SunSpot 2: Automation & integration, every question, answered
56 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.
Can I control the SunSpot 2 from a PLC?
Yes. The rear-panel 9-pin DSUB connector exposes control and monitoring signals for remote operation via PLC, switches or relays, and the optional UV2156 PLC I/O control cable makes the wiring straightforward.
What signals are on the DSUB connector?
Three inputs, lamp on/off, exposure shutter open/close, and lamp hour-meter reset, plus two 24 VDC monitoring outputs: lamp ignited and lamp ready.
That set covers a full production handshake: your controller fires the shutter, watches ready/ignited status, and zeroes the hour meter after a lamp change.
Foot pedal or PLC, do I have to choose?
The single DSUB port serves either: plug in the pedal for benchtop work, or connect your own switches, relays or PLC outputs through the UV2156 cable for a fixtured cell.
The manual's figure 4 shows a worked example with pushbuttons for shutter and hour-meter reset, a lamp-off switch, and status relays.
What logic level opens the shutter?
The shutter input is active-low: LOW opens the shutter. It accepts a TTL-compatible signal (HIGH at 2.0 V or more, LOW at 0.8 V or less, 5.0 V max) or a PLC open-collector isolated output.
What voltage are the other interface signals?
All signals other than the shutter input are 24 VDC type. You can drive and read them using the unit's own 24 V output or an external isolated 24 V supply.
The system provides 24 V at 0.5 A for fan/auxiliary use, which covers typical interface relays.
How does the remote lamp on/off input work?
It's active-low: holding the lamp on/off input LOW turns the lamp off, so your line controller can extinguish the arc remotely, for an idle line or an end-of-shift sequence, for example.
If a unit mysteriously won't ignite, check that this pin (pin 5) isn't being held LOW by external wiring.
Can I reset the lamp hour meter remotely?
Yes, drive the hour-meter reset input HIGH to zero the counter, typically right after a lamp replacement so the meter tracks the new lamp's age.
What does the Lamp Ignited output tell me?
It's a 24 VDC output that goes HIGH once the arc has struck, use it to confirm the lamp is actually running before your sequence proceeds.
What does the Lamp Ready output tell me?
Lamp Ready is a 24 VDC active-low output that asserts when the warm-up cycle completes and the lamp reaches stable output intensity. Gate your cure cycles on it so no part is exposed during ramp-up.
How does the PLC control exposure duration?
Set the front-panel Timer Mode switch to Manual: the shutter then stays open exactly as long as your external signal is held, so the PLC owns the exposure timing.
Alternatively, leave it in Timed mode and pulse the input, the on-board 0–99 second timer then controls the duration.
How does Timed mode work with a trigger?
In Timed mode, one pedal press (or external pulse) opens the shutter for the preset duration; pressing again stops the exposure early. The timer setting is on the front panel.
Is it suited to automated production lines?
Yes, the brochure describes speedy curing compatible with high-speed production automation equipment, and the chassis is designed for machine mounting with full remote control over the DSUB interface.
How do I machine-mount the chassis?
Remove the four 6-32 mounting-feet screws, pass them through your mounting plate, back through the feet, and into the threaded fasteners in the chassis base. If you use longer screws, penetration must not exceed 5/16 inch into the chassis.
The manual's figure 2 gives the mounting-hole positions.
How much clearance does the unit need?
Keep 12 inches clear behind the unit for the filtered inlet and exhaust airflow, and mount it on a hard, flat surface in a clean, low-dust area.
Dust clogs the fan filters and coats the optics, which slowly erodes UV output.
What is the UV2156 cable?
It's Uvitron's PLC I/O control cable, the ready-made interface between your PLC and the SunSpot 2's rear 9-pin DSUB connector, so you don't have to build a harness from scratch.
Can relays report lamp status to my panel?
Yes, the manual's interface schematic shows exactly that: one relay driven by the Lamp Ready output and another by Lamp Ignited, alongside pushbuttons for shutter open and hour-meter reset and a switch for lamp off.
How fast can I cycle exposures?
As fast as your process needs, the shutter gates the light while the lamp keeps running, so there's no re-warm delay between cures. Typical exposures run 1–10 seconds plus your indexing time.
With the shutter closed the lamp auto-dims, saving power and lamp life between parts without losing readiness.
Should the lamp run continuously during a shift?
Yes, the system is designed for continuous operation. Leave the lamp on with the shutter closed for breaks under thirty minutes; frequent on/off cycling shortens lamp life.
Shutter-closed auto-dimming reduces power draw and heating while the lamp stays hot and ready.
How do I handshake warm-up at power-on?
