New Developments in Low Energy EB Equipment, 2010 Innovative Nonwovens Conference

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Electron beam (EB) technology has been used in industrial applications for more than 30 years. The use of EB is driven by a number of factors including: improved product performance, product consistency, high throughput, energy savings, and environmental advantages. The nature of EB technology can also enable unique applications that are not possible by other means.

Recent developments in EB equipment have focused on “low energy” systems. These systems typically operate in the range of 70 to 150 kV. Systems commonly in use for nonwovens applications typically operate in the range of 170 kV and higher. This new equipment was specifically developed to address the curing of inks and coatings used in package printing applications. Thanks to the improved performance of the new designs there are also potential uses in the production and processing of nonwoven materials that until recently could only be addressed by higher voltage systems. These uses include radiation induced polymerization for grafting, lamination, curing of functional coatings, and surface sterilization.