“What is ozone and how much ozone do Dymax flood lamps emit during operation?”

Ozone can be described as a gaseous form of oxygen which may be formed when air interacts with certain frequencies of ultraviolet light. It has a characteristic pungent odor which some people can detect in concentrations as low as several parts per hundred million.

Short-wave ultraviolet light (below 200 nanometers) can interact with air to create ozone. Low-pressure mercury and metal-halide discharge lamps emit energy in this region and therefore their operation does create ozone. With increased mercury pressure in the lamps, the shorter wavelength emissions are self-absorbed in the discharge and not emitted. All light sources produced by Dymax are supplied with lamps which operate in the higher pressure regions, which do not allow the shorter wavelengths to be emitted and do not emit ozone during operation. For more information about this subject, please contact a Dymax Application Engineer.

Curing Equipment, Uncategorized light-curing system, ozone, uv curing flood lamp

“What are some common sources of non-passive bulb failure?”

One cause of non-passive bulb failure is often overcooling or undercooling of the bulb. Overcooling can prevent the bulb from reaching an optimal operating temperature and under cooling can allow the bulb to exceed a safe operating temperature and result in failure. Contributing factors include (but are not limited to) clogged fan filters, restricted air flow, a worn fan, an environment that is excessively cold, hot, or humid, or excessive air flow through the unit. In addition to over or undercooling, rapid temperature changes can also cause stress on the bulb. This can occur if the unit is in a warm environment and a nearby air conditioning duct or opened window allows chilled air to enter the unit.

Another common mistake is using the bulb over 2,000 hours. While it may be tempting to reset the hour meter after it indicates a necessary bulb change without actually changing the bulb, DO NOT RESET. Even if the unit still has sufficient intensity, NEVER do this. Eventually, most bulbs will fail in a non-passive manner if operated beyond 2,000 hours.

Excessive cycling can also cause bulb failure. During the bulb’s warm-up phase, the different coefficients of thermal expansion between the quartz and metal components in the bulb cause stress in the quartz. The more frequently a bulb is cycled (more than 1 power-up cycle per 8 hours), the more fatigue and stress are imparted to the bulb. Best practice is to leave the unit on as long as possible to avoid excessive power on-off cycling.

Vibrations, contamination from finger oil, or not providing proper air clearance are also common problems that can result in non-passive bulb failure.

Uncategorized bulb failure, Curing Equipment, light-curing equipment, Uv flood lamp bulbs

“What wavelengths are typically associated with depth of cure vs surface cure?”

Depth of cure is typically accomplished using long wave, UVA light (320-390 nm). Surface cure is typically done using short wave, UVB light (280-315 nm). For more information on curing with light, see DYMAX’s Comprehensive Guide to Light-Curing Technology.

Uncategorized curing with light, depth of cure, Light Curing Process, light wavelengths, light-curing adhesives, light-curing technology, surface cure, UV/Visible Light Curing Adhesive