Allow the 1–2 minute warm-up after ignition; the front-panel Ready LED and the DSUB Lamp Ready output signal when output is stable. The shutter will not open until warm-up completes.
What happens after a power interruption?
Hot-strike protection prevents a hot lamp from restarting; it re-ignites automatically once it cools, typically 2 to 5 minutes. If the 3-minute ignition retry timeout trips, cycle AC power off for 5 seconds to reset it.
Can one unit cure several fixture points at once?
Yes, split the lamp with a bifurcated or multi-pole light guide into up to four legs and cure up to four points simultaneously in one shutter cycle, with no additional lamp systems.
Do fiber multi-pole guides need balancing?
Generally not, Uvitron's long-life fiber multi-pole guides randomize individual fibers from the input bundle, which distributes light evenly between legs. The more economical liquid multi-pole guides are the ones that may need the rotary balancing procedure.
Which multi-pole guides are available?
Liquid: 2-pole UV2168 and 4-pole UV2587 (1 m, 5 mm common end). Fiber: 2-pole in 1, 1.5 and 2 m lengths (UV3702/UV3703/UV3704, plus metal-sheathed UV0575), 3-pole UV2005, and 4-pole UV0794/UV0795.
Any tips for fixturing the light guide?
The flexible guide routes into fixtures and machine end-effectors easily, just avoid tight bends, which cut UV output and shorten guide life, and keep the shutter closed whenever a cure isn't in progress.
Lock the tip 0.5 to 3 inches from the work; closer gives a smaller, more intense spot.
Does bending the light guide reduce output?
Yes, bending significantly reduces UV output and shortens guide life, so route it in gentle curves through your fixture. Prolonged UV exposure and heat also age the guide, which is why the shutter should stay closed between cures.
What if the guide comes loose in an automated cell?
A safety interlock forces the shutter closed whenever the light guide is removed or not fully seated, so UV can't scatter into the work area even if the cell runs unattended.
Is there an interlock on the lamp compartment?
Yes, a second interlock cuts input power whenever the lamp access panel is removed or not fully closed, protecting technicians from high voltage and UV exposure behind the panel.
Can I lock the intensity so operators can't change it?
Yes, the front-panel intensity control has a locking dial, and the light-guide insertion depth locks with the receptacle's handle thumbscrew. Set your validated levels and fix them in place.
How repeatable is the dose part-to-part?
Lamp power is regulated to within plus or minus 1.0 percent by a tightly regulated switch-mode supply, which the manual credits with very consistent light output and very repeatable cure times.
Combine that with the timed shutter and locked intensity settings and every part sees the same exposure.
How do bench operators trigger cures?
With the included foot pedal, hands stay on the part. In Timed mode a tap delivers the preset exposure; in Manual mode the shutter stays open while the pedal is held.
Can I abort an exposure mid-cycle?
Yes, in Timed mode, pressing the foot pedal a second time stops the exposure early. In Manual mode, simply releasing the pedal or dropping the external signal closes the shutter.
What should go in the maintenance log?
Record initial lamp intensity (with a radiometer) and lamp hours when the system is new, then log readings and maintenance events over time. Those baselines tell you when the lamp, optics, or guide need attention.
What is the lamp hour meter for?
It tracks arc-lamp age so you can schedule replacement. Record the reading whenever you change the lamp, and reset the meter to zero through the rear DSUB connector.
When should production cells replace the lamp?
The lamp typically lasts more than 2,000 hours before output falls to 50 percent of initial intensity. Track output with a radiometer and replace when your process window demands, or simply swap at roughly 2,000 hours.
On/off cycling shortens lamp life, which is another reason to run continuously through a shift.
How long does a lamp change take?
Minutes, once cool, the 200 W lamp/reflector module is a quick-change cartridge behind a three-thumbscrew access panel. Power down, unplug, and wait at least 15 minutes for hot components to cool first.
Production cells keep a spare UV1866 module on the shelf so end-of-life never stops the line.
What power does the cell need to supply?
UV1853 runs on 100–120 VAC and UV2132 on 200–240 VAC, each plus or minus 10 percent, 47–63 Hz, single phase. Maximum input current is 4.7 A at 120 V or 2.5 A at 240 V.
Can one unit switch between 120 V and 240 V?
No, each unit is factory-configured for one input voltage, and connecting to the wrong supply can cause malfunction or permanent damage. Order UV1853 for 120 VAC or UV2132 for 240 VAC.
What protections are built into the supply?
Inrush current limiting, line-voltage surge, short-circuit and open-circuit protection, hot re-strike protection, over-temperature shutdown at 65 degrees C internal, and a 3-minute ignition retry timeout.
