Inkjet is a common printing technique widely used in printers, digital printing, and label making. Inkjet inks are often composed of pigments, solvents, and additives that can be affected by UV radiation, humidity, temperature, and chemicals, causing ink color to fade, print quality, and durability.
The UV aging Test Chamber can simulate the UV radiation and climatic conditions in the real environment, and evaluate the performance by accelerating the aging process of inkjet inks.
Test method
The following are the specific methods and procedures of the UV aging Test Chamber in the application of inkjet:
Ink Selection and Preparation: Select inkjet ink samples that meet the requirements. Select ink samples of the appropriate type and color according to different printing applications and requirements.
Set test conditions: According to the test requirements, determine the parameters such as UV radiation source, temperature, humidity and radiation time in the Test Chamber. These conditions should be able to simulate real UV radiation and climatic conditions, such as sunlight exposure, high temperature, humidity, etc.
Mounting the sample: Coat the inkjet ink sample on a specific sample substrate, or use an analog inkjet printer for inkjet printing. Make sure the ink is completely dry and place the sample on the sample table of the Test Chamber.
Start the test: Start the UV aging Test Chamber and expose the sample to simulated UV radiation. According to the set test conditions, the radiation is for a certain period of time. At the same time, the damp-heat cycle can be selectively performed to simulate real environmental conditions.
Monitoring and recording: Regularly monitor and record the performance changes of inkjet ink samples. Appropriate instruments and equipment, such as Colorimeters, print quality analyzers, etc., can be used to measure and record ink color changes, print quality, durability and other indicators.
Evaluation results: According to the test data and evaluation indicators, analyze the aging degree and performance changes of inkjet ink samples. Compare the differences between different test samples to evaluate the durability and print quality of the ink.
Industry standard
In the UV burn-in test of inkjet, the following industry standards can be referred to:
ASTM F2366 is a standard published by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to evaluate the relative light and weather resistance of printed matter. Although this standard is primarily for printed matter, some of these test methods can also be applied to UV burn-in testing of inkjet inks.
ISO 283 is a standard published by the international standards organization (ISO) for evaluating the light resistance of printed matter using filtered xenon lighting. Although the standard is primarily for printed matter, some of these test methods can also be applied to UV burn-in testing of inkjet inks.
Specific application
Specific application cases include but are not limited to the following areas:
Office printing: Inkjet technology is widely used in office printers, such as laser printers and inkjet printers. Through the UV aging test, the durability and color stability of the printing ink can be evaluated to ensure that the printed product will not fade or deteriorate during long-term use.
Advertising and signage: Inkjet printing technology is used to create billboards, posters, leaflets and signs, etc. UV burn-in testing can be used to assess the weather resistance and color stability of printed inks, ensuring that advertisements and signs remain clear and vivid for long periods of time in outdoor environments.
Labels and Packaging: Inkjet printing is commonly used in label and packaging printing, such as food packaging labels, pharmaceutical labels, and product packaging. UV aging testing can be used to evaluate the weather resistance of printed inks and the durability of labels, ensuring that labels do not fade or damage during use.
Personal photo and artwork printing: Inkjet printing technology is widely used in personal photo printing and artwork reproduction. UV burn-in testing can be used to assess the durability of print inks and the color stability of images, ensuring that photos and artwork remain as they are for long-term display.
Industrial signs and control panels: Inkjet printing is used in the production of industrial signs and control panels such as machine labels, electrical panels and equipment control panels. UV burn-in testing can be used to assess the durability of printed inks and the clarity of signs, ensuring long-term readability in industrial environments.
