EDITOR’S CHOICE
UV CURE-IN-PLACE TECHNOLOGY
HERNON MANUFACTURING
HOW TO USE CURE-IN-PLACE GASKET TECHNOLOGY
TO IMPROVE OIL SHAFT SEAL PRODUCTION
UV Cure-in-Place (CIP) gasketing technology was created to replace
an inferior sealing process for automotive oil shaft seals or rotary
seals. Direct contact with the shaft is secured using a rubber gasket
while the exterior of the seal, where it meets the housing, has
traditionally been sealed using a solvent based sealant. Solvents
have well-known problems with toxic fumes and material loss due
to evaporation.
By contrast, UV CIP does not use any solvents. Instead, it is
designed to be cured by UV LED curing lights, built by Hernon®.
These lights are optimized to a specific wavelength for the sealant.
Once cured, the bead for this application is soft and tack free,
allowing the seal to adjust its form to fill the gap between gasket
and housing.
The dispensing and curing system for this sophisticated
application was developed by Hernon Manufacturing as part
of their Total Solutions approach. Hernon® experts coordinate
mechanical engineering capabilities with precision chemistry to
ensure a copacetic application process.
The journey of components through the machine starts with an
inbound conveyor where intelligent sensors track part locations.
The sensors communicate to robotic arms when parts are ready to
enter active stages.
The steel components are picked up using simple permanent
magnets. This method reduces the complexity of moving
parts from stage to stage when compared to pneumatics or
electromagnets and keeps energy usage to a minimum. The seals
are first moved to a dispensing station where a robotic spindle
arm rotates the seal under Hernon’s proprietary SureShot® 3000
valve.
The valve dispenses sealant onto the spinning seal creating a
controlled bead. With the bead in place, parts are moved to a
UV curing station. To protect users, the parts are inserted into a
protective housing before four high intensity UV LED lights cure
the bead for specified exposure times.
The final stage is a laser inspection where the bead location
and width are analyzed. The bead is also checked to be smooth
and contiguous. If the finished part meets all specifications it is
transferred to a conveyor out of the machine.
When oil shaft seals come off the outbound conveyor, they can
be instantly used or packaged. Parts are processed at speeds of
12-15 parts per minute, depending on the size of the seal. The
larger the size, the longer dispensing and curing times needed.
With no solvents used in the new CIP sealant, production is more
environmentally friendly, sustainable and much less messy.
Enquiries about UV CIP materials or application processes
can be submitted at Hernon.com, emailed to sales@hernon.
com or placed via phone at (888) 473-0217.
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PECM Issue 39