SunSpot 2: Compare & choose, every question, answered
60 answers below, written from the manufacturer's manuals and our own bench experience. Prefer to tap through them? The same answers power the live chat in the corner. Ready to buy? See the SunSpot 2 or request a quote.
SunSpot 2 or SkyBeam, quick answer?
Pick the SunSpot 2 when your adhesive needs broad-spectrum output (UVB/UVC or visible content) or the hottest UVA on the bench; pick the SkyBeam when you're integrating four independently timed LED channels into an automated line with PLC or RS-232 control.
SunSpot 2 or SkyWand, which do I need?
The SunSpot 2 is a benchtop or machine-mounted source with a timer, shutter and regulated dose for repeatable production curing. The SkyWand is a cordless handheld LED lamp for rework, field repair, and parts too large or awkward for the bench.
If the part comes to the process, choose the SunSpot 2; if the process must go to the part, choose the SkyWand.
Do I need a bench system, or is a handheld enough?
For validated, repeatable production work you want a bench system: the SunSpot 2 gives you a 0–99 second timer, a shutter, and lamp power regulated to plus or minus 1 percent. A handheld like the SkyWand shines for rework and oversized assemblies, not dose-controlled production.
What's the real difference between arc and LED?
Spectrum. The SunSpot 2's mercury arc emits a continuous 275–650 nm band, UVB, UVA and visible together, while LED systems emit a narrow band at one wavelength (365, 385, 395 or 405 nm).
Broadband cures the widest range of chemistries; LEDs trade breadth for instant on/off and 20,000-hour source life.
When is the arc lamp the only right choice?
When the adhesive datasheet calls for UVB/UVC or visible content, when a surface-inhibited chemistry needs short wavelengths to cure tack-free, or when you run many different formulations and need one source that covers them all.
When is an LED system the better buy?
When your adhesive cures at a single LED wavelength and you value instant on/off, 20,000-hour source life, and per-channel programmability, that's SkyBeam territory, especially on automated lines.
Intermittent, stop-start usage also favors LEDs since arc lamps prefer to run continuously.
Which delivers more intensity?
The SunSpot 2 tops the range at more than 18,000 mW/cm² UVA (320–390 nm) at the guide tip. The SkyBeam peaks at 11,000 mW/cm² at 365 nm with a 3 mm spot, stepping down to 5,600 at 6 mm and 1,500 at 12 mm.
How do the spectra compare?
SunSpot 2: continuous 275–650 nm broadband. SkyBeam: your choice of 365, 385, 395 or 405 nm per light guide. SkyWand: 365 or 405 nm, specified at order.
How does warm-up compare?
The SunSpot 2's arc lamp needs 1–2 minutes to warm up and 2–5 minutes of cool-down before a hot re-strike. The LED systems are instant on/off with no warm-up at all.
In practice the arc warms up once per shift and the shutter handles everything after that, so the difference matters most for intermittent use.
How do source lifetimes compare?
The SunSpot 2's quick-change lamp typically exceeds 2,000 hours; SkyBeam LEDs run about 20,000 hours; the SkyWand's LED needs no lamp changes at all (its batteries are rated 300–500 charge cycles).
Four poles vs four channels, what's the difference?
The SunSpot 2 splits one lamp across up to four light-guide legs that all fire together on one shutter and timer. The SkyBeam drives four truly independent channels, each with its own timer, intensity and life log.
Same exposure at every point: SunSpot 2 is simpler and one lamp does it all. Different recipes per point: SkyBeam.
I need different exposure times per bond point.
Then the SkyBeam is your system, each of its four channels has an independent 0–999.9 second timer. The SunSpot 2's multi-pole legs share a single shutter, so all points receive the same exposure.
Which integrates more deeply with a PLC?
The SkyBeam offers RS-232 serial control plus signal ports, a safety interlock and a key-lock. The SunSpot 2 provides discrete 24 V and TTL-level signals on its 9-pin DSUB, lamp on/off, shutter, hour-meter reset, and ignited/ready outputs.
For serial recipe control choose SkyBeam; for straightforward discrete-I/O handshaking the SunSpot 2 integrates cleanly with the UV2156 cable.
