Shortening cure time on camera lines
Combining high-power UV LED lamps with dual-cure adhesives helps camera module assembly lines significantly increase output without investing in changes to the main equipment.
In camera assembly, the adhesive curing step is often the bottleneck. Heat-cure adhesives require 30–60 minutes in an oven, take up floor space and create a large amount of work-in-progress. Optimizing curing is the fastest and least expensive way to increase capacity.
This approach is especially suitable when a plant receives a sudden surge in orders but has not yet been able to expand floor space or buy more alignment machines.
UV LED lamps replacing mercury lamps
Traditional mercury UV lamps emit a broad spectrum, generate a lot of heat and degrade quickly. UV LED lamps emit a narrow wavelength of 365 or 395 nm, switch on and off instantly, last more than 20,000 hours and transfer little heat to plastic parts.
Comparison of curing options
| Option | Cycle time | Floor space | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat-cure adhesive, batch oven | 45–60 minutes | Large | High |
| Heat-cure adhesive, conveyor oven | 15–30 minutes | Medium | High |
| Dual-cure adhesive, UV LED + fast oven | 3-second fixture, 10–20 minute bake | Small | Medium |
| Fully UV-cure adhesive | 3–10 seconds | Very small | Low |
Dual-cure adhesives solve shadow areas
In camera modules, many adhesive beads lie beneath the lens holder where light cannot reach. Dual-cure adhesives allow UV to fix the exposed portion instantly, after which heat or moisture completes the rest. Thanks to instant fixturing, products can be stacked into a fast conveyor oven without worrying about shifting.
Implementation steps
- Measure UV intensity and dose at the adhesive bead location with a radiometer.
- Choose an adhesive with sensitivity matched to the LED lamp's wavelength.
- Establish a process window: minimum UV dose, bake temperature and time.
- Confirm reliability through drop tests, thermal cycling and optical center shift measurements.
Typical results achieved
- Curing cycle time reduced by 50–70%.
- Less work-in-progress on the line.
- Lower electricity consumption for curing ovens.
The key is not to trade reliability for speed. Every change to UV dose or bake profile must be revalidated with the reliability test suite required by the upstream customer and recorded in process change documentation for future audits.
AMS supplies Dymax and Henkel Loctite adhesives and supports on-line UV LED lamp surveys. Contact AMS Vietnam to schedule a survey.
