range of innovative technical solutions for improved efficiency and its specialised printing group designs, manufactures and sells specialty thermal transfer printing devices that print variable information on demand at the point of use.

Read our application example here:

 Case story: Infrared Helps Improve Quality and Productivity of Flexographic printing

Find out more about  Infrared emitters for drying printing inks

Did you know how infrared heat protects you from snow and rain in winter?

Did you know how infrared heat protects you from snow and rain in winter?

The temperature drops, snow or rain sets in and a cold wind blows around your reddened nose. The sky is grey and covered in thick clouds. The right outdoor clothing often comes to the rescue when it comes to braving these uncomfortable weather conditions. But how does such clothing become "weatherproof"?

Infrared heat plays an important role here. It removes around 80% of the moisture from the fabric and thus enables further processing in the stenter, in which the treated fabric is stretched to the desired length and width and finally heat-set.

Excelitas Noblelight used an innovative medium wave infrared system at British Millerain in Rochdale. The company is not only a pioneer in the production of waxed cotton, but has also developed the patented Millerain® rainproof finish.

Read here our application example:

 Case story: Infrared System improves Throughput in Drying of dyed Fabrics

Did you know that UV light helps to keep the air in churches healthy?

Did you know that UV light helps to keep the air in churches healthy?

Many families have a tradition of attending church services together at Christmas. Churches are usually full over the festive period. Unfortunately, there is an increased likelihood of contracting diseases via viruses or bacteria when many people come together in an enclosed space.

Viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms spread via tiny water droplets in the air, known as aerosols. They can survive there for a long time and are transmitted from host to host.

The Protestant church in Groß-Gerau recognised the risk during the coronavirus pandemic and contacted the UV disinfection experts at Noblelight in search of technical solutions. It is known that the use of UVC light is a very effective weapon against viruses, bacteria and fungi so that they can no longer cause any damage. The experts calculated and designed a disinfection system, that exactly matches the requirements. The components must ensure air disinfection with the existing air flow without negatively affecting the performance of the church's heating system. To achieve this, UVC lamps were installed in the air ducts, which quickly and safely inactivate viruses in the passing warm air. UV light cannot escape unintentionally and only purified warm air enters the church interior. Holger Tampe, church warden: "We are the first congregation in the church (EKHN) that can disinfect the air with its heating system. This is the perfect addition to our existing hygiene measures!" In summer, the system ensures germ-free ventilation without heating.

This has also been scientifically proven: The renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics has confirmed the effectiveness of air disinfection using closed UV-C air purification devices under real conditions for the first time. Noblelight UV-C air purification devices can reduce the viral load in enclosed rooms by over 99%. In further tests, e.g. with the Hygiene Institute biotec and the University Hospital of Tübingen, the disinfectant effect of UV-C light has been confirmed.

 Read more about air treatment with UV light

Did you know that specialty light sources are being used in the detection of explosives and narcotics, to protect us all?

Did you know that specialty light sources are being used in the detection of explosives and narcotics, to protect us all?

Demand for hazardous materials monitoring is ever increasing: from the growing awareness of the dangers from chemicals used in common industrial processes, to the increasing threat of terrorism at our airports, borders and critical infrastructure. One set of materials – Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – can be detected with very high sensitivity using Photoionisation Detection (PID). Photoionisation is the term for the absorption of high energy photons by a molecule which results in ionisation of that molecule. The current created by ionisation is proportional to the concentration of the molecule, so this provides a simple method for quantitative analysis of a variety of compounds. Explosives Trace Detectors (ETD) now use Photoionisation Detector lamps, which have traditionally been employed in general gas chromatography, trace gas monitoring and sample ionization for mass spectrometry. The need for monitoring VOCs is driving demand for Noblelight’ PID lamps. Customers benefit from our design expertise, as the Noblelight technical team works with OEMs to design and build custom products to satisfy specific dimensional and performance requirements. Automated manufacture of PID lamps – once considered a dream in the distant future – is now a reality! Noblelight is the first PID lamp manufacturer to offer automated production. Longer lifetime, higher quality and better lamp-to-lamp consistency.

 Click here if you would like to learn more about the Noblelight PID lamps or contact the experts to discuss your requirements for precise analyses.

Did you know how infrared heat makes a car safer?

Did you know how infrared emitters make a car safer?

Fog in the morning, sun glare at noon and drizzling in the evening - especially now in autumn, the accessories in the car have to work perfectly. Brakes, windscreen wipers and fans are important components. Hardly anyone has any idea how infrared emitters help to ensure that these important components work optimally.

Infrared heat welds containers for wiper water and brake fluid so that they remain tight even under pressure. The pipes for heating or cooling are so cleverly connected by infrared systems that no plastic parts are blown out later.

 More about Infrared emitters for the automotive industry

 Case story: Deburring of glove compartments and door handles

Did you know that UV light helps farmed fish feel more comfortable in the water?

Did you know that UV light helps farmed fish feel more comfortable in the water?

Worldwide, more and more fish are being bred on commercial fish farms ("aquacultures") in ponds, breeding tanks and net enclosures. At the same time, issues such as species-appropriate and healthy animal husbandry are becoming increasingly important. Good water quality is particularly important for farmed fish such as trout, salmon, gilthead seabass and tuna.

Fish need clean water to breathe, to move around and reproduce, to eat and to get rid of metabolic waste products. They perceive their environment through the water and orient themselves in it. Poor water quality impedes the exchange of gases during respiration. Turbidity can irritate the gills and make them more susceptible to pathogens.

The two key methods for ensuring water quality in aquaculture are the use of UV light and oxidation with ozone.Ozonation and UV irradiation are often both used in succession because their different modes of action complement each other.
The ozone produced ensures that the water is freed from nitrite, colour and odour.

At a wavelength of 184nm, UV disinfection is one of the most effective and efficient disinfection methods. The UV light inactivates genetic material such as unwanted micro-organisms, viruses and bacteria - this also works under water. This mode of action is a decisive advantage of UV treatment, as no chemicals need to be added to the water here. Thus, no by-products are created that could be harmful to fish or humans. After all, who wants to ingest chemicals through their food?

 Read more about water disinfection with UV light here

Did you know that infrared heat and UV light contribute to the success of your barbecue party?

Did you know that infrared heat and UV light contribute to the success of your barbecue party?

Most people like to spend their spare time during the hot summer months outside. In order to bring the day to a close after spending the day at the swimming pool or as a welcome change after a hard and exhausting day at the office, families and friends like to gather in the evening for a barbecue party in the garden. However, all the grilled meat, be it sausages or steaks, tastes only half as good if the barbecue sauces or the ketchup are missing. A wide range of sauces is therefore an integral part of a successful barbecue party.

Infrared and UV light have a significant part in the process of filling the barbecue sauce safely and without germs into the bottles.

Infrared heat protects glass bottles from breaking

If the temperature difference between liquid and glass is greater than 42°C when filling the bottles, there is a risk of a heat shock which causes the glass to crack. To keep this temperature difference below the critical level, the empty bottles were rinsed with hot water, then preheated and dried in a steam oven before filling. This process was very energy-intensive due to the hot water and the steam, and the steam oven could not be switched off quickly enough during a belt stop. The infrared oven, which is now used to heat the bottles, is more energy-efficient. By means of a PID controller within the infrared oven, it is ensured that the bottles have the correct temperature for filling.  Carbon Infrared emitters (CIR®) emit radiation in the medium wavelength and are suitable for this process, since glass absorbs particularly well in this area. In addition, they react so quickly that they can be controlled easily and an overheating of the bottles in the event of a belt stop is avoided.
 Case story: Infrared Oven helps more efficient in-line pasteurization at Premier Foods

Ketchup maker goes for clean production air using efficient UV light

The recipes for barbecue sauces or ketchup usually include sugar, tomato paste, vinegar and salt, as well as condiments. This makes the product tasty. However, not only humans but also moulds, yeasts and viruses find the mixture lovely. They present a problem in the production process. They are naturally present in the air, settle down on the intermediate product before it is packaged and make it perish.

So manufacturers of spicy sauces rely on clean air during production to prevent contamination of the sauces. The solution is intensive UV light with a wavelength of 254 nm, which sterilizes the passing air in an air duct.

Special UVC lamps from Heraeus ensure that a long-lasting product is produced without additional preservatives.

Find out more about  infrared heating processes in the glass industry and  UV air disinfection on our special pages.

Did you know what a balloon ride has to do with infrared heat?

Did you know what a balloon ride has to do with infrared heat?

Technical textiles are used for parachutes, paragliders or hot air balloons. They must, of course, enable safe gliding, flying or ballooning - and they are welcome to be colourfully dyed or printed.

However, the drying of paint or coating on technical textiles is not trivial. Our example shows how infrared heat helps to avoid colour smudges through particularly efficient drying.

 Case story: Infrared drying for technical textiles

Did you know that UV light helps produce safe refreshments for summer?

Did you know that UV light helps produce safe refreshments for summer?

In order not to become dehydrated, we need to drink more than usual to beat the heat in the summer months. The German Nutrition Society recommends drinking at least 1.5 liters a day at normal temperatures, and on hot days, considerably more. Grab yourself a cold drink to stay refreshed!

Whether it's water, soft drinks, or iced tea – it’s great that we don't have to worry about quality and hygienic standards when it comes to bottled beverages. This is due to many beverage bottling plants using UV light for efficient disinfection. UV flash lamps are particularly suitable for conveyor belt production lines, where products are processed quickly. UV flash lamp are perfect for delivering the required energy of disinfecting radiation in a short time. The new  Heraeus Bluelight Flash system has been specially developed for the disinfection of packaging for beverages and liquid foods, including the sterilization of beverage bottle caps.

The new Heraeus Bluelight Flash system enables reliable, fast and environmentally friendly disinfection of beverage packaging - all without the use of harmful chemicals or mercury-containing light sources

Did you know that you can benefit from special light sources on holiday?

