Product Withdrawals – UV lamps

For over 30 years, the ZB-100 series UV lamp has been an industry standard UV source for both magnetic particle and fluorescent penetrant inspection. However, changes in the regulations governing mercury bulbs are now forcing a change away from the use of the mercury vapour bulb used in the ZB-100F.

The switch to UV LED technology – moving away from mercury vapour lamps

The use of mercury vapour lamps was actually always a compromise:

• The lamps were primarily used for public and residential lighting.
• Only ca. 20% of the lamp output consisted of UV(A) at 365 nm – hence the need for a UV(A) filter to remove both the white light components and also harmful UV(B) and UV(C).
• A significant amount of energy was wasted as heat.
• The lamp required a ballast to regulate the voltage/current supplied to the lamp during start up and operation.
• The UV output dropped with continued use.
• There were issues with disposal of the bulbs on account of the mercury content.

The switch to UV LED technology – EU regulation on mercury bulbs

Within the EU, the following regulations have been applied to the mercury bulbs:

• Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive (2002/95/EC) banned the manufacture of mercury bulbs.
• Amendments were created for exemptions for special purpose lamps.
• Exemption 4(d) for our lamp expired on 13 April 2015.

Benefits of LEDs versus mercury vapour bulbs

• Tuned to 365 nm – UV pass filter included to remove low level of visible radiation.
• 3 times more UV(A) output.
• 90% less energy consumption.
• Significantly longer operating life.
• No warm up time.
• 30% less weight.

Withdrawal of the ZB-100F

Magnaflux EMEA will be ceasing production of the ZB-100F in the near future. We currently have enough components to manufacture around 40 ZB-100F lamps; once these have gone, we will not make any more. Withdrawal of the ZB-100F will be subject to stock levels.

Will Magnaflux EMEA still service the ZB-100F?
Based on the current stocks of spare parts, we plan to maintain servicing of the ZB-100F lamps until 1 September 2017.

Will Magnaflux EMEA still supply replacement bulbs for the ZB-100F?
Based on current stocks of mercury vapour UV bulbs, we should be able to supply replacement bulbs until 1 September 2017.

For the last five years, the Tiede UV-LED 365 hand-held/portable lamp (also known as the ZB-100-LED) represented both advancement and innovation for UV-LED technology lamps used in magnetic particle and liquid penetrant inspection.

However, we recognise that every product has a distinct product life cycle, particularly where there are advances in technology.

For this reason, the UV-LED 365 lamp is being withdrawn, subject to remaining stocks at Magnaflux GmbH.

Will Magnaflux EMEA still service the UV-LED 365?

Based on the current stocks of spare parts, we intend to maintain servicing of UV-LED 365 lamps until 1 September 2017.

You may have seen news of a new Magnaflux lamp – the EV6000 – which has been developed by Magnaflux in North America.

The EV6000 represents the latest in UV LED technology from Magnaflux. UV(A) radiation is generated by 5 special high-performance LEDs and focused through custom-designed optics to provide a beam width of 23 cm diameter at 38 cm height.

The EV6000 is a mains-only operated unit and is our direct replacement for the ZB-100F.

EV6000 versus ZB-100F, UV-LED 365 and ZB-100-LED at a glance

EV6000 product features

EV6000 product benefits

• Wide, uniform beam with no hot spots.
• Rugged, durable and ergonomic design.
• Improved operator and environmental safety.
• Certified to latest specifications:
  • ASTM E3022
  • Rolls Royce RRES 90061

For more information, see the Product Data Sheet.

EV6000 certification requirements

Each EV6000 unit is individually certified to the latest ASTM standards for LED UV lamps. Certification will be provided with each lamp supplied and will include the results of the test carried out on that lamp.

In addition, each supplied lamp shall be tested for:

• Maximum irradiance (ambient)
• Emission spectrum (ambient) including:
  • Peak Wavelength
  • FWHM (full width at half maximum)
  • LWHM (longest wavelength at half maximum)

Based on the current stocks of spare parts, we plan to maintain servicing of the ZB-100F, UV-LED 365 and ZB-100-LED lamps until 1 September 2017.

EV6000 warranty

Magnaflux will, at its option, replace or credit (after thorough examination to determine fault) any defective LED lamp for a period of 1 year from the purchase date from either Magnaflux or an authorised distributor. Liability is limited to the invoice price of the merchandise. If the lamp has been exposed to improper storage conditions or if the integrity of the lamp has been compromised the warranty will be invalidated.

EV6000 service

• Simple repairs: The EV6000 was designed to allow the customer to perform routine maintenance without compromising the integrity of the lamp. The protective shield and UV filter can be replaced by the customer if they become damaged. Alternatively, these can be replaced by a Magnaflux authorised service centre.
• Advanced repairs: All other repairs to the EV6000 should be carried out by a Magnaflux authorised service centre. Such repairs would include changing the switch or the LED assembly.
• Service centres: For information on authorised Magnaflux EMEA service centres, please contact us at sales.eu@magnaflux.com.

Please note: Any advanced service performed by the customer (including adjustment of intensity or modification of internal wiring) will invalidate the warranty.

Will there be any NADCAP audit concerns using an EV6000?
No; customers can be confident moving from the ZB-100F to the EV6000.

Is the EV6000 resistant to penetrants and Carrier II oil?
Yes; chemical resistance to these materials was an essential part of our testing.

Some LEDs lenses become cloudy over time. Will this happen with the EV6000?
No; the EV6000 lenses are made from a different material that will not go cloudy.

What are the hand-holding characteristics of the EV6000?
The EV6000 was designed with the operator in mind. In particular, it has a comfortable handle and its weight is well balanced.

Does the lamp have a cooling fan like the ZB-100F?
No; the LEDs are cool running and do not need a cooling fan which can clog and fail.

Why does the EV6000 have a UV pass filter?
UV LEDs emit a small amount of visible light above 400 nm. As there is no accurate and consistent method to measure this, the EV6000 has a UV pass filter to remove all visible emission and reduce glare during inspection.

Can I still purchase the ZB-100 LED hand-held/portable lamp?    
The ZB-100-LED hand-held/portable lamp has now been withdrawn. This lamp represents technology from a number of years ago which has now been superseded by advances in LED technology. One of the issues with this was the price tag associated with this older technology that has also made the product uneconomic.