Guide to UV Measurement
Instrument Basics - Analogy
Imagine that you have a vehicle that needs replacing. There are several choices (many of which are ‘either or') that you make when selecting and narrowing down the actual vehicle purchased to get the ‘right' vehicle for your situation. Some of the choices you would consider for a replacement vehicle would be:
- New or Pre-owned (Used)
- Car, Truck, Van or SUV
- Automatic or Manual Transmission
- Two Wheel or Four Wheel Drive
- Engine Size
When purchasing a UV measurement instrument, there also are several choices that have to be made to make sure you get the proper instrument. If we stick with the vehicle analogy you can see that you have many of the same choices for your UV measurement instruments.
- New or Pre-owned (Used): Many people inherit an instrument from another company application, process line, department or employee that has moved on to another assignment. Inheriting a well-cared for working instrument that meets your needs is nice. Inheriting an instrument that does not meet your requirements or needs can be frustrating. As with a used vehicle, it is also a good idea to get the UV measurement instrument checked, serviced and calibrated by the manufacturer.
- Car, Truck, Van or SUV: Match the size of your instrument to your process and application equipment. If the majority of your driving is in a city where parking spaces are tight and the streets very narrow, then a super large SUV may not be the best choice for you. If you have a small chamber for curing, try to find a radiometer that fits in the chamber.
- Automatic or Manual Transmission : Some instruments are easier to ‘drive' than others. Match the ease of use to the skill levels of your operators. There may also be times when your operators need the flexibility offered with an instrument that also offers manual control.
- Two Wheel or Four Wheel Drive : Do you need an instrument that measures a single band of UV or an instrument that measures multiple bands? Do you have multiple lamps to measure or Additive lamps?
- Engine Size: What class of curing equipment do you have? A powerful microwave or arc system will require a different ‘class' or dynamic range of instrument than an UV exposure system used to make screens.
There are several other choices to make to select the proper instrument. These are covered in the Basic Section and the Advanced Section.