Narrowband can manufacturing

A method for use in can manufacturing wherein cans are washed, decorated and/or a coating has been sprayed onto an inside surface of cans, the method comprising:

• with a first array of semiconductor-based narrowband irradiation devices at a first station, irradiating and drying the cans through a mesh or open-spaced belt of a mass conveyor or individually irradiating and drying individual cans through selective elements of on a serial, single-file conveyor;
• with a second array of semiconductor-based narrowband irradiation devices at a second station positioned after an ink decorator, then irradiating and curing ink applied to outsides of cans which are being transported on a conveyor;
• and
• with a third array of semiconductor-based narrowband irradiation devices at a third station, individually and electrically heating inside surfaces of each can moved into a curing zone using optical elements positioned outside the open end of the can such that the coating on the inside surface of each successive can in a series of production cans is brought to a critical temperature to produce a linking curing process in the coating,
• with each of these three stations performing their drying or curing function in less than 20 seconds to prevent de-tempering or annealing or weakening from occurring in the can.

A system for use in can manufacturing wherein cans are washed, decorated and/or a coating has been sprayed onto an inside surface of cans, the system comprising:

• a first station including a first array of semiconductor-based narrowband irradiation devices positioned to irradiate and cure ink applied to outer surfaces of cans being transported on a pin chain, the first array being positioned along the pin chain to irradiate an outer surface of an oncoming can at a first angle;
• a second station including a second array of semiconductor-based narrowband irradiation devices positioned to irradiate and cure ink applied to the outer surfaces of the cans being transported on the pin chain, the second array being positioned along the pin chain to irradiate the outer surface of the oncoming can at a second angle, different from the first angle;
• and
• corner cube reflector material strategically positioned relative to each station substantially orthogonal to a tangent of the outer surfaces of the cans and between arrays such that irradiation reflected from the outer surface of the cans subsequently reflects off the corner cube reflector material back to substantially a location on the outer surface of the cans proximate to where the irradiation originally reflected.

A system for use in a can manufacturing inside coating and curing process wherein coating has been sprayed onto an inside surface of a can, the system comprising:

• a can handling system configured to serially move production cans into at least one curing zone;
• arrays of semiconductor-based narrowband irradiation devices positioned to individually and electrically heat inside surfaces of each can moved into a curing zone using optical elements positioned outside the open end of the can such that the coating on the inside surface of each successive can in a series of production cans is brought to a critical temperature to produce a linking curing process in the coating, in less than 20 seconds to prevent de-tempering or annealing from occurring in the can;
• and,
• a ventilation system to carry vapor, including at least volatile organic compounds, to a thermal or catalytic destruction unit, wherein the ventilation system maintains the vapor at a minimum threshold temperature.