Which is the most portable?
The SkyWand, cordless, battery-powered and handheld. The SunSpot 2 is a compact 5.92-pound benchtop unit that moves easily between benches but needs AC power, and the SkyBeam is a 3.25-pound benchtop controller.
My datasheet just says 365 nm. Which system?
A 365 nm LED system covers it, SkyBeam for the bench and line, SkyWand for handheld work. The SunSpot 2 also cures it (365 nm sits in its UVA band) and adds headroom if you later adopt chemistries that need broader output.
Datasheet specifies a mercury or broadband lamp.
That's the SunSpot 2, full stop, its 200 W mercury short-arc reproduces the broadband UVB/UVA/visible output those datasheets assume, which no single-wavelength LED can match.
LED leaves my parts tacky. Would the arc fix that?
Very likely. Tacky surfaces are the classic symptom of a surface-inhibited chemistry that needs short UVB wavelengths, which the SunSpot 2's arc produces and single-wavelength LEDs don't.
For stubborn cases the heat filter can be removed and a UVB-enhanced lamp installed.
How should I think about running costs?
The SunSpot 2 consumes a replaceable lamp (2,000+ hours) and a liquid guide typically lasting one to two years, drawing up to 4.7 A at 120 V. The SkyBeam's 20,000-hour LEDs draw 1.0 A max with no lamp changes.
Higher consumables on the arc side buy you the broadband spectrum and the highest UVA intensity, weigh that against your chemistry needs.
Which system costs less?
List prices: SkyWand $790, SkyBeam $2,900, SunSpot 2 $4,220. The right pick is still process fit, spectrum, intensity, and where the cure happens, and volume or OEM tiers can change the comparison on multi-unit orders.
Are the listed prices the final price?
List prices are published on each product page, $4,220 for the SunSpot 2, excluding tax and shipping. Configuration choices (voltage, light guides, lamps) and volume or OEM tiers are quoted, with a response within one business day.
Why not just use a UV flood lamp?
A flood exposes the whole assembly, including everything that shouldn't see UV or heat, and demands large shielding. A spot source puts the energy only where the adhesive is, scatter is minimal, and shielding is far easier to build.
Spot intensity is also concentrated: more than 18 W/cm² UVA at the tip cures in seconds.
Spot curing vs an oven, what do I gain?
Seconds of fixturing instead of hours. Oven-cure epoxies tie up racks and work-in-progress, thermal-cycle every joint on the assembly, and stress dissimilar-material bonds as they cool; a timed spot cure does none of that.
Can't I just cure parts in sunlight or by a window?
You can gel some resins that way, but it's slow and utterly unrepeatable, window glass blocks most UV, and intensity swings with weather and season. The SunSpot 2 delivers a regulated, timed dose that's identical part after part.
How is this better than a cheap UV flashlight?
Production curing needs a known, repeatable dose. The SunSpot 2 gives you regulated lamp power (plus or minus 1 percent), a 0–99 second shutter timer, safety interlocks, radiometer-verifiable output, and a 2-year warranty, the things a bare lamp can't.
I'm replacing an old broadband spot curer.
The SunSpot 2 is the natural successor: a 200 W broadband arc with modern regulation, quick-change lamps, and UVA-, UVB- and visible-enhanced lamp options to match whatever spectrum your validated process was built on.
We already run LED lines. Why add an arc?
Many labs keep an arc system alongside their LED lines precisely because the 275–650 nm broadband covers chemistries the LEDs can't, surface-inhibited formulations, dual-cure systems, and anything specifying UVB or visible content.
Which is right for validated medical assembly?
If your adhesive cures at 365 nm, the SkyBeam's stored per-channel recipes and life logs suit ISO-style validation nicely. If the chemistry needs broadband output, the SunSpot 2's regulated lamp, timed shutter and radiometer checks deliver the same dose discipline.
Which for a PCB tacking cell?
On an automated line staking several points per index with PLC handshaking, the 4-channel SkyBeam fits naturally. For benchtop work, short runs, or older broadband-cure staking formulations, the SunSpot 2 covers any chemistry you throw at it.
Which for potting and encapsulation?
