In this economy, savvy companies are trying to stretch cash outlay and
bolster their bottom line. They have chosen UV inkjet printers for low
volume and prototype work because of the considerable savings in terms
of prepress time and substrate waste.
UV
system terminology
Inkjet printers use one or two UV systems depending on machine design.
Each system has these common components.
Lamp
housing- normally
mounted on one or both sides of printing carriage. This assembly
contains the UV reflector, cooling apparatus, mechanical shutter and
quartz isolation plate (optional). Most of these components are
permanent in nature requiring periodic cleaning.
UV
lamp (bulb)-heart
of your curing system. This is the main consumable item responsible for
ink curing.
Typical UV lamp housings
Inkjet lamp housing maintenance
Taking care of your printer’s curing system is an easy way to reduce
machine costs. Most inkjet UV lamps are air cooled hence they must live
with whatever air is provided. Lamps must be kept clean, free of dust,
powder, grease, smoke and misting ink. Often, shop contaminants will
blow over the lamp sticking to the quartz literally baking onto the
surface. This reduces UV energy and may cause bulb overheating.
Bulbs and reflectors require inspection every 150 hours of operation.
If lamp has external contamination or reflector surface is dull, clean
immediately! Use a lint free cloth with Windex or Simple Green to
clean. Do not waste your money on special UV lamp cleaners as they have
dubious value! If solvents are permitted, use isopropyl alcohol.
For extreme cases, use a mild abrasive such as Soft Scrub to clean the
UV lamp. Be sure to rinse any residue off the glass before reinstalling
lamp.
The same cleaning
schedule applies to the quartz plate utilized in many systems. To
maximize curing efficiency, keep your system clean. TCS
Technologies offers replacement quartz plates at a fraction of the OEM
component.
Most inkjet manufacturers have their own proprietary curing system
design. The hope is to maintain replacement parts business. This does
not mean every quartz plate, filter or replacement UV lamp is only
available from the OEM. Search the internet; you will discover
companies offering alternative components at a discount.
Most lamp housings incorporate one or two cooling fans to maintain bulb
temperature. Most have a filter screen to prevent dust and dirt from
being blown onto the UV bulb. Regularly clean the filter to maintain
cooling efficiency. The higher the bulb power, the more heat created.
Most lamp assemblies have a thermal safety switch. This shuts off the
UV lamp in case of excess temperature. Clean the screen or replace it
regularly. Environmental factors (shop-air, etc) can accelerate filter
clogging.
Some
printers
use an all-in-one cassette system containing both the lamp and
reflector. The only way to purchase a new lamp from the OEM is
replace the entire assembly. Rather than replace the entire cassette,
TCS Technologies will clean your existing cassette and install a new UV
lamp for a cost savings 60% or more. We polish the reflector,
remove any ink or dust deposits, recycle your old lamp and install a
brand new TCS Technologies UV lamp. Typical turnaround at our facility
is one day. This minimizes downtime while maximizing savings.
Maintaining your UV inkjet assembly it not complicated or time
consuming. The rewards are immediate and benefits long lasting.
UV lamp life
Bulb
life
UV
lamp (bulb) life depends on many factors including number of starts,
thermal operating conditions, power rating, additives and proper
handling. Simply defined, it is the hours the lamp produces enough UV
energy to properly cure the ink within the available exposure time.
The
initial 200 to 250 hours of operation (idol time plus active print
time), the UV output is stable. Between 250 and 450 operation hours,
output decreases, eventually resulting in insufficient UV curing
energy. Some inkjet printers have the ability to change lamp power
settings. Switching to medium or high power increases UV output,
however heat is also increased. There may be a fine balance between
acceptable UV output and heat generation. Another option is to
maintain heat loading by slowing print speed while the UV lamp is at
low power. This option is mostly available with standard mercury
filled lamps. Some lamps are additive filled. They produce higher
levels of UV; however, they do not last as long and normally cannot
be run at low power.
Each
lamp startup reduces UV lamp life. Adjust printing schedule to keep
lamp starts to a minimum. The fact that the lamp lights is not an
indication of proper UV output. Most UV lamps will continue to
operate long after their useful life has expired.
TCS
Technologies - Wide Format Digital Inkjet UV Printing Lamps Manufacturer of ultraviolet (UV) curing lamps and quartz plates-UV inkjet lamps, flatbed UV lamps, Subzero replacement lamps and UV curing parts suitable for all known UV curing systems