Did you know that you can benefit form special light sources on holiday?

Are you flying on holiday soon? On the way to your holiday destination and once there, you will benefit from special light sources.

IR radiation and flash lamps help to produce aircraft parts in higher quality, UV light keeps your drinking water pure and analysis lamps help with security checks and air pollution control. Special lamps are even used for snacks on the plane or in the production of your holiday shirt.

Find out more about the various applications on the occasion of the International Day of Light on May 16th!

Read here some of our application examples:

Did you know that infrared emitters help embellish garden shovels?

Did you know that infrared emitters help embellish garden shovels?

Planting roses or digging over the vegetable patch – tools are necessary for any kind of work around the garden or house. Colored shovel blades are not just nice to look at, the applied coating additionally helps protect the blade against rust and corrosion.
The powder coating on the metal blades of the shovel, as well as the coating of machine parts, rims or engine housings, can be cured with infrared heat.
Gardening tools are exposed to plenty of nature’s features – they have to withstand dirt and now and then the occasional downpour. However, rain is not the only hazard: sunlight makes the colors on your gardening tools fade.
This is why it is of upmost importance for your gardening tools, e.g. a shovel, to be produced and coated at high quality. It is necessary that the coating remains on the product for two reasons: A well-coated garden shovel is aesthetically more pleasing than one with its coating chipping off. Furthermore, the coating helps protect the shovel.
A high quality and efficient coating of metals can be achieved with infrared emitters from Heraeus Noblelight.

Infrared technology for industrial heating processes
Infrared heat transfers energy and generates heat where it is needed. PLC controlled infrared ovens are precisely designed to match the thermal process application. This saves energy, improves process stability and increases capacity and quality. The emitted radiation is in the range 3.5 to 5.5 microns and thus exactly matches the absorption spectrum of powder coatings and water.

Infrared systems - efficient and reliable
IR heat is ideal for several processes, for example for the coating of heat-sensitive substrates such as MDF, powder coating metallic. The coating of the shovel blade is cured with a gas catalytic infrared system, thus making sure that the shovel does not oxidize and that the colors do not fade or chip off.
Medium-wave emitters dry faster on the surface, while short-wave emitters penetrate deeper. The infrared emitters from Heraeus Noblelight are precisely matched to the product and process. Precise control is possible by switching them on and off quickly. This saves you time, space, and energy.

Do you need more material about infrared systems and their applications?
 Infrared heat for metal processing

Did you know how we contribute to beer quality on St. Patrick's Day?

Obwohl Geschmack ein subjektives und heiß diskutiertes Thema ist, lässt sich die Bierqualität mit einer spektroskopische Qualitätskontrolle leicht messen

St. Patrick's Day is a British holiday traditionally celebrated on March 17th. On this day many parts of the world, and particularly the Irish, celebrate the presiding Bishop Patrick, the missionary who brought Christianity to Ireland. For this reason, St. Patrick's Day parades are held in many parts of the world.

Eating and drinking is an important part of the holiday. This includes the custom of "drowning the shamrock", in which a shamrock is placed in a mug and this is then filled with beer, for example. After the drink has been toasted, the shamrock is either eaten or thrown over the shoulder for good luck.

Although taste is a subjective and hotly debated topic, beer quality is easily and inexpensively measured with spectroscopic quality control. In order to perform such an analysis, you need a sensor, a spectrometer and a light source, in this case a  Heraeus FiberLight® D2 UV light source.

Integrating a spectrometer into a brewery's quality control process can save time and money in many ways, and provides real-time data. A problem in the brewing process, such as a defect, can spoil an entire batch that can include hundreds of liters of beer (what a waste!). To prevent this, many breweries send samples to outside laboratories for analysis. However, this takes time and if a problem is identified too late, it can mean a loss of beer and profit for the brewery.

Our FiberLight® D2 light source is a complete plug-and-play design that easily integrates into spectroscopic systems. This means the OEM spends less time and money on complicated optical designs and gets the product to market faster. Its small size allows flexibility in design. Thanks to the integrated control board and power supply, no additional electronics are required. Overall, FiberLight® D2 lowers development and production costs for OEMs, while fast and durable operation lowers operating costs for end users. And... we help make beer taste good!

Did you know that laser lamps make diamonds even more beautiful?

Did you know that diamonds become more beautiful with laser lamps?

Diamonds have always been highly prized, especially those with a very large and brilliant surface. However, the larger the rough diamond, the greater the risk of breaking it during cutting.

Since the early 1990s, lasers have been used in India to saw, cut or shape diamonds. Cutting the faces of a diamond is a real art and, increasingly, a science. The raw stones are analyzed and cut in a computer-aided process. A laser lamp pumps energy into the laser, generating a coherent beam. For diamond cutting, mainly CW lamps are used, as they have proven to be perfect for high-quality cutting.

Heraeus Noblelight has supplied lamps to diamond enhancement shops from the very beginning and is today a leader in terms of quality and service. The laser lamps from Heraeus Noblelight in Cambridge are reliable and of high quality. This helps to minimize weight loss and the risk of breakage during laser cutting.

Did you know how infrared heat helps to make the nut chocolate?

Wussten Sie wie Infrarot-Wärme hilft, Nuss-Schokolade herzustellen?

A nut praline or a fine cake with brittle can help against the winter blues. High quality nuts, almonds, nut flour or brittle are used to make them. These are preheated, heated or roasted for further processing.

Infrared heat has been used for many years for chocolate production or the processing of nuts and almonds. Compared to conventional heating sources, infrared systems offer several advantages.

Wussten Sie wie Infrarot-Wärme hilft, Nuss-Schokolade herzustellen?

Infrared heat has a contactless and targeted effect. Powerful infrared emitters react in a matter of seconds and reliably transfer the heat for as long as necessary.

Infrared systems help to use energy sensibly and efficiently.

What would a Christmas gift be without lovingly wrapped in Christmas decor? Or a table setting for a family dinner without napkins?

What would a Christmas gift be without lovingly wrapped in Christmas decor? Or a table setting for a family dinner without napkins?

Wrapping paper thrives on eye catching, colorful, seasonal prints. Paper napkins are popular because they are highly absorbent on the one hand and attractively printed on the other.

 Carbon infrared emitters dry particularly well on surfaces

Read our case story showing how Hybrid Carbon emitters dry napkin printing particularly efficiently.

The Hybrid Carbon Infrared Emitter from Heraeus Noblelight combines a medium-wave carbon emitter with a short-wave infrared emitter in a twin tube made of quartz glass - ideal for drying the water-soluble ink on the multilayer absorbent napkins.

 Case story: Hybrid Carbon Infrared Heaters Optimize the Drying of Paper Tissues

Did you know how UV light makes autumn even cozier?

Did you know how UV light makes autumn even cozier?

Chai tea, a hot coffee, mulled punch or cocoa. Snuggling up at home with a blanket on the couch in front of a fireplace. What could be better than enjoying a hot drink in cold, wet weather?

To ensure that we don't have to worry about the quality of our drinks, special disinfection processes are used in water treatment plants. During the purification process, the drinking water is irradiated with UV lamps. The blue light is so intense that it kills all microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses or parasites in the water - without any chemicals or other additives.

Neither taste, smell nor PH-value of the water are affected. The unique feature of this process: Pathogens cannot develop resistance to UV light. The result is drinking water of the highest quality.

Would you like to learn more about water sterilization? Click here for the most important information on:
 Disinfection of drinking water
 Process water treatment
 Ballast water treatment

Did you know what infrared systems do for your car seats?

Did you know what infrared systems do for your car seats?

The car ride with the family on vacation, the daily commute to work, weekend shopping - we all spend a lot of time in the car. No matter how long the drive, the driver and passengers want to sit as comfortably as possible.

What makes car seats comfortable?

The hard parts of a seat are laminated and bonded to the leather or fabric trim. Infrared heat is used to ensure that everything runs efficiently here and fits together without wrinkles at the end.

An infrared system from Heraeus Noblelight significantly reduces both cycle times and energy costs in the production of seat backs for automobiles in the UK. The new system in a customized plant has also proved to be more cost-effective than the ceramic heating system previously used.

Read for yourself how a customized IR system reduces cycle times and cuts energy consumption by a remarkable 73% when laminating seat elements!

 Case story: Infrared heat reduces energy costs and cycle times when laminating seat elements

Did you know what UV light has to do with the shelf life of food?

food and beverage desinfection

Every year, 1.6 billion tons of food are lost, go bad or are wasted. This corresponds to one third of all food produced. How can UV light help here?

Disinfection with specifically applied UV light is one method of making food and beverage packaging as germ-free as possible. This can significantly improve the shelf life of food and beverages. The use of UV light in the filling and packaging process also ensures greater process stability and safety.

The advantages compared to other disinfection methods, such as chemical wet disinfection, are clear:

  • It is a clean, dry, cost-effective method
  • It simplifies the process as only one process step is required
  • Additional storage is not necessary
  • It reduces the footprint within the production line
  • Comes instantly into use

Would you like to learn more about how germs are reliably killed with UV light and  how UV light "works" ?

Then you can't miss our webinar.  You can register here!

Want to learn more about our products? BlueLight® UV systems can be used for safe and environmentally friendly disinfection of food and beverage packaging.

Watch our  "Natural Germ Killer" video or browse our  BlueLight® product page for more information.

Did you know what your beach vacation has to do with infrared heaters?

Did you know what your beach vacation has to do with infrared heaters?

Summer, sunshine, doing nothing in a beach chair - who doesn't enjoy that? Beach chairs, sun sails and sunshades are useful and colorful accessories. Hardly anyone thinks about how the colorful fabrics are made.

Tarpaulins for beach chairs become colorful and outdoor fabrics become waterproof by coatings dried with infrared emitters. UV and flash technology is used in weathering tests for many materials that are exposed to daily sunlight.

