UV Curing worked example

UV Shielding & Guarding Coverage at 58% guard coverage efficiency after overlap and cutouts: a worked example

Suppose guard coverage efficiency after overlap and cutouts falls to 58%. This page works the full calculation at that level so you can see exactly which result moves and by how much. Estimate total guard / curtain / enclosure area needed to contain stray UV from a cure station, given the open-face area, number of sides, and a coverage allowance.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Open UV emission face area to enclose: 12 ft² (held at the documented default)
  • Number of operator-exposed sides: 3 sides (held at the documented default)
  • Guard coverage efficiency after overlap and cutouts: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Theoretical shield area = open face area × exposed sides.
  • Required quantity works out to 62.07 ft² guard area at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Theoretical amount works out to 36 ft² guard area at these inputs.
  • Loss allowance works out to 26.07 ft² guard area at these inputs.
  • Coverage efficiency works out to 58 % at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where guard coverage efficiency after overlap and cutouts sits at 80% and the headline result is 45 ft² guard area, this scenario comes in 37.93% above the baseline at 62.07 ft² guard area.
  • It computes the total guard area required to shield a UV source by multiplying the open emission face area by the number of exposed sides, then dividing by the achievable coverage efficiency. When the numbers land here, the stressed input is the lever to work; the walkthrough above shows exactly how much each output recovers as it climbs back toward the baseline.

Results at a glance

  • Required quantity: 62.07 ft² guard area (headline result)
  • Theoretical amount: 36 ft² guard area
  • Loss allowance: 26.07 ft² guard area
  • Coverage efficiency: 58 %

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live UV Shielding & Guarding Coverage calculator, set guard coverage efficiency after overlap and cutouts to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.