Progress in industrial finishing has been steady, shaped by the need to improve performance while reducing energy use. Over time, manufacturers have moved away from traditional high-temperature thermal curing toward solutions that deliver faster throughput and greater efficiency. Low-bake powder coatings were an early step in this evolution, helping reduce oven temperatures and shorten cure cycles while maintaining durable, high-quality finishes.
Infrared (IR) curing soon emerged as another major advancement, offering a faster, more targeted way to apply heat to a coated substrate compared to using conventional convection ovens alone. IR technology was used to supplement oven curing, expediting production while reducing energy use.
With these advancements, and as manufacturing continues to prioritize energy efficiency, carbon footprint reduction and faster production speeds, the limitations of oven-based curing have become more apparent. And with fast-moving markets that require expedited time to market, speedier curing is one way coaters are keeping pace.
Laser-based systems represent the next major leap in rad-cure technology, delivering highly targeted, ultra-fast curing that dramatically lowers thermal load and enhances finishing efficiency.
Radiation Curing: The Next Frontier
When compared to conventional thermal curing, rad-cure technologies deliver energy straight into the coating layer rather than heating the entire part or oven. This precision dramatically improves energy efficiency and enables finishing of heat sensitive substrates while increasing throughput and consistency.
Radiation curing offers a range of advantages that make it an attractive alternative to traditional processes. It delivers extremely fast cure speeds with less energy, and because it operates at room temperature, it can replace large convection or IR ovens that take up valuable floor space with compact, in-line curing stations. The process produces high-performance finishes with minimal environmental impact, and its instant on/off capability means there is no warm-up period. This saves manufacturers on energy costs while simultaneously reducing downtime.
IR Curing vs. Laser Curing: A Step Change in Industrial Finishing
Infrared (IR) ovens have been used since the 1990s as a faster alternative to convection ovens, but their broad, uncontrolled heat leads to significant energy loss and high maintenance costs. IR lamps run at extremely high temperatures, rely on fragile components, and heat the entire part and surrounding environment, reducing efficiency and accelerating wear.
Laser based curing takes a fundamentally different approach. Lasers deliver concentrated near-infrared (NIR) energy directly into the powder coating layer. This triggers rapid crosslinking with minimal heat transfer, eliminating the need for large ovens, heavy insulation, and extensive ventilation and cooling. The result is significantly faster curing, compact in line curing stations and lower operating costs.
The laser curing method can be used for the processing of both standard and heat-sensitive substrates. Therefore, it can be applied to products made from plastics, wood, or even pre-assembled parts containing sensitive electronics or already-installed rubber components. The technology is compatible with both standard and laser-optimized powder coatings with faster overall throughput thanks to its rapid, localized curing.
Infrared (IR) ovens have been used since the 1990s as a faster alternative to convection ovens, but their broad, uncontrolled heat leads to significant energy loss and high maintenance costs. IR lamps run at extremely high temperatures, rely on fragile components, and heat the entire part and surrounding environment, reducing efficiency and accelerating wear.
Laser based curing takes a fundamentally different approach. Lasers deliver concentrated near-infrared (NIR) energy directly into the powder coating layer. This triggers rapid crosslinking with minimal heat transfer, eliminating the need for large ovens, heavy insulation, and extensive ventilation and cooling. The result is significantly faster curing, compact in line curing stations and lower operating costs.
The laser curing method can be used for the processing of both standard and heat-sensitive substrates. Therefore, it can be applied to products made from plastics, wood, or even pre-assembled parts containing sensitive electronics or already-installed rubber components. The technology is compatible with both standard and laser-optimized powder coatings with faster overall throughput thanks to its rapid, localized curing.
Collaboration Accelerating Commercial Adoption
PPG is actively validating laser curing through real‑world pilot trials with the Whirlpool Corporation, a global leader in home appliances. The focus is on identifying opportunities to reduce curing costs and environmental impact while increasing finishing line speed.
To support this work, PPG has installed a state‑of‑the‑art pilot finishing line featuring IPG’s PhotoniCURE™ laser curing system at its facility in Strongsville, Ohio, along with a laboratory system for research feasibility studies at its Coatings Innovation Center near Pittsburgh. This capability—which represents a significant advancement in the coatings industry—enables rapid testing, formulation optimization and hands‑on customer collaboration.
With trials well underway, PPG is opening the process to additional manufacturers. Customers can test their own parts using standard PPG powders or laser-optimized formulations, generating real‑world data to evaluate key metrics and performance before the need to invest in their own laser-curing systems.
This hands-on access accelerates evaluation, reduces uncertainty and helps manufacturers better understand how laser curing could support sustainability and productivity goals in real production environments.
As pilot programs expand, laser curing is poised to move from early-stage validation toward broader commercialization. Continued collaboration between coatings suppliers, equipment OEMs and manufacturers will play a key role in determining how quickly the technology scales across industrial finishing operations.
Bottom line: The next era of powder finishing has arrived.