 Infrared heat for textiles

 Curing and Drying with UV and IR

 Flash systems for weathering tests

Did you know what infrared heat has to do with jam?

Did you know what infrared heat has to do with jam?

The summer sun gives us warm summer evenings on the terrace and lets strawberries, raspberries and other fruits ripen. Jams and jellies preserve the summer in the jar.

A custom-built carbon infrared oven from Heraeus Noblelight was instrumental in helping a jam manufacturer in England switch from a hot water to a cold air rinsing system.

The jam jars are filled with hot jam in a continuous process, but first the jars must be rinsed. The heat is necessary to prevent thermal shock and possible breakage of the jar, as the jars are stored at temperatures as low as -5°C and the jam is at temperatures as high as 97°C during filling. Therefore, jar manufacturers recommend a maximum temperature difference of 84°C. Hot water rinsing preheated the jars, but the previous hot water rinsing system proved to be increasingly inefficient, resulting in high water consumption and enormous costs.

Therefore, it was decided to replace the aging water rinsing system with a modern air rinsing system. This made a separate system necessary to heat the glasses. Steam heating would have caused further water consumption, so they investigated the potential of infrared heat for this process. The tests at Heraeus Noblelight's application center were so successful that a carbon infrared oven was finally installed.

 Case story: Preheating jam jars with infrared heat

Learn more about the possibilities of  infrared heat in the food industry .

Click here to learn more about  carbon infrared emitters .

There are billions of planets in our galaxy, but there is only one Earth.

WorldEnvironmentDay

World Environment Day is celebrated worldwide on June 5. It aims to raise awareness that it is primarily humans themselves who threaten the diversity and stability of the environment. Time is running out and we only have one earth.

What are specialty light sources doing for it?

With intelligent product solutions and UV technologies, Heraeus makes the treatment of air and water environmentally friendly and sustainable.

  • We offer superior UV lamps and systems for every disinfection need. Treatment with high-energy UV light is a proven method. For example, the city of New York provides its residents with clean drinking water treated with Heraeus UV lamps.
  • Unpleasant odors, pollutants, grease and microorganisms can contaminate the air. Here, too, UV lamps are used for sustainable and efficient exhaust air purification.
  • Special spectroscopic methods are used to precisely identify and determine pesticides and other organic compounds in river and drinking water. Deuterium lamps support these highly sensitive analyses and help to make even traces of unwanted contaminants visible.

Want to learn more about precise analytical measurements for monitoring solids, liquids or gases? Or do you want to learn more about environmentally friendly exhaust air treatment and disinfection methods. We have summarized the most important information for you:  For clean water and clean air - because we only have one Earth:  #OnlyOneEarth (Info page for World Environment Day 2022).

Day of light

May 16th is International Day of Light, an important day for us!
This day celebrates all applications of light - the ones we take for granted as well as the completely innovative ones. Light is more than you can see!
This year we focus on all processes that technical  light from UV to infrared successfully solves for food.

Innovative and amazing application highlights for IR, UV and Flash

Did you know what field hockey, soccer or tennis have to do with infrared boosters?

Infrared heat for Goalpost

A combination of a conventional infrared oven with an infrared booster, helps Goalpost Ireland speed up the curing of painted goalposts and accessories. The new oven provides more precise control of powder coating and helps process a wider range of products.

Infrared Heat speeds up curing of powder coating on aluminum goalposts

Goalpost Ireland is a leading designer and manufacturer of sports field equipment for rugby, soccer, field hockey, basketball and tennis. Its products, such as complete goals with support posts, pitchside dugouts and flagpoles, are certified to national and international safety standards and are sold worldwide.

Posts, standpipes and accessories are made of aluminum, but conventionally and in order to comply with sports federation regulations, they are powder coated with white paint. This used to be cured in an infrared oven, through which the parts were continuously passed in a suspended position. However, the process became slower and slower as powder buildup occurred over time due to powder carryover and inefficient curing. The heating power of the furnace was not controllable, and the operator had to rely solely on the dwell time in the furnace. The low height of the oven also limited the possible product groups. Goalpost was convinced in principle of the advantages of an infrared oven over a convection oven and turned to Heraeus Noblelight.

Infrared heat for goalposts

The infrared specialists installed a modern infrared oven with a greater working height, so that assembled products up to a height of two meters can now be processed. In addition, Heraeus Noblelight installed a 120 kW infrared booster in front of the furnace. The booster is divided into four zones and heats the powder so quickly that it is in a gel-like state when it enters the furnace. This minimizes powder carryover and prevents contamination of the furnace.

The new combination of  infrared booster and oven has a simple and precise control system. It is now possible to precisely match the infrared heat to the part and coating passing through. Curing is thus three to four times faster than with the old system.

 Click here to read the full story on infrared heat for powder coating on goalposts

Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible

March 2022: Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible - March 22nd is World Water Day

More than 300 million people worldwide get their water from groundwater supplies. Climate changes and catastrophes, such as dry periods or extreme rainfall, can cause groundwater resources to become unbalanced or contaminated. With the motto of this year's World Water Day, on March 22, "Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible", the United Nations want to draw attention to the importance of groundwater.

But what do specialty light sources have to do with it? With their help, contaminants in groundwater can be detected and drinking water quality restored.

Special analysis methods can be used to check water quality and detect contamination. Mobile analyzers with tiny light sources make this job much easier. Water samples can be taken and evaluated directly on site. Thanks to its low power consumption and compact dimensions, the FiberLight L3 light source module can be integrated into mobile devices via plug & play.

 Details about the mini light source for portable instruments.

Download case story:  This is how seawater is analyzed

Contaminated water can be treated using a variety of methods. With UV light, this is not only particularly fast, but also environmentally friendly and without affecting the taste or odor of the water. Dangerous microorganisms such as viruses or bacteria are rendered harmless in seconds by UV light - thus restoring water quality.

Want to know exactly how this works? The  Heraeus Blog informs you about scientific findings, trends and other exciting application examples.

Did you know how UV light helps your fitness?

Air purifier in the trampoline and fun park Hösbach

Fitness centers, sports centers, trampoline parks - sports are important and the people doing sports benefit from good hygiene concepts combined with UV air purifiers.

The Airbase Trampoline Park in Hösbach, Germany is Lower Franconia's largest and most modern trampoline and fun park. Inside a 13 meter high space a 3500 m2 area offers individualthemed worlds, 60 trampolines and other attractions. The sporting activity is safe and available any time, regardless of the weather, as an individual or as a group or family activity. Of course safety includes an extensive hygiene concept. Despite compliance with the usual hygiene measures, only a very limited number of customers can enter sports parks during the pandemic. Right now, during the Corona pandemic, visitors must be particularly well protected.

Sufficient ventilation is often a problem. Air purification devices can help because they ensure adequate air exchange. Technicians installed Soluva Air D UV-C modules into the existing ductwork. As a result air circulates through the UV-C lights so that it is germ-free before being supplied into the space. “The protection of our visitors is particularly important to us. The UV-C air purification devices reduce the risk of infection enormously and make visiting the trampoline and fun park safer. Physical exercise is particularly important right now," says Markus Elbert, Managing Director of the AIRBASE Trampoline and Fun Park.

 Click here to read the full story on virus disinfection with UV-C light in the trampoline and fun park

Did you know how UV light makes a waiting room safer?

UV light in a waiting room

Cancer screening, regular monitoring of chronic diseases, or repairing dental damage in an emergency - doctor visits are necessary, even during the Corona pandemic. Especially where many people come together, such as in waiting rooms, the risk of contracting corona viruses is high.

Air purifiers with UV light protect in the waiting room

The regular dental exam, a dental cleaning or a dental emergency - a visit to the dentist is necessary, even during the Corona pandemic. However, no one wants to become ill with COVID-19 by catching viruses accidentally introduced into the waiting room. In the dental practice of Dr. Rami Zerini in Hofheim-Wallau, Germany a Soluva Air W air purifier from Heraeus Noblelight is protecting the health of patients and staff. In addition to the usual hygiene measures, the dental team looked for ways to create a safer environment for its patients through enhanced air purification. They found HEPA filter devices were too cumbersome in the practice, plus the team was concerned about germs accumulating in the filters. "Air purification with UV-C light convinced us because this process is chemical-free and requires much less maintenance," says Dr. Zerini, "and Heraeus was our first choice because Heraeus has a good name in dentistry!".

Today, a Soluva Air W disinfects the air in the waiting room, because studies show that the viral load there can be higher there than in the treatment room. Staff and patients are unaware of the disinfection because the UV light remains in the device and destroys the viruses in the air stream – corona viruses as well as its mutations and many other dangerous germs.

 Click here to read the full story on UV air purifiers for waiting room

Did you know what infrared and UV can do for Christmas cookies?

UV and IR for Christmas cookies

Merry Christmas with UV and IR from Heraeus Noblelight!

UV light ensures hygiene in food packaging

Only a few seconds of intense UV light are sufficient to render dangerous germs such as bacteria, yeast or fungi on surfaces harmless.
UV light is used for assembly line disinfection in food processing. In addition, UV disinfection ensures a high standard of hygiene in:

  • Packaging for organic products
  • Packaging materials of pasty, liquid fresh products like yoghurt, quark, milk
  • Sealing and packaging films
  • Cans and bags for milk powder
  • Lids for jars and bottles

 UV for conveyor belts

Infrared heat ensures quality in food processing

Processing chocolate, filling chocolates, pre-browning ready meals - in food processing, exact temperatures are needed without overheating the food.
Infrared heaters transfer heat without contact and only as long as necessary. Without preheating, heat is delivered with efficient energy use exactly when it is needed.
In addition, IR emitters have very short response times and can therefore be easily controlled and monitored. And that is important for the quality of food.

