Most UV curing conveyor systems flood the belt with light. A focused-beam head does the opposite: it concentrates output into a narrow strip running along the belt, curing a bond seam at high irradiance while leaving everything beside it in the dark.
Q: When should a UV curing conveyor use a focused-beam head instead of a flood head?
A: Use a focused-beam head when the bond is a narrow seam or edge joint aligned with the belt, when the adhesive needs high irradiance, or when neighboring components must not be exposed. Use a flood head when adhesive or coating covers a broad area of the part. On Incure’s CDM™, the focused-beam options are the M51 (1-inch strip) and M62 (2-inch strip).
The Two Heads Compared
| Specification | M51 | M62 |
|---|---|---|
| Beam footprint | 5″ × 1″ | 6″ × 2″ |
| LED count | 45 | 108 |
| Peak at 365 nm | 6,150 mW/cm² | 3,100 mW/cm² |
| Peak at 385/395/405 nm | 5,100 mW/cm² | 2,600 mW/cm² |
| Max part width | 1 inch | 2 inches |
| Dose at 6 ft/min | 25,630 mJ/cm² UVA | 15,500 mJ/cm² UVA |
Figures are at a 2-inch working distance. The M51’s 6,150 mW/cm² is the highest peak intensity on the CDM™ platform — about 3.2 times the 1,900 mW/cm² of the L64 and L88 flood heads.
Note the wavelength pattern: on both focused-beam heads, peak output is higher at 365 nm than at the longer wavelengths. On the L64 and L88 flood heads it runs the other way. If an adhesive can cure at more than one wavelength, that difference affects available energy.
Orienting the Bond to the Belt
The beam’s long dimension runs in the direction of belt travel — 5 inches on the M51, 6 inches on the M62. A bond seam that runs along the belt stays under the beam for that whole length as it passes. A seam running across the belt, wider than the strip, does not fit in one pass.
That makes part orientation the first design decision. Place parts so the bond line runs along the belt and sits inside the strip width. If the bond interface is wider than 1 inch, the M62’s 2-inch strip covers it in one pass; Incure describes gasket rings, edge-bonded laminates, and multi-joint substrates as candidates. The M62’s 108 LEDs keep its 3,100 mW/cm² across the full 2-inch depth, so a bond pad at the edge of the beam receives the same irradiance as one in the center.
Email Us with your bond-line width and orientation, and Incure can confirm whether the M51 or M62 fits in one pass.
Why Selectivity Matters
Flood heads cure everything within their footprint. The focused beam exposes only its strip, so components outside it receive no UV. Incure positions this for assemblies where optical elements, pre-cured joints, or heat-sensitive substrates sit next to the target bond. Instead of masking those areas, the beam geometry avoids them.
Irradiance Versus Speed
Some formulations need enough irradiance to start curing at all, and slowing the belt only adds time, not intensity. The M51’s peak gives that headroom, so a slow-reacting or high-viscosity bond line can run without dropping belt speed to the bottom of the range. At the CDM™’s fastest 12 ft/min, the M51 still delivers 12,813 mJ/cm² UVA and the M62 7,750.
Dose follows the usual conveyor arithmetic: irradiance × (illuminated length ÷ belt speed). For the M62 at 6 ft/min (1.2 in/s), dwell is 6 ÷ 1.2 = 5 seconds, and 3,100 × 5 = 15,500 mJ/cm², matching the published figure.
Alignment Is the Process Risk
A narrow beam is unforgiving of position. With a 1-inch strip, a part that drifts sideways can move its bond line partly out of the cure zone. Use fixtures or guides that locate the bond line across the belt, and check alignment at changeover. Incure notes that the 1-inch part-width figure describes the cured zone rather than a hard mechanical limit, which is exactly why positioning matters: the part may fit through while the bond line misses the beam.
Control and Lamp Life
Both heads accept PLC, RS-232, and foot-switch inputs with timer or continuous modes, so lamp output can be tied to part-present sensing and line control. Incure rates them past 20,000 hours with up to 20% intensity decay, which turns lamp maintenance into periodic output verification rather than bulb changes. Wavelength is factory-configured at order, so confirm the adhesive’s absorption before specifying.
Curing height on both heads adjusts from 0.5 to 2.0 inches. Measure irradiance at the bond line’s actual height, not at the belt.
Protecting Operators
At these intensities, confirm operator eyewear is rated for the output in use, and keep entry and exit openings sized to the parts to limit stray light.
For conveyors in general, see the curing conveyor industrial guide; the CDM™ lamp-head category guide compares focused-beam heads with flood and arc options, and the Uni-Weld™ UV Glass & Metal Bonder guide covers adhesives often cured in narrow seams.
Contact Our Team to set up a focused-beam head on a CDM™ conveyor.
Visit www.incurelab.com for more information.