Digital Light Fastness Tester
The Digital Light Fastness Tester is designed to evaluate the colour fastness of textiles to light exposure using a 500 W Mercury Ballast Tungsten Filament (MBTL) lamp with internal phosphor coating. The instrument is suitable for testing all textile materials except photochromic-coloured fabrics.
Description
Principle of Operation
The test specimen, along with standard blue wool references, is exposed to controlled light from the MBTL fading lamp. Colour fastness is determined by visually comparing the specimen against Blue Wool Standards (1–8) to assess the degree of fading.
Equipment Description
The Digital Light Fastness Tester consists of a hollow metal cylinder open at both ends, with an internal diameter of 18 inches and a length of 18 inches. A centrally mounted 500 W MBTL lamp ensures uniform light distribution around the full circumference.
Key components include:
- Hour meter with buzzer and hour totalizer mounted on the base
- Four specimen holders positioned at equal intervals inside the cylinder
- Metal masking sheets to cover half of each test specimen and reference standard
- Integrated cooling system with continuous water circulation (required as internal temperature may reach up to 80°C)
- Horizontal pump and water tank supplied as standard
This design ensures consistent exposure conditions and reliable test results.
Required Testing Standards & Accessories
- Blue Wool Light Fastness Standards (1–8)
- Grey Scale for Colour Change
Standard Supply Includes
- MBTL Lamp – 1 No.
- Specimen Holders – 4 Nos.
- Test Tube Holders for Humidity Control – 50 Nos.
- Water Tank – 1 No.
- Pump – 1 No.
- Hour Meter with Buzzer – 1 No.
- Voltage Stabilizer – 1 No.
- Potassium Carbonate – 500 g (1 box)
- Grey Scale for Change in Colour – 1 No.
- Blue Wool Standards – 1 to 8
Related Standard
- Standards Australia – AS 2001.4.2