  • A nice Christmas stollen with tea is simply part of the Christmas season. But the substantial pastry should not only taste good, it should also remain mould-free. By using carbon infrared emitters from Heraeus Noblelight before packaging, the formation of mould is greatly reduced. In the case of Christmas stollen, 125° for 6 seconds is enough to achieve a clear effect.

 Infrared heat for food

Did you know what conservatories have to do with infrared heat?

Infrared heat for conservatories

High-quality windows, doors and facade elements for conservatories benefit from intelligent infrared heat. Infrared ovens and infrared boosters enable powder coating of aluminum profiles with particularly efficient energy use.

Infrared Booster prevents powder carryover and accelerates powder coating by 20%

Smart Architectural Aluminium is the largest manufacturer of aluminum profiles for windows, doors, facades and conservatories in the UK. At its manufacturing facility in Yatton, near Bristol, aluminum profiles are first powder coated, then the powder is gelled in gas catalytic infrared ovens and then cured in a convection oven.

Over time, free powder had contaminated the panels of the gas catalytic oven, and this was causing quality problems in manufacturing. The infrared experts at Heraeus Noblelight installed an additional electrical infrared booster in front of the furnace. This quickly brings the applied powder into a gel state by means of heat, thus preventing any powder carryover. For this purpose, the infrared booster could simply be mounted on the existing steel structure in the anteroom of the gas catalytic oven. By installing the infrared booster, Smart Architectural Aluminum was able to increase the speed of its coating line by 20%.

Michael Coles, production manager at Smart, comments, "The IR booster, which was easily retrofitted in the existing space in the antechamber, has provided us with a simple but elegant solution to a potential contamination problem, extending the life of the plates and improving the quality of the product."

 Click here to read the full story on infrared heat for the conservatories

Did you know what Halloween has to do with infrared heat?

IR heat for the germ reduction of pumpkin seeds

Pumpkins are suitable not only for autumn decorations, but also as an excellent basis for tasty dishes. For a longer shelf life, pumpkin seeds must be heated after harvesting. In Steiermark, Austria this is done with the help of infrared heaters.

Infrared heat for pumpkin seeds from Steiermark in Austria

Martin and Georg Jeitler from Hartberg in Steiermark, Austria, developed a machine in which pumpkin seeds from the region are cleaned, thermally treated, and packaged from harvest to sale.
The pumpkin seeds are heated to over 100°C with infrared emitters. After about five minutes, the seeds are ready for packaging.
The infrared system can be switched in five zones, the heat can thus be dosed much better. An important aspect in the gentle heating of pumpkin seeds because the seeds should thus be preserved longer, but not lose valuable oil.

Did you know what UV light has to do with electric guitars?

Concert

Loud music. A good band on stage. At concerts you just always have a really good time. Especially the feeling of a passionately played guitar solo with an electric guitar is loved by many concert goers. But what does an electric guitar have to do with  UV light ?

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, one of the world’s leading electric guitar manufacturers, needed to decrease the cycle time on their guitar body undercoat line in their Corona, CA facility. Countless racks of drying guitar bodies occupied valuable factory floor space and increased Work In Progress (WIP). This problem could be solved with the help of UV curing.

 Read the full story here.

Did you know what UV light has to do with school vacations?

 UV light disinfection in classrooms

All schools were asked to do a lot during the pandemic; teachers, students and parents had to react carefully, prudently and flexibly. In the new school year, children and teachers are eager to meet again at school. Learning together, playing sports or music - the desire for a safe presence after the vacations is only too understandable. In addition to the usual hygiene measures, additional protection is needed here. Ventilation is enormously important in this respect. But is opening windows enough? And what if ventilation is not possible at all? Air cleaners help - if they are chosen correctly. Fan power, air flow rate and the right technology. Preferably with UVGI disinfection, preferably from an expert.

 Click here to read the case story: August-Gaul School gymnasium

 Click here to read the case story: Schoolrooms in the Franciscan High School

 Classroom empty during the vacations? Ideal to install air purifiers

Empty classrooms during the vacations are ideal for installing new air purifiers. In Germany, various government programs subsidize the purchase of air handling units or mobile air purification devices, including UVGI disinfection of the air. Air disinfection by means of UV-C light is the most effective and cost-efficient technology.

 Taking the bus to school? UV air disinfection for buses

If you want to take the bus to school: Our Soluva® Air V now also disinfects the cabin air with UV-C light.

Did you know what infrared heat has to do with your visit to the theater?

Infrarot und UV-Technologie für den nächsten Theaterbesuch

Movies, concerts, theater performances - when they take place again after the Corona Lockdown, these cultural events will have many enthusiastic visitors.

Hardly anyone thinks about the technology required for stage performances or during filming. Equipment for suspensions and lifting devices, for example, must have reliable corrosion protection. One manufacturer for this technology in film, television, theater and concert halls has been able to significantly improve the quality of the coating while also saving costs by using infrared heat technology.

 Click here to read the full success story on infrared drying of coatings on theatrical equipment

 Sandwiches during the break? Bread has a longer shelf life due to infrared germ reduction

Intermissions are what make a theater performance really round. In addition to pretzels, delicious sandwiches are also part of the break equipment. To keep the bread tasty for longer, it is treated with IR emitters for four seconds before packaging. This extends the shelf life by three to four days.

 Taking the bus to the theater? Our Soluva® Air V disinfects your cabin air

If you want to take the bus to a theater performance: Our Soluva® Air V now also disinfects the cabin air with UV-C light.

Did you know what UV light has to do with Children's Day?

UV curing baby diapers

June 1 is Children's Day. This day was created to draw attention to the rights and needs of children. This includes the basic supply of food and hygiene products for the child.

Diapers are an essential item, especially for young children - cloth diapers were still used in the past, but since the 1960s most parents have resorted to disposable diapers.

Over time, diapers have become more and more advanced. However, the most important feature is still leakage protection. So-called "superabsorbents" are usually used for this purpose. These are special polymers that can absorb many times their own weight in polar liquids. For example, one gram of superabsorber can absorb 500 grams of water. The use of this material makes diapers thinner and creates less waste. In addition to strong absorbency, superabsorbents also help to keep childrens’ skin healthy.

UV light helps in diaper production

Superabsorbents are made through the chemical process of polymerization. In UV polymerization, it is crucial to carefully monitor and control the energy and intensity of UV radiation.  Microwave lamp systems are used in this process. These UV lamp systems are very reliable, have constant UV output and low downtime. This is essential for the production of superabsorbents, as the production process runs twenty-four hours a day and has a high production volume.

Would you like to know how polymerisation works? Then take a look at our  special pages for UV curing .

Did you know what UV and IR have to do with your picnic?

picnic

A nice picnic rounds off the outing. For this, the coffee stays hot or the drinks cool, if you have filled them into suitable insulated bottles beforehand.

Infrared System cures Decorative Coatings on Insulated Containers

Decorative motifs on insulated containers, such as coffee pots or vacuum flasks, must be scratch-resistant, tough and ideally also dishwasher-proof. Alfi GmbH in Wertheim in Germany, a leading manufacturer of high-quality insulated flasks, has resolved this problem using an  infrared system from Heraeus Noblelight.

Vacuum flasks from the Isobottle range are made from stainless steel with a painted coating. Decorative patterns are applied to the outside of the flasks using spot colours or screen-printing. Alfi applies the UV paints at six stations on a printing machine. When Alfi redesigned the base of its flasks and opted for a powder coating in order to make them dishwasher-proof, it became clear that the decorative coating would not pass the crosshatch test. In order to resolve this problem, Alfi decided to use heat as part of the post-curing process for the UV paint. Jürgen Hössel, head of assembly and service at Alfi, explains: “We opted for  infrared radiation, because in comparison with hot air it has a far higher power density, responds very quickly and is therefore easy to control.” The process parameters, such as the distance between flasks and the heat source, and the process times hat to remain constant, so that all the flasks were processed under the same conditions. However, at the same time it was necessary to be able to adapt these parameters to suit the changing requirements.

The post-curing process begins when a robot places the printed flasks on a rotary plate between two infrared modules. The plate ensures that the products, which are rotationally symmetrical, are evenly heated. The two infrared lamps, which are positioned opposite one another, have a total rated power output of 6 kW. They are fitted with  short wave, twin tube emitters which are arranged vertically in each module at a slight angle. Together with gold reflector on the emitters, this ensures that the heat is aimed directly at the product. The use of the infrared system after the  UV curing process speeds up the chemical reaction (post-curing). In addition, the initial adhesion of the coloured film to the substrate is improved and the products can be processes or packed immediately. Jürgen Hössel is proud of the screen-printing machine: “The entire printing process is now fully automatic and has functioned perfectly right from the start. We have had a viewing panel installed and enjoy showing groups of visitors our infrared drying process.”

 CaseStory to download

Did you know what Easter has to do with UV-C light?

Church

Large rooms such as movie theaters, theaters or churches are difficult to heat. This is often done with recirculating air heaters, where a burner heats the air and it is then blown into the large room. Viruses and other germs are distributed in this way, however.

The Protestant city church in Groß-Gerau is heated by a burner in the basement. Since the Corona pandemic, the heating must remain switched off for safety reasons when people are in the church. Heating has to be done only in between so that the organ is not damaged. In addition to all the other measures, such as keeping a distance, hand disinfection and masks, a chilled church interior makes church services more difficult.

In search of technical solutions, the church council contacted the experts for  UV disinfection from Heraeus Noblelight. They calculated and designed a disinfection system that exactly matched the need. The components had to ensure air disinfection with the existing air flow without negatively affecting the performance of the heating system. For this purpose,  UV-C lamps were installed in the air shafts . There UV-C light quickly and safely inactivates viruses in the warm air flowing past. UV light cannot escape unintentionally and only purified warm air enters the church interior.

