Toward a Painless Cure

Generally, a bulb's arc length should be 2˝ longer than the width of the substrate. This allows the printer to ensure sufficient curing along the substrate's edges over the useful life of the bulb. "It's more important, however, that the printer develop a strong relationship with their material suppliers," says Bade. "Ink and coating chemistry must be matched to the UV energy available to the printer. A failure to do so will affect ink/coating cure rates, which reduces throughput, thus affecting the printer's ability to compete."