Issue No. 13
April 2007

All systems go!

PCT’s BroadBeam Pilot line is ready for customer trials.

PCT is pleased to announce that its pilot line is now available for use by customers and end suppliers of EB cured inks and coatings.

"The installation and calibration are complete and the pilot line is ready for customer use effective immediately," said Karl Swanson, PCT Sales and Marketing Manager. "We are able to do customer trials, proof of concept tests, product development trials and limited production runs," he added.

According to Swanson the line has an electron beam processor rated for operation up to 300kV. Other capabilities of the line include: electron beam processing with or without a chilled backing roll; web widths up to 28-inches; speeds of up to 1,000 feet per minute; a corona treater and offset gravure coater, and the ability to run rigid substrates.

Swanson explains that the line is configured to accommodate a wide range of testing requirements. Unique needs can also be met by tapping into the innovation of PCT's engineering team. "Whether a customer needs a tool for research and product development, or wants to ramp up production of an EB-cured product—PCT's pilot line can help."

For more information on PCT’s pilot line, contact Karl Swanson at 563-285-7411 ext. 4446 or email at keswanson@teampct.com.

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PCT gives presentation at RadTech’s uv.eb West show

Attendance at show up 25%

Karl Swanson, PCT Sales and Marketing Manager, gave a presentation, "EB 101: Getting Started with EB Processing," at the uv.eb WEST show March 6-7 in Los Angeles, CA. Swanson said the talk was well attended, and he was pleased with the overall turnout at the show. "The presentation highlighted the benefits of incorporating EB processing into your company’s operations, and where to begin with the process," he said.

According to RadTech officials, registration at the show grew to over 25% as interest in the environmental, economic and operational benefits of ultraviolet (UV) and electron beam (EB) curing technology continues to grow. The event attracted attendees representing 36 states and 13 countries. Sessions included UV/EB applications for Aerospace & Defense; Printing & Packaging; Industrial Finishing for Metals and Plastics; Wood Finishing; Inkjet and Composites as well as Introductory and Advanced sessions on UV/EB Technology. A course on Polymer Chemistry was also presented.

"It has been encouraging to see the growth in interest in the energy curing industry, and particularly the interest in new applications regarding electron beams." said Terry Thompson, president of PCT. He added, "Many of the attendees at the show this year were from all over the U.S. The RadTech conferences are very important for our industry, and this growing technology."

According to Pat Ward BroadBeam Product Manager, "RadTech's uv.eb West show in March included technical sessions that highlighted the growing application of energy cured products in the building trades, packaging and printing industries. These new products perform better than the thermal cured products they replaced making the switch an easy sell to the end user. The flow time, energy savings and environmental impact of switching to an energy cured product is a bonus typically producing an acceptable economic return for the project. Electron beam curing is still a small, but rapidly growing segment as customers identify new inks, coatings, adhesives and paints that can not be cured reliably with UV." He also noted that, "Our new pilot line opens the door to developing technical partnerships with customers early in their product development cycle. We made many contacts during the 2 day show."

The next tradeshow and conference being organized by RadTech is the e|5 UV and EB Technology Expo & Conference to take place May 4-7, 2008 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. Details for this event and others can be found at www.radtech.org.

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BroadBeam Training Classes to Be Held at PCT's new Facility

A two-day BroadBeam training class will be held at PCT's new training center on June 26th and 27th. The intent of the class is to familiarize attendees with the maintenance and troubleshooting of BroadBeam electron beam processors. The class will be taught by an experienced BroadBeam Service Specialist, and will include hands-on training sessions on PCT's pilot line. Sets of training materials will be provided.

Subjects to be addressed include:

1. Safety – radiation, electrical, gasses, etc.
2. Faults – definitions and troubleshooting steps
3. Control boards and schematics
4. Vacuum system – troubleshooting and regeneration of the cryopump
5. Foil change procedure
6. Reconditioning of the BroadBeam
7. Filament change procedure
8. High voltage power supply – preventative maintenance and troubleshooting
9. Cooling water system – preventative maintenance and troubleshooting

The two day training class is priced at $895.00 per student. This price includes a hard copy of the training manual, continental breakfast and lunch each day. Travel and lodging expenses are not included. There are 10 openings for the session. To reserve a space, contact Tammy Weisrock at 563-285-7411 ext. 4454 or tmweisrock@teampct.com.

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In the next Bulletin

• CMM Show Report
• New Product Release – BroadBeam control package with Siemens PLC
• Get To Know – Clark Welker, BroadBeam Service Specialist

Copyright® 2004-2008 PCT Engineered Systems, LLC. All rights reserved.