Holger Tampe, church warden: "We are the first congregation in the Protestant Church (EKHN) that can disinfect the air with our heating system. This is the perfect addition to our existing hygiene measures!" In summer, the system provides germ-free ventilation without heating.

Café Schien

Companies prepare for openings and loosenings. What does UV light have to do with it?

For over a year, the world has been struggling with Covid-19. Especially businesses that rely on customers physically coming to them have suffered from the prolonged lockdowns. But relaxations and openings are hopefully on the horizon soon. Thus, the question for many tradespeople is how to continue to protect customers and employees during openings.

Keeping distance and wearing a mask are certainly important measures for this. But there is a useful supplement to the use of classical methods - air purification devices with UV light. Because UV light inactivates viruses of any kind immediately and permanently.  Soluva® disinfection units ensure sufficient air exchange. The air contaminated with germs is sucked in, disinfected inside the device, and released germ-free. This reduces the risk of infection enormously.

 Soluva® devices have already been successfully installed in various locations. Take a look for yourself:

With coffee and cake at Café Schien

Everyone would like to sit in a café and comfortably drink a cappuccino or eat something. And Jens Arndt, master confectioner and operator of Café Schien in Hanau, would like to offer this to his customers again. As soon as this is possible, two UV-C air purifiers from Heraeus Noblelight, which have already been installed, will ensure fresh air in his guest room.

 Click here to read the whole story

Seminars at Swagelog

Seminars, conferences or technical trainings are often face-to-face events that cannot always be replaced equally by digital alternatives. Especially in training courses, the topics of air quality and safety play an important role. The air cleaning devices from Heraeus now enables the company Swagelog Frankfurt to hold in-house seminars again. The company has built the wall-mounted unit on a mobile construction, allowing it to be used on a mobile basis in the training rooms.

 Click here to read the whole story

Dancing in the Berné dance school

Hip-hop, tango or line dancing, dance students ¬and dance enthusiasts are waiting to be able to go to clubs or dance schools again. Despite ¬adherence to typical hygiene measures, dance schools ¬can often only offer one-on-one lessons during pandemic periods. Adequate ventilation is often a problem. That's why Britt Harrington and Ute Berné, owners of the Dance School Berné, use sterilization equipment in the dance hall and bar area. This way, the two can offer their participants and instructors more safety when normal dance school operations hopefully start soon.

 Click here to read the whole story

Studies prove the efficacy of UV light against Sars-CoV-2 and its mutations:

 Tested for the first time under real conditions: UV-C light can reduce viruses in classrooms by up to 99%, study with Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP.

 UV-C air purifiers destroy surrogate viruses up to 5 log levels immediately and very reliably at high air flow rates, study with Hygenie Insitut biotec GmbH.

 Unique test with real corona viruses on surfaces. The result: 99.99% inactivation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Study with University Hospital Tübingen.

Perfume

Did you know what infrared heaters have to do with Valentine's Day?

Infrared heat and UV technology help to make the colour design for your perfume bottle unique!

Read here how infrared heat dries a coating on glass bottles:

Fragrances and perfumes are not filled in simple containers, but in flacons that have been refined using various decorative techniques or coatings. A carbon infrared oven from Heraeus Noblelight helps Stoelzle Flaconnage to dry sprayed organic paint on highly decorative perfume bottles significantly faster. Compared to a normal hot air oven, the new installation also saves significant time and space.

Infrared emitter helps with increased demand:

Stoelze Flaconnage supplies decorative glass bottles for spirits, perfumes and cosmetics. Increased demand led to a bottleneck in the paint drying process. A decommissioned ceramic spraying plant was to be reactivated for this purpose, but the existing space for a hot-air oven for drying was not sufficient. At the same time, the paint drying times were to be reduced in order to keep up with the production speed.

Tests showed that coatings on glass containers could be cured in 90 seconds at a production speed of 4.4m/min using carbon infrared heaters. A hot air oven would have taken 25 minutes. After testing, a 5-zone oven was installed at the Knottingley site over the existing conveyor system. The heaters respond very quickly, allowing the oven to be switched off or on within seconds in the event of a production gap or an unexpected belt stop.

"Apart from meeting our requirements for space saving and fast curing phases, the new oven also allows for greater control during ink curing" explains Shayne Carr, Project Engineer at Stoelzle. The new system is much more energy efficient than the hot air alternative and the controllability of the heaters allows for quick adjustment to changes in bottle size.

 Further information about infrared drying of coatings, paints and varnishes

 More about the heating process in the glass industry

 More about the curing of UV printing on glass

Rain

Did you know how infrared emitters seal your wiper water tanks?

Infrared heat technology welds plastic wiping water containers reliably and unbreakably!

To produce a wiper water tank you need, for example, glass-fibre reinforced polypropylene for the water treatment and what else? - Infrared radiation for welding, of course!

The cylindrical water tanks are made from two halves, which are then welded together using short-wave infrared radiation. The glass fibres ensure that the tanks are as robust as possible, because they should be able to withstand a pressure of about 10 bar in use. But they are also the reason why conventional welding with contact heat is difficult to perform. The glass fibres in the plastic are exposed by melting the surface and damage the hot contact plates.

Infrared emitters transmit the energy without contact and generate the heat in the material first. This means that no material can get stuck to the heat source. An infrared module heats the ends of the prefabricated cylinder halves, then the module is automatically moved out- The parts with the heated, soft ends are pressed together and thus welded.

Tests have shown that this connection also holds under very high pressure, up to 28 bar were applied without destroying the connection.

You want to know more about infrared welding and the use of this product? Read interesting facts on our  Special pages for infrared

More on infrared heat for plastics  Applications

YOTL5years

Astonishing Productive Light Stories with 5-years Anniversary!

For five years now, we have been telling you every month where you encounter our lamps, emitters and systems in your everyday life. Infrared heat, UV technology, flash lamps and systems or lamps for optical analysis - not always visible at first glance, but always reliable and efficient!

What was your favourite story?

YOTL Novmeber 2020 magazine

Did you know what November 26th has to do with specialty light sources?

November 26th, is the World Magazines Day. The origins of this special day can be found in the 14th century. At that time, private, political and business news within a city was already conveyed through merchant's letters. With the invention of letterpress printing in1445, a mass distribution of press products was possible. The actual magazine as we know it, has only been popular since 1704.

Today, magazines look much higher quality. Have you ever paid attention to the glossy finish? Special varnishes are used to finish magazines. UV technology supports the curing process to create an evenly hardened and brilliant surface.

The printing process is also much faster and more automated today. Digital printing processes are widespread and are particularly used for personalization, small print runs and high printing speeds. Infrared emitters or UV LEDs support the drying and curing process which enabled increased efficiency and cost reduction. Depending on the color and ink, infrared radiation and UV technology or a combination of both are used to achieve reliable drying results and thus high-quality print products.

Do you want to learn more about inkjet digital printing processes and the use of special light sources? Discover more interesting facts on our  special pages .

More about our  applications .

Infrared for thermoplastic material

Did you know what infrared heat has to do with laundry transport in hospitals?

Mountains of bedclothes, towels, work clothes, protective clothing or textile medical products accumulate daily in hospitals or nursing homes. A continuous logistics is necessary for supply and disposal, for in-house or external laundry.
Hardly noticed but still indispensable for laundry transport are reliable transport boxes. They should be light but still robust and reliable. The complex manufacturing process benefits from targeted use of infrared heat.

HDPE becomes a transport box
HDPE (high density polyethylene) thermoplastic material is injection molded into sheets. These panels are already provided with all the fixing straps, holes and slots that will later be needed to form the final product, a new lightweight transport box.
Robot Units in the United Kingdom designs and manufactures specialized equipment that assembles complex containers from flat plastic panels. A major challenge in this process are the tabs and holes, which are all different in thickness, geometry and color.
The panels are first attached before  short-wave infrared emitters are switched on in an individually programmed sequence. This ensures that the heat matches the geometry, thickness and color of the plastic part exactly.
Infrared radiation selectively melts the surface of the plastic within a few seconds and the sheets are then folded by a pneumatic joining tool. In this way, the specifically heated joining points are welded together. Tests showed that the joint was even stronger than the starting material. Cold air then floods the system and the box can be removed. The boxes are fitted with wheels and are then ready for use for laundry transport in hospitals.

 More about plastic welding with infrared radiation

IR for brakes

Did you know how infrared emitters help with braking cars?

Whether we drive to work by car, take our bikes to go shopping or go on vacation by motorcycle, we always want to arrive healthy. To achieve this, our vehicle should have well-functioning brakes that bring us safely to a halt in critical situations.
Did you know how infrared emitters contribute to the production of safe brake systems?

Friction materials are important for well functioning brake systems. A leading manufacturer of friction materials for brake discs, brake pads or brake blocks for the automotive industry optimized its production with the help of  carbon infrared emitters .

By replacing the previous short-wave heating system with carbon infrared modules (CIR modules), the company is now experiencing less downtime and considerably easier maintenance. Furthermore, the new CIR system proves to be much more controllable.

The manufacturer of friction materials has three powder coating lines at one of its production sites, which are used to create a black finish coating on brake pads. The curing of the powder coating was previously effected by an infrared system using short-wave halogen emitters. However, these emitters were proving to have a relatively short operating life and their replacement was difficult. The halogen emitters ran in a line along the furnace conveyor system. Therefore, the entire spotlight system had to be lifted mechanically to gain access for the changeover.

To solve these problems, Heraeus Noblelight developed a system with carbon infrared emitters for easier retrofitting. The carbon infrared system consists of four 72 kW zones, each of which is controllable to suit the product being coated. The module zones are arranged transversely to the conveyor motion and each zone can be easily rotated through 90°. If an emitter change is required, this can now be done without the previously required mechanical lifting system.

The new system has proven to be extremely successful in operation. It is now much easier to replace all emitters when necessary. In addition, the CIR emitters have proven to be very durable and reliable: the company has had to replace only two emitters since the installation 15 months ago.