The SunSpot 2, its broad spectrum penetrates thick encapsulant sections and fully cures surface-inhibited and dual-cure chemistries that single-wavelength LEDs leave tacky, and one lamp cures a whole dam-and-fill perimeter through a 4-pole guide.
Which for field repair and rework?
The SkyWand, cordless and handheld with constant output that won't fade on a low battery, it takes the cure to parts that can't come to the bench. Keep the SunSpot 2 for the bench work it was built for.
Which for optics and photonics assembly?
Either works thermally: the SunSpot 2's dichroic reflector and heat filter strip nearly all IR, and LEDs are inherently low-IR, so neither shifts alignment as the joint cures. Let the adhesive decide: broadband chemistry means SunSpot 2, single-wavelength means SkyBeam.
Which handles multi-shift production duty?
The SunSpot 2 is explicitly designed for continuous operation, regulated supply, IR-controlled dual-fan cooling, surge/over-temp/hot-restrike protection, and shutter auto-dimming that stretches lamp life across long shifts.
The SkyBeam is equally at home running continuously, with convection cooling and 20,000-hour sources.
How do size and weight compare?
SunSpot 2: 10.51 x 8.64 x 4.05 inches, 5.92 pounds. SkyBeam controller: 6.63 x 3.62 x 5.91 inches, 3.25 pounds. SkyWand: a cordless handheld that ships in a carry case.
How do power inputs compare?
The SunSpot 2 is factory-set for 100–120 VAC (UV1853) or 200–240 VAC (UV2132). The SkyBeam accepts 90–264 VAC wide-range with power-factor correction. The SkyWand runs on swappable Li-ion batteries, no cord at all.
What ships in the box with each system?
SunSpot 2: 200 W UVA lamp module, heat filter, 1 m x 5 mm liquid guide, foot pedal, shade-5.0 glasses, AC cord and manual. SkyBeam: controller, ordered LED guides, foot switch, keys, cord, glasses, manual. SkyWand: lamp, charger, two batteries, goggles, carry case.
Are warranty and returns the same across systems?
Yes, every system carries a 2-year OEM warranty backed by Uvitron International, and we take 30-day returns on unused equipment.
Are all three in stock? How fast do they ship?
Yes, all three systems are stocked and ship in 24–48 hours from West Springfield, Massachusetts.
Could the SkyWand replace my bench system?
Not for dose-controlled production, it's a single-trigger handheld with no exposure timer, so dose depends on the operator. It's superb as a companion to the SunSpot 2 for rework and assemblies that won't fit a fixture.
Does the SunSpot 2 actually cure faster than LEDs?
It has the higher peak UVA, over 18,000 mW/cm² versus the SkyBeam's 11,000 at a 3 mm spot, and its broadband output couples energy into more of the adhesive's photoinitiator absorption. Real-world speed still depends on your specific chemistry and dose requirement.
Isn't an arc lamp hot compared with LED?
At the part, no, the SunSpot 2's dichroic reflector and in-line heat filter remove nearly all the unusable heat from the beam, which is why it's specified for heat-sensitive substrates. The heat that the lamp does make stays in the fan-cooled chassis.
Which needs the least maintenance?
The LED systems, no lamp changes for roughly 20,000 hours. The SunSpot 2 asks for periodic fan-filter cleaning, a lamp swap after 2,000-plus hours, and a liquid guide replacement every one to two years under normal use.
What consumables should I budget for?
For the SunSpot 2: replacement lamp modules (UV1866 UVA, UV2170 UVB, UV4792 visible), light guides, fan-filter elements (UV2304) and fuses (UV2136). The LED systems have essentially no scheduled consumables beyond SkyWand batteries.
How loud are these systems?
Quiet enough for any lab bench. The SunSpot 2's temperature-regulated dual DC fans are managed specifically to minimize audible noise, and the SkyBeam controller is convection-cooled, effectively silent.
We're a job shop running many adhesives. Which one?
The SunSpot 2, one broadband source spanning 275–650 nm covers the widest spread of chemistries without swapping hardware, and optional UVB- and visible-enhanced lamps extend it further.
I haven't picked an adhesive yet. What now?
