Whether you have a digital UV flatbed press, a screenprinting press, a wood finishing line, or UV coating equipment, don’t wait until the UV lamp stops curing accurately. Order your lamps before you notice the ink or coating is tacky or the lamp turning black and/or stops working. This will keep your production running efficiently.
Some UV lamps can last upwards of 1000 hours but the simple fact is that after 700-800 hours or so the mercury vapor can start to degrade and cause the lamp to stop performing as well as a brand new lamp, therefore preventing the substrate from getting the optimal finishing quality.
Another factor that can have an effect on the lamp longevity curing power is the condition of the UV shield, or reflector. If the liner is dirty, has any kind of material on it or just does not have that shiny mirror finish, it will not do it’s job, which is to reflect the UV light back onto the substrate. Reflectors, including the dichroic/purple coated type, should be replaced at least every other lamp change for optimal UV system performance.
So remember, the time to order lamps and reflectors is before you need them, so when you do, they are available and your production line can keep on keeping on.