UV
bottle and cup printing lamps
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Numerous
plastic parts are decorated using ultraviolet inks. UV inks are
particularly suited where excellent mechanical and chemical
resistances are required. Pail printers, lid printers, cup printers
and bottle printers know that ultraviolet curing saves money. More
and more plastic decorators are discovering why TCS Technologies
helps them save even more! Since 1979, we have been manufacturing the
highest quality, ultraviolet curing lamps built to match, and often
exceed OEM specifications.
Normally
container decorating requires high production line speeds. The
tapered design of containers and cups allow parts to be manipulated
on supporting mandrels. Each mandrel is rotated while the container
contacts a printing plate and advances to a UV curing station. The
mandrel again rotates under a UV lamp and the process continues to
the next printing station. Speeds up to 600 parts per minute can be
attained with multicolor printing and ultraviolet curing.
To
attain production curing speed, operation of UV curing lamps at 300
to 500 watts per inch is required. The curing speed is generally
dependant on:
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Reflector design: focused or unfocused
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Number and power of the UV lamps
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Thickness of the printed ink
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Color or shade of the ink
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Plastic substrate
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Most
ultraviolet lamps are air cooled hence they must live with whatever
air is provided. Lamps must be kept clean. All types of dust, powder,
grease, smoke and misting ink must be cleaned from lamp. A
small investment in cleaner cooling air will go a long way reducing
maintenance costs. 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 should be inspected
every 100 hours of operation. If lamp has external contamination or
reflector surface is dull, clean or replace immediately! Use
a lint free cloth with Windex or Simple Green to clean. Don't 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.
Always
allow lamp to cool and disconnect all power prior to any cleaning.
Adhesion
to plastic is easier said than done. To solve this dilemma most UV
curing lines incorporate some kind of surface treatment such as
corona or flame, prior to application of the ink. Ultraviolet inks
are typically applied via offset, pad or screen with a UV cure lamp
for each color.
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TCS
Technologies UV lamps are the lamp of choice for most curing
applications.
You will receive exactly the right lamp for your equipment. TCS lamps
are fabricated from the finest materials, providing a long and
trouble-free life. We specialize in quick turn-around for custom
designs. Our lamps provide long service life, consistent ultraviolet
output and are ideally suited for the drying printed cups and tubes.
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Lamps
are available for most printers including:
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Metal Box
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OSMO
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UViterno
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Van Dam
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Kase Equipment
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DESCO
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| UV-Top |
Isimat |
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Typical
OEM specific lamps include:
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MB426
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UVL426C
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MB1235
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Mono-Jumbo
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AM3227X
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MB1163
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PM1235
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PM426
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MB426C
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150BTZ/DF
6kva
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150BTZ/DF
8kva
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MCTZ8015
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MB1163SW
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6810A446
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HC402A06
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6806A443
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6807A444
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PM411
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UVH-2436-258
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UVH-2437-254
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ISI
2219/45
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080-2587
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060-2538
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PM426LF52C
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| MB411 |
202770 31860 |
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Typical
end wire Metal Box lamp
Typical
side wired (SW) Metal Box lamp
Typical
ceramic end cap Metal Box lamp
UViterno
style lamp
As
a convenient, cost effective option, TCS Technologies provides
replacement reflectors for Metal Box curing systems. TCS Technologies
offers spectrally enhanced, highly polished aluminum with a
reflectivity rating of 93%. This compares favorably to most OEM
reflectors with only an 85% reflectivity. Since 65 percent of the UV
energy reaching the substrate is reflected light; UV reflector
maintenance is a simple way to guarantee your UV system is running at
maximum efficiency. Designed to focus and maximize UV exposure on the
substrate; it is essential to keep liners clean and replace them when
the reflector's finish is diminished
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Typical
MB426 reflector
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Typical
MB426C ceramic end reflector
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We
invite you to learn more about our products and experience the
quality and value we can bring to your business.
