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UV Printer & Prints Making us Sick
- Thread starter GC Decor
- Start date
SignMeUpGraphics
Super Active Member
Technically correct, however the 'chains' in UV ink will still cure over a longer time than the few seconds they are subjected to UV LEDs.
A good article on UV inks for anyone interested:
lucentwraps
New Member
Just curious how do you like the Fluid Color printer? We are considering their new R70Turbo against the Colorado 1630. We are concerned with service, ink smell and ink durability of both printers. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Edmund
I don't miss our Roland LEF-20 at all due to the smell hitting me as soon as I opened the door to my workshop. I mentioned to my BFF this morning when she came around that if I still had the UV printer she would not have been able to come out to the workshop as she has asthma/irritations and sets her off. I have to admit though, I did many prints on birch panels and never had an issue with the prints.
The prints from the Roland were great but the smell was just unbearable
Inks
New Member
The odor is the result of free monomers aka uncured inks. If the inks cure 100% there should be no odour.
However wood products with none of minimal coatings will absorb the ink making harder to cure.
Some of the printers inks need better photoinitiator packages or the printers should have built in radiometers so the customers no longer need to guess if the inks are cured.
However wood products with none of minimal coatings will absorb the ink making harder to cure.
Some of the printers inks need better photoinitiator packages or the printers should have built in radiometers so the customers no longer need to guess if the inks are cured.
richsweeney
New Member
We have both Hp Latex, a stratojet fb, and have nearly very little to no off gassing. We rarely laminate.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
If I had a dollar for every time I heard that stupid term offgassing on here I'd be a millionaire
Inks
New Member
Free radical uv inks will post cure around 5%, if grossly undercured they will never link up. Poor adhesion and a short outdoor life will be the reality. Cationic UV inks will continue to cure once initiated. These were initially used for LED curing systems, I think most have moved back to free radical however I may be wrong.
I am curious why UV radiometers are not a part of the hardware that comes with a UV digital printer. The addition would ensure that the appropriate lamp output for curing (millijoules & milliwatts) is reached, taking the guesswork out of whether or not the inks are cured. Most substrate adhesion issues are a result of poor curing and all or most odor issues are a result of poor curing.
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johnnysigns
New Member
Yes, this is my understanding too. UV inks are NOT 100% cured once off the printing press. I also thought that elastic or bendable inks cured even less.
Inks
New Member
flexible inks cure slower
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Inks
New Member
Excellent article, I had the pleasure of working with the author Bea Purcell at two companies.
TKD
New Member
We have a Colorado 1650 and its odourless. It has a ready connection for a 140mm pipe to connect to air channel. But we did not connect because it has active coal filter in itself. Its basicly odourless.
BUT the machine is very noisy. I would not recommend to install into a office.
Graphic Extremes
Knows To Little
I am looking for a UV printer and I was looking at the Mimaki printer, I am glad I found this post. I am not sure what printer to purchase. I have heard of problems with all of them. Please recommend a printer and why. All my local suppliers recommend Mimaki or Mutoh.
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victor bogdanov
Active Member
It has the charcoal filters to be legally within chemical exposure levels and the rated exposure time is 4hrs per day if you read the printer safety sheet. It is definitely putting out some nasty chemicals whether you can smell it or not. I ended up upping my ventilation and adding a 50lbs charcoal air scrubber. This got rid of most of the odor but some materials it is still noticeable. Without the charcoal filter that's in the printer it would not meet legal chemical exposure limits but keep in mind the safety sheet says 4hrs per day
Graphic Extremes
Knows To Little
Who in the USA would sell these.
ProColorGraphics
New Member
I looked at Mimaki, Canon/Oce and ended up going with the new Epson V7000. It does have a smell with the ink, I won't lie about that. The print quality is amazing! Being this is their first flatbed, I can only imagine it will get better too.
Retro Graphics
New Member
I'm using a Mimaki UCJV300-160, if i'm printing something at 600x600 and it's a large job it will faintly stink, if I'm printing at 1200 x 1200 i will generally wear a half face respirator so i can stay working. That being said, within a few hours after printing the smell is gone. Of course I have come to do large prints overnight, that way I can just walk away entirely. I'm using the inks that came with it LUS-170, and LUS-200 for white, the white stinks a bit more than the others, I will give it that. My understanding is that the smell will give you a headache, but due to it's low VOCs if you have any half ass ventilation, you should only have a headache, no vomiting or anything.
MelloImagingTechnologies
Many years in the Production Business
UV inks can smell until they fully cure.
If you can run with stronger lights or slower for more light exposure you will have less odor.
Printing on porous materials like wool and fabrics you definitely need more light.
If you can run with stronger lights or slower for more light exposure you will have less odor.
Printing on porous materials like wool and fabrics you definitely need more light.
citysignshop
New Member
ok, I'm not a UV guy, but one more basic troubleshooting idea.....run the wood thru and print ALMOST NOTHING on it...like just a hairline at each edge, so that it passes thru at a normal speed....then you'll see if the UV lights are cooking something nasty out of the wood!