As a relative newcomer to the adhesive industry, LED curing lights continue to evolve with the goal of replacing mercury arc curing lamps, the industry standard for more than twenty‐five years. The evolution of LED curing lights is driven by promises of lower operating costs and “green” attributes. Experts predict LED curing lights will evolve over time to dominate the light‐curable adhesive field.

But similar to biological evolution, some technical adaptations succeed to become a permanent part of an industry, while other adaptations fail, leading to technological extinction. In the evolution of LED curing lights, performance failures in the marketplace have cost manufacturers time and money. Application failures have also spawned misinformation and apprehension in the industry.

To avoid failure in specifying new light‐curable adhesive, coating, or pottings processes— given the rate of change in the technology—current, authoritative information is required for sound purchasing decisions. Select LED curing lights for which the natural selection process is moving in the right direction. You want to avoid purchasing equipment headed for extinction.

Since LED curing‐light performance is inseparable from light‐curable chemistry characteristics, complete solution providers (companies advancing the LED curing light AND formulation evolutionary paths) are strongly positioned to provide dependable information and robust products.

In this article, we will attempt to bust the myths, demonstrate the realities, and provide the latest information about LED curing‐light technology. In busting the myths, we will highlight the technical variables to consider when evaluating LED curing lights, and provide a informed basis for evaluating LED technology performance claims.