SYRACUSE — The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) is offering a new online program that will provide “specialized” training to address, what is seen as, a “workforce shortage” in radiation curing, also known as energy curing. Radiation curing is a manufacturing technique that uses ultraviolet light (UV) or […]
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Radiation curing is a manufacturing technique that uses ultraviolet light (UV) or electron beam (EB) processing to cure coatings, inks, adhesives, composites, and other materials.
The school cites information from the New York State Department of Labor that nearly 1,000 chemists with bachelor’s degrees have sought employment in New York in recent years, but that figure didn’t address the shortage of workers qualified to handle a job focused on radiation curing.
It’s a “very specialized” chemistry and process, and only a few U.S. colleges and universities offer programs that are related to the technology, says Daniel (Dan) Montoney, chief technology officer at Rapid Cure Technologies, Inc. and an adjunct professor in the ESF program.
“There’s specialized equipment that needs to be understood and the chemistry itself is somewhat unique as well,” Montoney says.
Rapid Cure Technologies is headquartered at the Tech Garden at 235 Harrison St. in Syracuse. The firm also operates a laboratory facility at the Central New York Biotech Accelerator at 841 E. Fayette St. in Syracuse.
Rapid Cure Technologies specializes in custom formulating and developing unique chemistries and processes for various manufacturing operations, such as those in the industrial, medical, and military sectors. Its efforts include a focus on radiation curing.
RCP
The Radiation Curing Program (RCP) at SUNY-ESF aims to provide specific job skills for individuals seeking careers in related fields, practicing industry professionals, upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, and recent graduates.
The RCP is a response to nationwide demand for training and education related to radiation curing, the university said.
The program targets people who are working in a manufacturing job to make them aware that the technology exists and it may be feasible for their manufacturing process, Montoney says.
CenterState CEO’s Clean Tech Center is also funding an incentive program enabling employees at Central New York businesses that use radiation or energy curing in their manufacturing processes to take one or more RCP courses at no cost, Montoney says.
“We’re communicating with all the manufacturers we’re familiar with in the area that are either using the technology or could potentially use the technology, and have people within their organizations that would benefit from these courses,” Montoney says.
The program includes three online courses, including: Introduction to Polymer Coatings; Radiation Curing for Polymer Technologies; and Radiation Curing Equipment, Instrumentation and Safety.
Enrollees can also earn an advanced certificate, if they take the courses for credit.
Curriculum
Montoney worked with “industry professionals” from companies such as Essington, Pa.–based Esstech, Inc. and Rolla, Mo.–based Brewer Science, Inc. in developing the curriculum for the program. ESF’s Mark Driscoll, who operates the UV/EB Process Curing Systems Technology Center at the school, also helped the curriculum-development process, Montoney says.
The curriculum seeks to reflect current and emerging applications.
The online program is a collaboration involving SUNY-ESF; RadTech International North America, a Bethesda, Md.–based nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of ultraviolet and electron beam technologies; CenterState CEO; the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY); and other organizations, SUNY-ESF said.
A U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration H-1B Technical Skills Training Grant helps support the effort.
“It’s in round numbers about $1.4 million. We’re responsible for matching 50 percent of that,” says Charles (Chuck) Spuches, associate provost for outreach at SUNY-ESF.
Central New York participants will have additional opportunities for course-related demonstrations and site visits to the UV/EB Process Curing Systems Technology Center and the laboratory at Rapid Cure Technologies, Montoney says.
UV and EB curing refer to the “special” ways in which coatings, inks, adhesives, composites and other materials may be cured as an alternative to traditional energy-intensive methods that create harmful emissions, ESF said.
The processes entail using ultraviolet energy from a UV lamp or focused beams of electrons to instantly cure or cross-link specially formulated chemistries, using less energy and costing less than conventional methods.
Energy-cured applications include everyday products like cereal boxes, CDs and DVDs, magazines, credit cards, cell phones, contact lenses and keyboards, along with an increasing range of consumer and high-tech products.
The advantages of UV and EB are well-documented, particularly when used with manufactured products that require fast processing or on substrates that are sensitive to heat. In addition, UV and EB are considered environmentally responsible since most or all of the solvents in traditional processes may be eliminated.
“This notion of radiation curing an industrial sector is about a $1 billion dollar a year industry in North America and growing,” Spuches says.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com