UV Curing worked example

UV Multi-Lamp Tunnel Total Dose with lamp station 1 dose contribution of 160 mJ / cm²: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop lamp station 1 dose contribution to 160 mJ / cm², then walk the calculation through step by step. Sum the per-pass dose contribution from each lamp in a multi-lamp UV tunnel to confirm the part hits its total cure dose target.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Lamp station 1 dose contribution: 160 mJ / cm² (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 320)
  • Lamp station 2 dose contribution: 340 mJ / cm² (held at the documented default)
  • Lamp station 3 dose contribution: 310 mJ / cm² (held at the documented default)
  • Lamp station 4 dose contribution: 300 mJ / cm² (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total cumulative dose = sum of all lamp contributions (mJ/cm²).
  • Total cumulative dose works out to 1,110 mJ / cm² total dose at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Lamp 1 works out to 160 mJ / cm² at these inputs.
  • Lamp 2 works out to 340 mJ / cm² at these inputs.
  • Element 3 + 4 works out to 610 mJ / cm² total dose at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where lamp station 1 dose contribution sits at 320 mJ / cm² and the headline result is 1,270 mJ / cm² total dose, this scenario comes in 12.6% below the baseline at 1,110 mJ / cm² total dose.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to lamp station 1 dose contribution, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It sums energy density only; it does not account for peak irradiance thresholds, spectral match to the photoinitiator, or dose delivered outside the measured band — high total dose can still under-cure if peak intensity or wavelength is wrong.

Results at a glance

  • Total cumulative dose: 1,110 mJ / cm² total dose (headline result)
  • Lamp 1: 160 mJ / cm²
  • Lamp 2: 340 mJ / cm²
  • Element 3 + 4: 610 mJ / cm² total dose

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live UV Multi-Lamp Tunnel Total Dose calculator, set lamp station 1 dose contribution to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.