Dual cure systems for improved process efficiency

The requirements for the electrical insulation industry are in a constant state of change as production expectations exceed the capability of processes used for years. These issues can be addressed by changing the chemistry and the process to produce quality parts in less time. This paper introduces some new ideas on chemistries and processes that may help in the production of superior parts. These chemistry developments will focus on unsaturated polyesters and epoxies as they can be used with standard and dual cure processes. Comparisons of thermal cure to dual cure will show the potential value in terms of lower VOC, faster processing and lower run off percentages without adverse effects on the cured film performance.