The foundation for ultraviolet (UV), electron-beam (EB), and UV-LED technology, also known as energy-curable technology, was developed in the late 1920s by Edwin Newton of the B. F. Goodrich Company to "vulcanize" natural rubber.1
UV curing began to evolve in the 1960s.1 Since that time, energy-curable technology has been, and continues to be, one of the most sustainable technologies used in manufacturing. These technologies deliver higher throughput efficiency, reduced waste, and reduced CO2 emissions, resulting in their recognition, by several regulatory agencies, as clean process alternatives. This article examines the factors driving this technology, supported by case studies demonstrating how UV/EB-curable technology enables innovative manufacturing processes that consume less energy, yet meet or exceed air quality standards without requiring add-on pollution controls.