Today, the use of UV technology in the printing industry is expanding significantly, and of course, the Iranian printing industry is no exception. The fact that many printing industry activists in Iran have recently converted their printing machinery systems to UV printing systems shows the advantages of UV printing over traditional printing.
This article attempts to explain the advantages of UV printing so that readers can better understand and use UV technology in their work areas. The advantages of UV printing are related to the properties of UV inks and coatings. For example, in the image below, a UV lamp is used in the tampo pad printing process.
Advantages of UV printing
UV inks and coatings only dry when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, there is no longer any concern about the ink drying and sticking to the printer when the printer is not working.
Due to the fact that UV inks maintain their liquid form, cleaning the printer is faster and easier.
UV inks dry instantly when exposed to ultraviolet light, while traditional inks take longer to dry.
UV lamps are less energy-intensive than thermal drying ovens.
The surface quality of UV printing is higher than other conventional printing methods.
UV materials are not made up of solvents and volatile compounds. While 40% of conventional inks are made up of solvents and volatile compounds. For this reason, the volume of UV printing does not decrease after drying.
Care and maintenance of UV lamps
To extend the life of the lamps, there are some things that should be observed in the maintenance of UV lamps. 3 of the main points explained below help increase the life and efficiency of the UV lamp.
1- Excessive starting of the UV lamp
Avoid repeatedly turning on the lamp from a cold state. When the lamp starts, the pressure inside the lamp is low. During this time, the performance of the electrodes is poor and tungsten is thrown from the electrodes into the lamp. This condition causes dirt spots inside the lamp, which leads to premature lamp failure. Therefore, the lamp should be started at high power to minimize the time the lamp spends in the start mode.
Frequent starting of the lamp causes premature darkening of the lamp ends, and this blackness gradually extends into the lamp body and ultimately leads to a decrease in lamp performance. For this reason, it is better to do all the tasks that need to be UVed in series at one time and with one start, as much as possible.
2- Check the reflectors and cooling system
Check the reflectors to make sure they are clean and not distorted by the heat of the lamp. Periodic cleaning or replacement of the reflectors is essential to maintain maximum lamp and UV system efficiency. Accumulation of dirt on the fins reduces airflow and makes it difficult to cool the system. When the lamp gets too hot, it may arc or expand in the middle, which causes a drop in voltage and power, resulting in a decrease in lamp output. Cleaning the UV fins improves the cooling system of the UV system and prevents the lamp from arcing. Sometimes the lamps arc imperceptibly. Therefore, it is better to rotate the lamps from time to time.
3- Be careful when installing the lamp
To extend the life of the lamps, use gloves when installing the lamp so that the grease from your fingers does not settle on the lamp body. It is recommended to use a cloth soaked in alcohol to clean the surface of the lamp.
Buy an Alphacure UV lamp from England
In order to improve its services to the printing industry, Sepas Company has acquired the representation of Alphacure, a UK company that produces various types of UV lamps.
Alphacure Company is one of the leading manufacturers of UV lamps in the world, capable of producing any type of UV lamp with a radiation length of 5 centimeters to 4 meters and a power of 500 watts to 30 kilowatts according to customer needs. The high quality of Alphacure lamps is the most important reason why Sepas chose this company as its UV lamp supplier to ensure customer satisfaction.