 Further information about infrared emitters

 Infrared systems for the automotive industry

 More about infrared and special emitters in the automotive industry

Fire Truck

Did you know that UV light helps firefighters stay operational?

The corona virus has a tight grip on us all and still impacts our daily life. It also impacts the local fire department. Every time they respond, there is a risk of direct contamination via the equipment or other contact surfaces within vehicles. A corona infection would have serious consequences, endangering the fire department's operational readiness and threatening the safety of the surrounding community.

It is therefore essential to disinfect the equipment and vehicles after each use. However, disinfecting with wet wipes takes a lot of time and effort, and the chemicals also attack surfaces, damage the environment, and over time the microbes can become resistant.

A time and cost-saving alternative is disinfection with  UVC light , which reliably inactivates viruses, kills bacteria and fungi - without using chemicals.

The interiors of fire engines, tables with laptops and emergency radios can be disinfected quickly and reliably after an operation. This ensures the operational readiness of personnel, vehicles and equipment.

chocolates trays benefit from IR heat

Did you know how infrared heat helps with the packaging of chocolates?

Sweets, chocolates and other types of confectionery are packed in boxes with plastic insert trays. These trays are manufactured by thermoforming plastic foil.   Infrared emitters from Heraeus Noblelight are helping to heat bioplastics before forming. These emitters transfer energy without contact and generate the heat predominantly in the material itself. As a result, heating is targeted and fast. The forming process is optimised and reject levels are reduced.

Trays made of bioplastic for chocolates
A relative new development is to produce the inserts in bioplastic. Bioplastics are environmentally-friendly, not least because they are produced from renewable raw materials and are not petroleum-based. In addition, they are degradable and can be composted.

Corn starch is used to manufacture trays, blisters and sorting inserts in chocolate packaging. To do this, the foil must be heated before and then formed. Usually, using conventional plastic foils, this takes place in several stages, each involving a few seconds heating, until the deformation temperature is achieved. However, properties such as strength, flexibility and stability of the corn starch foil can be detrimentally affected by long heat-up times. This is because water can leach from the foil in the heating process and this can lead to embrittlement.

IR for efficient heating of foils
After intensive testing,  short wave emitters demonstrated that they were particularly suitable for the task, as using high power, they could bring the foil to the deformation temperature of around 140ºC in approximately two seconds. This is so fast that there is virtually no water loss. A heating module with overlapping emitter ends and several heating zones ensures a homogenous temperature distribution across the foil. Consequently, the forming process for corn starch foils is optimised and it has also been shown that reject rates at process start-up can be minimised.

 Learn more about IR and UV for plastics processing

Home Office

Did you know what IR and UV have to do with home office?

A lot of people are currently spared the long way to the office. The reason is that they can work from home. Instead of being stuck in traffic jams, the commute to work takes only a few seconds. The job is done at home, no problem in times of the internet.
But did you know what IR and UV have to do with your home office?

UV for Optical Fibers
Many households use fiber optic as their internet connection. The advantage is that the data transfer is faster than with DSL connections or TV cables. UV light is needed to produce glass fibers. The UV-curing coating guarantees that the glass fibers are flexible, while remaining stable and being protected.  Read more about UV-curing of glass fibers here.

UV and IR for Screens
Before surfaces can be wetted, coated or bonded, they must first be pre-treated. Conventional methods for this are mechanical roughening, the use of primers, flame treatment or plasma treatment.

A very uncomplicated alternative, which is also gentle on the material and cost-effective, is the  treatment with UV light . No electrostatic charge is generated, and UV light is suitable for both conductive and non-conductive material. LCD displays are cleaned with UV lamps during production and plastic containers are activated before printing.

Infrared Emitters help to dry the needed coatings on the displays.

Printing with IR and UV
When manufacturing high-quality keyboards, the necessary electrical connections are printed on PET membranes. This screen print is dried and the membrane must not slip under any circumstances, as this would influence the electrical connection.

An innovative, very compact  carbon infrared system was fitted exactly in the available space directly in front of the screen printing station. The pre-treatment of the membranes with infrared heat today ensures the quality of the keyboards.

The keyboards are then printed with  UV-curing inks . These are usually applied by screen printing. The same technique can also be used to print logos on computer mice or screens. Afterwards coatings are sprayed on and then cured with UV. This prevents the products from scratching and the imprints last for a long time. They are resistant to chemicals and get the soft-touch effect.

Would you like more information?  Contact us.

Vaccination Emitters

Did you know what special emitters have to do with vaccination?

Whether vaccine sera or other medication, ampoules and syringes are often used. These should be hygienic and unbreakable, safe to use for medical staff and clearly labeled. Infrared radiation and UV technology help in the manufacture.

UV labeling for medical devices
UV inks are ideal for screen print, offset, pad and inkjet printing onto a variety of substrates for both marking and decorating. Whether you want to print a logo onto a plastic part, measurement markings, or on-demand printing of serial numbers,  UV curing can increase productivity and print durability.

UV curing adhesives in the medical industry
Needle retracted syringes make work safer for medical personnel. A UV-curing adhesive connects the stainless steel needle to the plastic body of the syringe. UV curing adhesives are ideal for such applications with adhesives and pressure sensitive adhesives. UV technology improves quality and speeds up production.  Read here our case story!

Infrared heat protects glass ampoules from breaking
Packaging glass for medications or tablets must be tempered after it is heat-formed, otherwise thermal stresses can lead to glass bottles or ampoules cracking or shattering. The  new MAX infrared oven carries out this stress-relieving process five times faster than conventional electric heating methods, while cutting energy consumption by 90%.

Would you like more information?  Contact us.

Did you know what beer has to do with UV light?

Flash disinfection Beer bottles

Whether at noon or in the evening, everyone likes to spend time outside in the warm temperatures. Barbecuing together is a particularly enjoyable event. Salads are prepared. Steaks sizzle on the grill. And of course, one thing that should not be missing in Germany: a cold beer.

We Germans have been known for beer and especially for the Reinheitsgebot (purity law) for a long time. In honour of the Reinheitsgebot, the day of German beer is celebrated every year on 23 April. This holiday has been celebrated since 1994. The Purity Law allows only four ingredients for beer: hops, malt, yeast and water, and is supposed to guarantee the unique taste of Germany's favourite drink. However, this taste can only be enjoyed properly if no bacteria can develop in the beer. Some bacteria are a serious health risk for humans. Therefore it is important that the bottles are disinfected before filling.

Did you know that ultraviolet light is used for this? UV light in the wavelengths from 200 to 300 nm has a disinfecting effect. It is absorbed by the microorganisms and therefore destroys their structure. Within seconds, viruses and bacteria are rendered harmless without affecting the taste of the beer. The beer bottle is rendered harmless. This process is not only effective, but also environmentally friendly, as no chemicals are used and no by-products harmful to health can be produced.

It is particularly useful to use  flash lamps that emit UV light. Beer bottles usually pass through the filling lines at high speed and therefore must be irradiated with a high UV dose in a short time. Flash lamps are ideally suited for this purpose. Flash lamps from Heraeus are operated at high average power, pulse durations in the millisecond range and repetition rates in the kilohertz range. They offer high efficiency and high stability.

Would you like to learn more about UV disinfection? Read more about the  mechanism of action or about new  trends and products .

Did you know how UV and Infrared can help you right now?

UV technology and Infrared heat for disinfection and more

Right now, cleanliness and a reduction of dangerous germs is extremely important.

UV technology helps to disinfect  air and  surfaces , to destroy germs in  drinking water and to sterilize packaging.
Infrared heat reduces germs on  baking tools and bread , giving it a longer shelf life.
And those who buy canned goods or ready meals now also benefit from powerful infrared and UV technology.

Did you know how infrared emitters refine whiskey?

Infrared Toasting Helps Ensure Whisky’s Unique Taste

High quality spirits get their special taste by storing in barrels. Such wooden barrels are roasted before filling. Previously, roasting was done with an open flame. A method that is not without risks for the barrels and the workers. Infrared heat also handles special heat processes efficiently and controlled.

Infrared Toasting Helps Ensure Whisky’s Unique Taste

A purpose-built infrared heating system from Heraeus Noblelight is being used by Edrington, the premium spirits company, to assist in regenerating casks. This is achieved by replacing the existing ends of refill casks with new toasted ends toasted in the Hereaus Infrared toaster. The impact of the flavours created by toasting (and charring) will diminish each time the cask is filled with new make spirit. This is one of the reasons for regenerating casks. Traditionally, this has been done by using a naked flame to char both the body of the cask and the ends. However, this can produce an inconsistent finish and, in today’s world, has Health and Safety implications. As a result, Edrington turned to infrared specialists, Heraeus Noblelight, to investigate the possibility of a more efficient alternative to the traditional process. Successful extensive trials at Heraeus’s Neston Applications Centre established that infrared would satisfy the end toasting requirement and consequently, an 80.4kW carbon medium wave oven was installed at Edrington’s Muirhall Cooperage site. The heating zone of the oven can accommodate two cask ends and is fitted with an optical pyrometer. The pyrometer measures the temperature of one of the cask ends and its output automatically regulates the power to the twelve 6.7W IR emitters, which, initially, heat both cask ends and then hold them at temperature. A typical cycle time is ten minutes, but this can be adjusted at the control panel. The cask ends are loaded into the oven, two at a time, by means of a sliding drawer. The heating cycle is started automatically, or manually from the control panel, once the drawer has been closed. If a drawer is opened during the cycle, the heating is automatically switched off and a flashing red light indicates that the toasting is incomplete. In operation, it has been found that full oven power is required for only two minutes to bring the cask ends to the required temperature, which is then held for the remaining eight minutes at just 50% power.