Start with the adhesive: shortlist candidates for your substrates, then read the wavelength and dose each datasheet requires. Broadband keeps every option open; if the shortlist settles on 365–405 nm chemistry, LED becomes viable too.
Tell us your substrates and cycle time on a quote request and we'll help you line up source and chemistry together.
Curing 4 points: 4-pole SunSpot or 4-channel SkyBeam?
If all four points share one adhesive and exposure, the SunSpot 2 with a 4-pole guide is the simpler, single-lamp answer. If points need different timers, intensities, or wavelengths, the SkyBeam's independent channels win.
Can one system run different wavelengths per station?
The SkyBeam can, each of its four channels holds its own wavelength head (365, 385, 395 or 405 nm). The SunSpot 2 delivers its full broadband spectrum through every leg of a multi-pole guide, which often makes per-station wavelength selection unnecessary.
Which cures deepest through thick sections?
Depth of cure rides on the longer wavelengths, and the SunSpot 2's output runs through the visible range to 650 nm, beyond any of the LED options, which is why our bonding-and-potting note recommends it for thick encapsulant sections.
Does anything here reach UVB or UVC?
Only the SunSpot 2, its radiation flux starts at 275 nm, spanning the top of the UVC band and all of UVB. The LED systems start at 365 nm, so short-wavelength surface-cure work is arc territory.
We cure a few parts an hour, on and off. Which?
Intermittent duty favors LED: instant on/off with no warm-up and no life penalty for cycling. The SunSpot 2 prefers to stay lit through the work period, its shutter and auto-dimming handle gaps under thirty minutes gracefully, but frequent cold starts shorten lamp life.
Best choice for an occasional-use lab bench?
If your chemistries are 365–405 nm, a SkyBeam (or SkyWand for hand work) keeps things simple with zero warm-up. If you need broadband coverage even occasionally, the SunSpot 2 remains the one tool that cures everything.
High-volume line running one adhesive, which?
If that adhesive is LED-curable, the SkyBeam's four channels, PLC I/O and RS-232 make it the line-integration favorite. If it needs broadband, machine-mount the SunSpot 2, it's designed for continuous volume production with full remote control.
Can I see the specs side by side?
Yes, our Compare Systems page puts the SunSpot 2, SkyBeam and SkyWand in one table, sourced from the manufacturers' instruction manuals, and lets you toggle any two for a head-to-head view.
Do SunSpot 2 and SkyBeam share light guides?
No, the SunSpot 2 uses liquid-filled or fiber guides (5 mm and 8 mm, single or multi-pole), while the SkyBeam uses its own LED light guides with 6 and 12 mm lenses, specified at order. Plan accessories per system.
How do the safety features compare?
The SunSpot 2 has two hardware interlocks, the shutter locks closed without a seated light guide, and power cuts when the lamp panel opens. The SkyBeam adds a safety interlock circuit and key-lock; the SkyWand relies on its trigger and included shade-5.0 goggles.
Shade-5.0 UV/IR eyewear ships with every system.
Which is easiest for operators to learn?
The SkyWand is a one-trigger tool. The SunSpot 2 is nearly as simple on the bench: set the timer, aim the guide, tap the pedal. The SkyBeam trades a little more setup (per-channel programming) for line-level flexibility.
Who makes these systems? Where do they ship from?
They're manufactured by Uvitron International of West Springfield, Massachusetts. We're UV Spot Shop, a US-based supplier, stocked systems ship from the US in 24–48 hours with a 2-year OEM warranty.
What does broad-spectrum actually buy me?
Three things: short UVB wavelengths that cure surface-inhibited chemistries tack-free, long UVA/visible wavelengths that penetrate thick or tinted adhesive, and one source that covers nearly every photo-initiated formulation on the market.
Give me the one-line decision rule.
SunSpot 2 for broadband chemistry and maximum intensity on the bench; SkyBeam for independently timed LED channels on an automated line; SkyWand when the cure has to travel to the part.
Our Compare page walks through the same logic with the full spec table.
Can you help me choose the right system?
Absolutely, that's what we do. Send a quote request with your adhesive, substrate, and cycle time, and our US-based team will recommend the system, light guide and exposure settings that fit, with a written quote back within one business day.
