On press checks and at the rework bench, nobody has time to wait for a mainline curer to come up to temperature or for a power cord to reach the substrate. UV ink stays wet, adhesives stay tacky, and the job stops. We built a handheld, battery-powered UV curing lamp to clear that jam: instant-on, high-intensity output that hits production-level cure performance in the spots a full-width line simply can’t reach. What matters under the hood This unit holds a stable 365nm spectral output, tuned for mercury-vapor photoinitiator response in offset, flexo, and screen UV inks. Peak irradiance at the window hits ≥1,200 mW/cm², so you get fast cross-linking with typical single-pass energy density of 800–1,200 mJ/cm² at a 10–15 mm working distance. The lamp head uses a dichroic-coated reflector to shape the beam and keep UV output from bleeding off. An ozone-free quartz envelope keeps operator exposure down and makes it workable in semi-confined areas. A 24 V lithium battery pack keeps it running 45–60 minutes at full power on a 100% duty cycle, and you can fast-recharge in about an hour. Total weight stays under 1.2 kg, and the trigger is shaped so you can run it with gloves on. Why it fits the way we work You get curing-grade intensity without line power and without the heat-soak delay. On press, you can lock down micro-sets and knock out pinholes the moment they show up. Off press, it fixes scuffed UV coatings, bonds small assemblies, and spot-cures adhesives without having to push the whole substrate through a tunnel. That translates to fewer stoppages, more consistent ink transfer on subsequent passes, and less scrap from uncured contamination. Battery power also cuts cable drag and trip hazards, so the operator can put the beam exactly where the defect is. The details that keep you out of trouble Cure speed still depends on the ink formulation and film thickness—high pigment load and thick films can mean slower sweeps or multiple passes. Match the working distance to the beam profile; too far and energy density drops off, too close and shadowing gets worse. The lamp head runs hot at full output. Use intermittent duty when you can, and let it cool before you stow it. It plays best with standard UV inks; LED-formulated systems may need wavelength and intensity tuning to land right.