What UV Wavelength?

Hi all,

Does anyone know of a device that will find out what wavelength a bulb emits? At my local printer they're selling a vacuum frame with a UV bulb. At the moment I'm using 6 BlackLight Phillip tubes. Though the vacuum frame seems a lot more desirable. I'm unsure if the UV bulb in it will emit the same wavelength?
So just wondering if anyone would recommend in getting a UV wavelength color meter or if its just not worth the expense?
Cheers
Jag2x

I don't have such a meter. However, if you know the brand and type of UV bulb that is used in the vacuum frame you can probably find what wavelength it radiates by going to the manufacturer's web site and looking for its SPD. Manufacturers usually make available SPD charts (spectral power distribution charts) that show this type of information.

If the vacuum frame already has UV tubes installed in it chances are very good that the unit will work fine for printing with UV sensitive processes. Although there is some variation in the radiation of different types of UV fluorescent tubes all of them work fairly well in practice.

Sandy King

jag2x said:

Hi all,

Does anyone know of a device that will find out what wavelength a bulb emits? At my local printer they're selling a vacuum frame with a UV bulb. At the moment I'm using 6 BlackLight Phillip tubes. Though the vacuum frame seems a lot more desirable. I'm unsure if the UV bulb in it will emit the same wavelength?
So just wondering if anyone would recommend in getting a UV wavelength color meter or if its just not worth the expense?
Cheers
Jag2x

Click to expand...

Meters are available, but you probably don't need one. Almost all available UV lamps except the "germacidal" fluorescents work well. Suntan fluorescent lamps are not a perfect match, but they work. Most other lamps for this use emit in the "black light" region (even though they look bright blue or white), and that is where the materials are sensitive. Most vacuum frames are equipped with either a high pressure mercury or a high pressure metal halide lamp. Both of these are excellent for contact printing, platemaking, and alternative processes.