How is it cooled, and what upkeep is needed?
Dual filtered DC fans regulated by a lamp IR sensor cool the optics and electronics. The foam fan filters snap out for periodic washing in mild detergent; replacement elements are part UV2304.
Clogged filters restrict airflow and can trigger the over-temperature protection, so keep them clean in dusty plants.
How do I shield an automated curing station?
Use sheet metal, UV-blocking acrylic, polycarbonate, or welding curtains. Spot systems deliver light to a small localized area, so scatter is minimal and effective shielding is easier to build than for flood sources.
What PPE do operators near the cell need?
UV/IR protective eyewear, shade 5.0 glasses ship with the system (UV0496 fit-over style; UV2232 sport contour also available), plus protective clothing and cotton gloves for exposed skin.
Never look directly at the light-guide output, with or without UV glasses.
What ambient conditions does it tolerate?
Operating range is +10 to +40 degrees C (50–104 F) at 30–75 percent relative humidity, non-condensing. Storage is 0 to +60 degrees C.
What are the footprint and weight?
The chassis measures 10.51 x 8.64 x 4.05 inches and weighs 5.92 pounds without the light guide and pedal, compact enough for a bench corner or a machine frame.
What actually gates the light, lamp or shutter?
A timer-controlled mechanical shutter. The arc lamp runs continuously while the shutter precisely regulates each exposure, which is what makes second-accurate, repeatable dosing possible.
What does shutter-closed auto-dimming buy me?
When the shutter closes, the lamp automatically dims, extending lamp life and cutting power consumption and heating between cures, while the lamp stays hot enough to deliver full intensity the instant the shutter reopens.
Shutter won't open from my PLC. What do I check?
Four things: the light guide is fully seated (its interlock blocks the shutter), lamp warm-up is complete (wait for Lamp Ready), the DSUB connector is seated with locking screws tight, and the shutter signal at pin 1 is actually being pulled LOW.
Lamp won't ignite with my wiring attached. Why?
Check whether your wiring holds the lamp-off input (pin 5) LOW, that signal commands the lamp off. Also rule out hot-strike protection (wait 2–5 minutes) and the 3-minute ignition retry timeout, which resets by cycling AC power for 5 seconds.
Does the DSUB supply power for my interface circuit?
Yes, the connector carries the unit's +24 V and 24 V return lines, and the supply provides 24 V at 0.5 A for auxiliary use, enough for interface relays and status indicators.
An external isolated 24 V supply works too if you prefer galvanic separation.
Is there a pinout for the rear connector?
Yes, per the manual's schematics: pin 1 shutter open, pin 2 lamp ready, pin 3 hour-meter reset, pin 4 lamp ignited, pin 5 lamp off, pins 7 and 8 +24 V, pins 6 and 9 24 V return.
Section 2.4 of the manual includes the full wiring diagram (figure 4) with example switches and relays.
Can it sync with a dispensing station?
Yes, have your line controller finish the dispense, then assert the shutter input. In Manual timer mode the exposure lasts exactly as long as your signal; the Lamp Ready output confirms the source is stable before the cycle starts.
Four cure stations, one unit or several?
If all four points can share one exposure time, a 4-pole light guide from a single SunSpot 2 is the economical route. If each station needs independent timing, use separate units, each has its own DSUB interface for the PLC.
How do I keep dose consistent shift after shift?
Lock the intensity dial and guide depth, run the timed shutter for exposure, and verify output at the guide tip with a radiometer on a fixed schedule against your logged baseline.
A 20 percent drop from baseline is the signal to service the guide or replace the lamp.
Is there a warm-up delay between parts?
No. Warm-up happens once at ignition (1–2 minutes); after that the shutter gates every exposure while the lamp stays hot, so part-to-part cycling has no re-warming period.
How should an E-stop chain tie in?
Wire your safety chain to the DSUB inputs: dropping the shutter signal closes the shutter immediately, and pulling the lamp-off input LOW extinguishes the lamp. The guide and access-panel interlocks add hardware-level protection underneath.
How do I think about throughput?
Cycle time is exposure plus part handling: exposures typically run 1–4 seconds for tacking and 2–10 seconds for bonding or potting, and a multi-pole guide cures up to four points per cycle from the one lamp.
Because the shutter, not the lamp, gates each cure, the source itself adds no dead time between parts.
Where is the interface wiring documented?
Section 2.4 (External Interface Wiring) of the SunSpot 2 instruction manual, it includes the signal table and a full example schematic (figure 4) showing switches, pushbuttons and status relays wired to the rear DSUB.
