Hoenle, a leading provider of industrial UV technology headquartered in Gilching near Munich, is expanding its UV Scan MACS dosimetry system with a new strip variant designed specifically for LED-UV systems: the macsStrips 950 LED. This gives users of LED-UV curing systems access, for the first time, to the same precise measurement technology already well established with UV Scan MACS for conventional mercury vapour lamps in the 20–700 mJ/cm² dose range.
UV Scan MACS was developed by Hoenle together with technology partner PRUUVE and is regarded as the world’s first UV dosimetry system based on delayed phosphorescence. It replaces conventional colour-change indicator strips, which are known for their sensitivity to storage conditions and can therefore become unusable before use or unknowingly deliver incorrect readings. The system consists of two components: the macsReader readout unit and the self-adhesive, flexible macsStrips sensor strip.
Purpose-built for LED-UV light sources
The new macsStrips 950 LED are specifically tuned to the LED wavelengths commonly used in practice (365, 385, and 395 nm) and cover a dose range of 60 to 950 mJ/cm². This allows the dose actually delivered by an LED-UV system to be measured directly on the substrate, an advantage that is particularly valuable for LED systems: the substrate-based measurement approach enables local evaluation of individual areas within a UV-LED array, making visible intensity variations that blanket measurement methods cannot capture.
The measurement is based on a patented delayed-phosphorescence principle: each strip is individually calibrated before use, reliably compensating for variations arising from production or storage. During the actual measurement, the strip absorbs part of the previously calibrated reference dose; the macsReader then calculates the actual applied UV dose from the difference — reproducible and independent of the time of measurement.
High storage stability and comparability with the industry standard
Unlike conventional colour-change strips, macsStrips require no refrigeration and are insensitive to ambient light and humidity, remaining stable for more than twelve months under standard room conditions. Comparative measurements also demonstrate a linear 1:1 correlation of UV-A/B/C values with the established industry standard Power Puck II, while requiring significantly less space. This allows macsStrips to be used in applications where the Power Puck II reaches its limits due to space constraints, such as printing and coating applications and on 3D surfaces.
Data stays offline
The macsReader stores up to 2,000 measurements locally on the device, with no smartphone or cloud connection required. For further analysis, data can be exported as a CSV file via USB. Users benefit from a solution that combines data privacy, independence, and ease of use in day-to-day production.
The macsStrips 950 LED are available immediately and complement the existing UV Scan MACS portfolio.