UV Curing worked example

Thermal Oven vs UV Cure Payback with uv cell installed cost of 300,000 $: a worked example

This scenario runs the thermal oven vs uv cure payback calculation on the strong side: uv cell installed cost of 300,000 $, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it on capital reviews when the question is whether to displace a thermal cure oven (gas or electric) with a UV cure cell on a new or refreshed line.

The inputs for this scenario

  • UV cell installed cost: 300,000 $ (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 120,000)
  • Annual savings vs thermal oven: 48,000 $ / yr (unchanged)
  • Annual UV operating cost: 3,500 $ / yr (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Net annual savings = annual thermal savings − annual UV operating cost) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 6.74 years to payback for years to payback, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 44,500 $ / yr for net annual savings.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 300,000 $ for uv cell installed cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns -77,500 $ for five year net.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where uv cell installed cost sits at 120,000 $ and the headline result is 2.7 years to payback, this scenario comes in 150% above the baseline at 6.74 years to payback.
  • Use it when justifying a switch from thermal curing to UV, or when sizing the financial case for a new line where both options are on the table. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Years to payback: 6.74 years to payback (headline result)
  • Net annual savings: 44,500 $ / yr
  • UV cell installed cost: 300,000 $
  • Five year net: -77,500 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Thermal Oven vs UV Cure Payback calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.