Richard Russell, Cooperage Manager at Edrington, is very pleased with the new installation: “Quality is paramount for Edrington and the regeneration of our refill casks is an important element in this. The infrared system now gives us a consistent quality and cask end treatment has now become a controllable operation, which is easy to use.”

Click  here to learn more about infrared heat for the food industry.

Would you like more information?  Contact us.

Skier

Did you know, what analytical lamps have to do with the safety of ski goggles?

Clear air, white snow-covered mountains and rapid descents. Skiing is simply a must for many in winter. It's especially much fun when you can whizz down the slopes in wonderful sunshine or enjoy a cool drink on the sunny terrace of a mountain hut.

But particularly with sunshine and shiny new snow the danger for our eyes is very high. This is because snow reflects light and therefore also reflects a large proportion of ultraviolet (UV) rays. If our eyes are then not properly protected, the UV radiation can damage the cornea of the eye. Very strong radiation causes burn similar to sunburn of the cornea and conjunctiva - similar to those of normal skin - which in severe cases can destroy and detach the outermost layer of the cornea. In these cases, nerve endings are then exposed, which leads to severe pain, extreme sensitivity to light, tears, reddened eyes and foreign body sensation in the eye. Experts speak of snow blindness in such cases.

It is therefore important that we always wear sunglasses or ski goggles with UV protection, which block dangerous UV radiation. However, there are considerable differences in quality, as not all sunglasses block UV radiation equally well.

UV/Vis spectroscopy can be used to measure the transmission of spectacle lenses over the entire spectral range.

To perform this measurement, a spectrometer is used, which requires a broadband light source. FiberLight® Xe from Heraeus offers a broad continuous UV-Vis spectrum with very good flash to flash stability due to carefully selected electrode materials. This makes it, in addition to its long lifetime, the ideal light source for spectrometers.

The transmission spectra resulting from the measurement then provide information about the UV range in which the light is absorbed. With an absorption in the UV range from 200 to 400nm, the glasses then offer complete protection against UV radiation and the skiing day can be enjoyed without any worries.

Click here to learn more about analytical lamps like  Deuterium lamps ,  FiberLight® D2 and  FiberLight® Xe .

You are also welcome to  contact us if you would like more information.

Infrared emitters make textiles flameproof

Did you know how infrared emitters make your curtain flameproof?

When it's cold and dark in winter, everyone likes to light a open fire or candles. Have you ever forgotten to extinguish your candles? Have you ever come to close to a curtain or armchair in front of the Christmas tree with real candles? Home textiles that are flameproof can then help to prevent room fires.

In the production of such textiles, infrared emitters carry out the necessary drying processes.

Essex Flameproofing is a long-established company which works with designers and specifiers, fabric manufacturers, major retailers and upholsterers to impart fire-retarding properties to furniture and fittings. This is achieved by treating the fabric of the upholstery or curtains with flame-retardant chemicals to comply with British and foreign standards and flame retarding regulations. The application of the relevant chemicals/coatings is a wet process and drying is, necessarily, an important production stage.

Upholstery is made fire-resistant by spraying the back of the upholstery cloth with a latex flame-retardant coating, which must then be dried. Previously this was achieved by heating the coated upholstery web with a long wave infrared system. However, to meet increasing demand for the company’s expertise, it was decided to investigate ways of speeding up the drying process.

As a result, a new Heraeus medium wave infrared system was retrofitted. Now coated upholstery fabric can be dried in a single pass whereas three passes were often required with the previous system. This is partly due to the efficiency of medium wave infrared in water removal, as radiation at medium wave frequency is readily absorbed by water molecules and the energy is rapidly converted into heat.

The new system also finds further employment when it is used to provide extra capacity to dry treated curtains. Curtains are made fire-retardant by spraying them with a salt-based solution, which soaks into the fibres. When curtains come Scotch guarded, or when fabrics have low permeability, the uptake of the solution needs to be assisted by passing the wetted curtain through nip rollers. Normally, curtains are dried on their own line, but when there is capacity on the new Heraeus system, they are passed through for drying, again at twice to three times the speed.

Click  here to learn more about infrared heat for the textile industry.

Would you like more information?  Contact us.

Infrared system is drying water-repellent coating on outdoor clothing

Did you know how infrared emitters protect you from rain?

Good outdoor clothing offers double protection from rain. A water repellent coating on the clothing fabric removes surface water while the garment itself is water-proof but “breathable”. The water-repellent coating must be thoroughly dried after application so that the fabric can be further processed.

Quick and efficient drying without burning the materials? This is where infrared heat comes into play.

A carbon infrared system is helping to increase production line speeds by providing pre-drying of a water repellent coating applied to a specialised fabric used in the manufacture of outdoor clothing. Moreover, its ease of control is also ensuring that there is no damage to the fabric caused by over-heating.

The best outdoor clothing provides double protection to rain, as a water repellent coating on the clothing fabric removes surface water while the garment itself, with its combination of textile fabric, membrane and lining is water-proof but “breathable”. The application of the water repellent coating is an important part of the production process but it is also important that the chemical coating applied is thoroughly dried before the next manufacturing stage. Conventionally, this is carried out in a Stenter, a very versatile, gas-fired oven used extensively in the textile industry. However, when a wellknown manufacturer of top quality outerwear had to deal with meeting a significant rise in market demand for its products, as well as handling a more diverse product range, it soon realised that drying speeds had to be increased to match increased production speeds.

The answer lay in fitting a carbon medium wave infrared system immediately in front of the Stenter to achieve the required degree of pre-drying. A determining factor in the selection of infrared for this application was the fact that it would have been impossible to fit a hot air oven easily in the available space and it would have been necessary to carry out a major and costly re-organisation of the line. The hot air oven alternative would also have involved significant line downtime. The 124kW infrared system was first proven by on-site trials before its easy and compact installation in the roof of the Stenter entry enclosure.

Since installation, the new system has allowed an increase in line speed averaging around 6%, depending on how much the chemical coating is taken up by the textile and the construction of the textile itself. In addition, the carbon emitters have also demonstrated another very important benefit over alternative heating techniques, as their very fast response ensures that the fabric does not become overheated.

Click  here to learn more about infrared heat for the textile industry.

Would you like more information?  Contact us.

Infrared heat for classic cars

Did you know what infrared heat has to do with classic cars?

When restoring classic cars, not only bodywork and mechanical components must be renewed. The interior should shine too. Infrared emitters from Heraeus help to create custom-fit carpets using the original carpet shapes for classic cars. The infrared heat ensures that the rigid carpet blanks can be formed.

Custom Car Carpets sources original carpet moulds and provides customized carpets to fit exactly into restored classic cars. The carpet is bought as blanks and is extremely stiff and so needs softening before the moulding process to ensure optimum performance and finish. To investigate how this could best be done, the company asked Heraeus to carry out tests at their Neston Application Centre and, as a result, a fast response, medium wave infrared oven, consisting of three 34kW, modules with pyrometer control have been installed.

In operation, the carpet blanks are cut to size and then located in the oven. They are heated in 1 to 2 seconds to the required temperature, which can vary according to the type and pile density of the carpet, and on reaching the temperature, the modules are automatically switched off by the pyrometer. The softened carpet is then moulded before plastic protective sheet is welded to its base.

“The infrared system helps to ensure that moulding is carried out easily and efficiently,” is the verdict of the company. “The fact that the emitters are fast response also means that the process is very energy-efficient.”

Click  here to learn more about infrared heat for the automotive industry.

Would you like more information?  Contact us.

UV light facilitates environmental monitoring

Did you know that UV light helps to facilitate environmental monitoring?

Also in this summer we liked to be out in the fresh air when the weather was nice. However, since there are more pollutants in our environment, it is important that the upper limits are not exceeded so that there are no long-term effects on our health.

The quality of clean water and clean air is continuously monitored. For this, experts regularly carry out measurements at various points.

The quality of clean water and clean air is continuously monitored. For this, experts regularly carry out measurements at various points.

FiberLight® L3 is a unique and innovative light source module that can be easily integrated into portable spectroscopic instruments thanks to its small size and plug & play technology. It is used for environmental monitoring, but also in laboratory equipment, e.g. for sample cleaning.

For the first time, FiberLight® L3 combines state-of-the-art LED technology with a true broadband spectrum. This opens up completely new application fields and gives unexpected flexibility in analytical measurement. Qualitativ measurements (type of substances present) and quantitativ measurements (amount of a certain substance) are possible with only one instrument. The broadband spectrum is generated in a wavelength range from 250 to 490 nm using a single UV LED chip with special doping. This innovation avoids the disadvantages of earlier solutions with multi-LEDs. The above-average service life of more than 5,000 hours reduces maintenance and operating costs.

Click  here to learn more about FiberLight® L3.

Would you like more information?  Contact us.

UV disinfection for food packaging

Did you know that UV light helps you enjoy sausages even longer?

Wether with the family or friends, on summer days nearly everyone loves spending time with the dearest ones. Having Barbeque is a popular break in everyday life. You find homemade salads on the table and sausages sizzle on the grill. Everyone enjoys the good weather and the delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere. But why can you still eat the meat after storing it for a longer time in the fridge? One reason for this is the sterilization of the packaging, the food is shrink-wrapped in.

In the food industry ultraviolet light is often used for disinfection. This way it is possible to kill harmful germs within a few seconds. Bacteria, yeasts and fungi on the grill sausage packaging are rendered harmless.

UVC disinfection is not only energy-efficient, but also an environmentally-friendly process. Adding chemicals can be avoided and the risk that unhealthy by-products occur is minimized. This does not affect the taste and smell of the sausages.

Click  here to learn more about UVC disinfection of food packaging materials and surfaces.

The UV systems are emitting cold UV light to ensure that heat-sensitive packaging materials such as sealing foils are not damaged during disinfection. Besides a wide variety of packaging materials, conveyor belts are treated the same way. These conveyor belts are used for the transport of various foods, including meat products.

