How do you calculate UV cure dose?

Multiply UV intensity at the bond line (mW/cm²) by exposure time (s) to get the theoretical dose, then derate for transmission and yield. With 850 mW/cm² for 8 s the theoretical dose is 6,800 mJ/cm², and after 78% transmission and 95% yield the effective dose is 5,038.8 mJ/cm².

What is a good UV cure dose for adhesives?

It depends entirely on the resin. Manufacturer datasheets typically specify anywhere from 500 to 4,000 mJ/cm² for full cure; always size your effective dose to meet or exceed the datasheet minimum at the bond line, not at the lamp face.

Why is the effective dose lower than the theoretical dose?

Light is lost passing through clear substrates, fixtures, masks and any contamination. In the example, transmission strips out 1,496 mJ/cm² and process-yield losses account for another 265.2 mJ/cm², so 6,800 becomes 5,038.8 mJ/cm².

Intensity vs dose — which matters more?

Both. Dose (intensity × time) governs overall conversion, but peak intensity drives cure depth and through-cure of shadowed regions. A high dose from a weak lamp over long time can still leave a shadowed bond uncured.

How do I increase cure dose without slowing the line?

Raise intensity at the bond line: clean or replace optics, move the lamp closer, use a focused spot source, or switch to a higher-output LED head. Each of these lifts mW/cm² so you keep the same exposure time.

Does measuring at the lamp give the right dose?

No. Measure with a radiometer at the actual bond-line position, through the real fixture and substrate, because that is where the transmission losses in this calculator actually occur.

Adhesives, Sealants & Industrial Bonding calculator

UV Adhesive Cure Dose Calculator

UV cure dose is the total ultraviolet energy delivered to an adhesive bond line, measured in millijoules per square centimeter (mJ/cm²). Process engineers and bonding operators in electronics, medical-device and optical assembly use it to confirm that a light-cure acrylic or cationic epoxy has received enough energy to fully crosslink. Under-dosing leaves tacky, weak, or uncured adhesive that fails in service; over-dosing wastes lamp life and cycle time. Because the energy that actually reaches the resin is always less than what the lamp emits, the dose at the bond line is the number that determines whether parts pass.

What this calculator does

Estimate effective UV cure dose from lamp intensity, exposure time, transmission, and process yield.
an applications engineer needs to check UV dose for a light-curable adhesive process
It computes the effective UV cure dose reaching the adhesive after accounting for substrate/fixture transmission losses and the fraction of parts that cure correctly.

Formula used

Theoretical UV dose = UV intensity at bond line × exposure time
Effective UV cure dose = theoretical dose × substrate/fixture transmission × cure process yield

Inputs explained

UV intensity at bond line:
Exposure time under lamp:
Substrate/fixture UV transmission:
Cure process first-pass yield:

How to use the result

Use it when qualifying a new light-cure adhesive, validating a conveyor or spot-cure recipe, or troubleshooting bonds that test weak despite an apparently adequate lamp setting.
It assumes intensity stays constant over the exposure window; real lamps decay with age and dirty optics, and dose alone does not capture peak-intensity (depth-of-cure) or oxygen-inhibition effects at the surface.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for industrial chemicals stands at 344.336 (BLS, May 2026), up 16.1% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
The U.S. has 11,391 plastics and rubber products establishments employing about 815,988 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

How do you calculate UV cure dose? Multiply UV intensity at the bond line (mW/cm²) by exposure time (s) to get the theoretical dose, then derate for transmission and yield. With 850 mW/cm² for 8 s the theoretical dose is 6,800 mJ/cm², and after 78% transmission and 95% yield the effective dose is 5,038.8 mJ/cm².
What is a good UV cure dose for adhesives? It depends entirely on the resin. Manufacturer datasheets typically specify anywhere from 500 to 4,000 mJ/cm² for full cure; always size your effective dose to meet or exceed the datasheet minimum at the bond line, not at the lamp face.
Why is the effective dose lower than the theoretical dose? Light is lost passing through clear substrates, fixtures, masks and any contamination. In the example, transmission strips out 1,496 mJ/cm² and process-yield losses account for another 265.2 mJ/cm², so 6,800 becomes 5,038.8 mJ/cm².
Intensity vs dose — which matters more? Both. Dose (intensity × time) governs overall conversion, but peak intensity drives cure depth and through-cure of shadowed regions. A high dose from a weak lamp over long time can still leave a shadowed bond uncured.
How do I increase cure dose without slowing the line? Raise intensity at the bond line: clean or replace optics, move the lamp closer, use a focused spot source, or switch to a higher-output LED head. Each of these lifts mW/cm² so you keep the same exposure time.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.