UVL18180 pages

AquaCure™ UV Lamp Cassette
Coolest running, most
efficient and reliable
UV system available
Effective, Low-Temperature Curing
The AquaCure UV lamphead dries and cures a wide
range of UV inks and coatings with an intense, focused
band of UV energy. The lamphead is 100 percent water
cooled, and virtually eliminates direct and reflected
IR radiation to the substrate. It is ideal for applications
that require a drastically reduced heat output on the
substrate, such as a wide range of plastics and heatsensitive materials.
The AquaCure lamphead has been an industry
standard for effective, low-temperature curing. Recent
improvements make the AquaCure lamphead among
the coolest running, most efficient and reliable UV
curing systems available.
How the AquaCure Lamphead Works
Quartz cooling tubes positioned between the UV lamp
and the substrate absorb heat-generating infrared rays
emitted from the lamp. Further, the water in the quartz
tubes circulates to remove heat quickly and effectively
from the lamphead. The water cooling system is a
closed loop type, which utilizes materials that ensure
that the water cannot be contaminated. Cool operation
can be enhanced further with an optional dichroic
reflector, which reflects UV rays to the substrate
while absorbing infrared rays. A heat-absorbing black
anodized finish is standard.
The AquaCure lamphead is designed for printing applications that require a drastically reduced heat
output on the substrate, such as a whole range of plastic, PVC and foil-coated paper materials.
The AquaCure lamphead provides an intense, focused band of UV
energy to the material which is being cured. The high intensity delivers excellent penetration into even very dense black and white inks.
The UV energy band is so intense, it can provide thorough curing
and drying even when it is positioned 7 to 10 cm (3 to 4 inches)
away from the substrate. This is particularly useful when lamphead
positioning is limited by press configurations and when part
contours do not allow close positioning of the lamphead to the part.
Due to the 100 percent water-cooled design, there is no air
movement around the lamp. As a result, no ozone is produced
outside the head, which eliminates the need for air extraction
of the ozone. The elimination of air extraction also eliminates
contaminants and debris from being drawn into the lamphead.
The lamp and reflector stay cleaner, longer, for a more consistent
cure, less maintenance and longer service life.
The typical running power for the AquaCure lamphead is 160-240
watts/cm (400-600 watts/inch) with a particularly low standby power
of 20 percent.
Due to the superior heat management of the AquaCure system,
mechanical shutters are not needed in most applications. This
means fewer parts, less complexity and greater system reliability.
The lack of shutters contributes to the lamphead’s compact size,
making it easier to fit into smaller areas.
The cool operation of the lamphead makes it ideal for printing
and coating of the most heat-sensitive substrates. However, the
water-filled quartz tubes filter some short wave UV output along
with the infrared. Although this does not affect curing performance
of inks, certain high-speed coating applications may benefit from
a wide UV spectrum. In these cases, the Nordson QuadCure
lamphead is recommended. The QuadCure lamphead operates
cooler than most conventional lampheads while providing a
powerful, wide-spectrum UV dose.
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