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 [email protected]
or placed via phone at (888) 473-0217.
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PECM Issue 41