LED Exposure Units Updated

Posted by Doug Smith - Outside Sales on 1/29/2015

Is an investment in a new LED exposure unit worth the price?  With new units from Vastex and Workhorse available at Texsource, we can help you answer that question, and any other questions that you may have.  

LED technology is not new, but it is relatively new to the world of screen printing, particularly when used in exposure units.  The new E-2000 LED from Vastex and the recently released Lumitron LED from Workhorse are both excellent quality products that can offer significantly improved exposure times over standard exposure units.  

The Vastex unit in particular has been extensively tested here at Texsource.  Here is a video featuring Paul with Vastex that shows just how fast the unit can expose a screen - this particular video is shown using a screen coated with Ulano Orange emulsion.

As you can see, the exposure time is significantly faster than standard units.  But is it right for your shop?  Certainly the upfront cost  is to be considered.  In the case of the Workhorse Lumitron LED, retail price is around $600 more for a similar sized unit with LED than for one without.  Also, extremely fast exposure times, such as the claimed and tested 6-second exposure time for the Vatex, is accomplished by using specific emulsions - your favorite emulsion may have varying exposure times.  In any case, this is certainly an investment in efficiency and production.  High workflow shops certainly do not want to bottleneck at the exposure unit, same goes for shops who are rapidly increasing their production.  These units can offer significant time savings over standard units.  

Will this become the industry standard in the future?  Most think that it will, although the standard exposure unit isn't going away just yet.  If you have recently purchased a standard-type unit then there is likely very little reason to upgrade until you are having problems.  But if your unit is getting some age of you find your shop is waiting on screens, then this may be a purchase that will move you into the future of exposure technology.

  Texsource Screen Printing Supply  www.screenprintingsupply.com