The UVC sterilization process destroys the DNA of the microorganism. Consequently, germs have no chance to multiply any further. Their structure is destroyed and living cells are inactivated. Furthermore, they are unable to build up resistances to UV radiation. Would you like to know more about  UV disinfection ? Follow the links to our website or contact us  here .

YOTL Juli UV Cruise Ship

Do you know how UV light can beautify your holiday on cruise ships?

It’s the warmest time of the year, most people take a little break from work to recharge their batteries: The summer holidays are coming! Whether it's a trip to the sea with fantastic beaches, a relaxing holiday in the middle of nature or a cruise with wonderful views of different coasts. Of course, a cozy evening in a nice restaurant on board should not be missing. A well-equipped, clean and safe kitchen on board is necessary to serve a freshly prepared and delicious meal to the tourists.

For this reason, cruise ships are subject to particularly strict safety and fire protection regulations. These are used, for example, in the ship's restaurant, because cooking produces vapors that contain highly flammable fats. These are increasingly deposited in the kitchen hoods and there is a high risk of fire.

To avoid this, UV light is used in the kitchens of cruise ships. because UV systems in the kitchen hoods destroy and neutralize the molecules of grease and odors. As a result, the risk of fire will be reduced. A nice side effect - the hood body must be cleaned much less frequently. This considerably reduces the cleaning costs.

UV light also can neutralize odors that arise during cooking. Cruise tourists do not have to worry about being disturbed on deck by fumes from the restaurants. Nothing stands in the way of a relaxing experience on board!

Would you like to learn more about the reduction of odors and fats in kitchen exhaust air? Click  here for more information.

UV light is used in many other places of large ships. For example, UV light is also used in the ballast water of large ships. Special UV lamps disinfect the water in the ballast water tank and they make the bacteria and pathogens inactive.

Are you interested in our special topic: How can UV light treat and disinfect water?

Click  here to learn more about UV ballast water treatment.

Have you ever wondered how the beautiful wood decoration and furniture on cruise ships remain so glossy and scratch-resistant?

UV light cures the varnishes, that are on the wood and achieves these properties on the furniture. But UV light also provides a great surface for matt coatings.

Click  here to learn more about drying and curing varnish on wood with UV.

Did you also know that our light sources can be used for emission monitoring of ship exhaust gases?

You can determine different gases, among others nitrogen oxides or Sulphur but also dust and soot particles with a special  spectroscopy method. Special light sources such as  FiberLight D2 , a compact UV Vis light source or  NOx UV light sources are used.

Did you know, what Carbon Infrared Emitters have to do with your T-Shirts?

Did you know, what Carbon Infrared Emitters have to do with your T-Shirts?

Especially in the hot summer months, t-shirts are a must have! But the imprint is what makes them a genuine eye-catcher. Infrared emitters help to dry these imprints fast and energy efficient.

Lots of motives are applied as screen print inks on textile and need to be dried afterwards.

Calmatech BV is a globally-acknowledged manufacturer of flash cure dryers and tunnel dryers for the textiles industry, with over 20 years experience of drying and heating technology. The company strives to incorporate the latest technologies in infrared and electronics to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its dryers. A recent development saw it replace halogen infrared lamps with medium wave carbon infrared emitters from Heraeus.

The medium wavelength is optimally suited for surface drying, as this wavelength closely matches the absorption characteristics of water. By contrast, the short wavelength of halogen lamps is more penetrative so that energy is lost as it penetrates the ink and the textile itself.

The new emitters are fitted precisely in the dryers to create an even heat distribution over the target textile surface. Calmatech BV was able du reduce the drying time from seven to eight seconds, down to two to three seconds, by using Heraeus carbon infrared emitters.

This is a great benefit for the customers, since they do not only get reduced drying time but also reduced energy costs. This is due to the fact that carbon infrared emitters have a very short response time. Different to halogen emitters which need to be switched on permanently, they are suitable for pulse operation, by being switched on only when required.

Extensive research has shown that a Carbon infrared emitter requires up to 30% less energy than a conventional short wave emitter to carry out the same drying process.

Click  here to learn more about infrared emitters for drying printing inks or  contact us if you would like to receive more information.

UV_Moth

Do you know what Mother´s Day has to do with UV light?

Who is always there for you? Who does help with problems of any kind? Your mum! Because she is the best advisor in the entire world. Therefore, there is a day in the year when we would like to give something back to her: Mother's Day.

On this special day we would like to make her feel special, buy her flowers or invite her and the whole family into a nice restaurant. There, it can get unpleasant when guests and the whole neighbourhood smell like bad kitchen fumes.

Especially when cooking with a lot of fat and oil, unpleasant smells and grease deposits can appear in kitchen hoods. Only some of these deposits can be caught by the conventional grease filters in the kitchen hood. The rest accumulates in the hood and there is a high fire risk as well as severe odor nuisances. Here UV light can create remedy. Because treatment with high-energy UV radiation photolyzes, destroys and neutralizes the molecules of grease and odors. The surface of the kitchen hood is thus kept clean and unpleasant odours are a thing of the past. So Mother's Day can be enjoyed again in the restaurant. You can find out more about  grease and odor control for food service on our UV application pages.

UV radiation also protects against fires in industrial kitchens

Especially in industrial kitchens, where fats are deposited in hoods and exhaust air ducts, a fire can quickly develop. One ignition spark can be enough to ignite the old fat and cause a fire. Are you interested in our special topic:  How does UV light minimizes the fire risk in industrial kitchens?

UV light helps to give the quark for your cake a long shelf life

Do you know what UV light has to do with carrot-quark cake?

At Easter you can bake a lot of delicious things. Quark is used as an ingredient in many recipes. In order to keep the quark as long as possible in the fridge, curd cups or lid foils are irradiated with UV light before the filling process.

Only a few seconds of intense light are sufficient to render spoilage germs such as bacteria, yeast or fungi on sealing films and yoghurt pots harmless.

To effectively destroy also the UVC radiation-resistant mildew, the combination of UVC radiation after exposure to low-percentage hydrogen peroxide (1-3%) is recommended. You can find out more about this effective combined disinfection method on our  UV application pages .

Perhaps you would like to try out the editorial staff's favorite recipe at Easter? We attached it for you - enjoy it!

 Click here to download the carrot-banana-quark cake recipe.

UV curing of rim coatings for steel and aluminium beverage cans

Do you know what UV light has to do with St. Patrick's Day?

St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish holiday that falls on March 17th. This traditional Irish holiday celebrates Saint Patrick. He is credited with bringing Christianity to the country. Still today there are St. Patrick’s Day parades in many parts all over the world.

Now, what has UV light to do with that?

Food and drink remain an important part of the holiday. One Irish custom is known as “drowning the shamrock.” This is when a shamrock is placed in a cup that is then filled with Irish whiskey, cider, or beer. It’s then drank as part of a toast, with the shamrock either being consumed or tossed over the shoulder for good luck.

Many of the drinks are served in cans. Heraeus Noblelight was instrumental in pioneering the use of UV rim coating for steel and aluminum beverage cans in the early 1990's. UV processors are engineered to install under a coater vacuum conveyor to cure rim coating on aluminum beverage containers. A coat of varnish or lacquer makes cans move through processing smoothly without tipping and spilling during filling operations. This increases production time and quality of the filling process.

Benefits of UV Bottom Rim Coating at a glance:

  • For Steel: to protect the Can from corrosion after it leaves the Canmaker until it reaches the consumer.
  • For Aluminium: to improve Can mobility and production efficiency through the manufacturing and filling lines.

Click  here to learn more about UV curing systems for bottom rim coating of beverage cans or  contact us if you would like more information.

IR Heat for easy manufacturing

Did you know that Infrared heat helps to reduce the risks of RSI?

A temperature difference of a few degrees does not sound like much - but it can nevertheless lead to a huge reduction of workload in automotive manufacturing (RSI = repetitive strain injury).

Minimal  heating of plastic parts greatly reduces the effort required for some installation work. This reduces the burden on the worker enormously.  Infrared emitters from Heraeus Noblelight help with the process.

Rubber fuel pipes are being installed at Jaguar Land Rover in England directly on the production line in the Jaguar XJ. However, because of the hardness of the rubber and the tight fit, operatives were having trouble in securing the pipes. By heating the material, the plastic softens and facilitates the assembly work.

To help facilitate the manual fitting, an infrared system consisting of a floor-standing aluminum framework and a controllable heating zone with two heating modules, was installed on the Jaguar production line at the hose-fitting location.

The heater zone is provided with a sliding drawer and, in operation, a hose to be heated is placed on the table in the drawer between two locating pins. When the drawer is shut manually, the heating cycle commences and the penetrative short wave infra-red radiation heats and softens 80-100mm of the hose length. A subsequent holding period helps to maintain the heat on the hose and ensure that the rubber is soft enough for fitting.

Click  here to learn more about IR heat for the automotive industry or  contact us if you would like more information.

Composite Materials for skis and snowboards

Did you know that skis and snowboards benefit from Infrared heat?

Not only should skis and snowboards look appealing, they also need to be built to withstand the rigors of snow and ice. Almost all popular skis and snowboards contain composite materials, which are manufactured by Isosport in Austria.

For the modern, high-quality composite fabrics rovings and fabrics made of glass and carbon fiber are impregnated with high-quality epoxy resins. Afterwards it is cured in a continuous process with infrared emitters from Heraeus.

So far, metal-tube emitters were used for this process, but in 2018 they were replaced by medium wave infrared emitters from Heraeus. The more modern emitters have a gold reflector, which directs the heat directly to the product, which significantly increases the efficiency.

Christian Puschitz from the purchasing department at Isosport Verbundbauteile GmbH is enthusiastic: "The new emitters have improved energy efficiency by up to 30%."

Click  here to learn more about IR heat for composites or  contact us for further information.