Shortwave or Medium-Wave? Picking the right IR lamps for your Reggiani
If you’re picking out IR lamps for your Reggiani gear, you’ve probably realized pretty quickly that shortwave (SW) and medium-wave (MW) aren’t just different names for the same thing. They don’t act the same. Choosing the wrong one is a quick way to either kill your line speed or, worse, torch your fabric. Let’s talk about how they actually work. Shortwave lamps run hot. Really hot. That energy punches deep into the fabric, which is exactly what you want when you’re pushing for high speeds. If you need to ramp up fast and hit the material with a ton of heat density, SW is your best bet. It’s all about raw power and speed. Medium-wave is a different story. These run at lower temperatures and the heat tends to hang out on the surface. It’s a much gentler approach. If you’re worried about scorching the top layer or just need a controlled dry to get the moisture out, MW gets the job done without the risk of burning your work. The build quality We stick with high-purity quartz for both. Why? Because these things go through a lot of thermal shock. Flipping them on and off rapidly can crack cheap glass, but quartz handles the stress. Most of these are designed to be simple drop-in replacements for Reggiani setups. Just a heads-up: double-check your connectors. Whether you’ve got R7s or SK15, you want to make sure they plug right in so you aren’t messing around with the housing or rewiring things on the fly. The trade-offs you should know about Here’s the thing with shortwave: they deliver massive heat, but they’re hungry for power. You’ll want to make sure your transformers can handle that initial surge, or you’re going to have a bad day. Medium-wave is a lot easier on your electrical system. But there’s a catch. They take longer to warm up. If your workflow involves stopping and starting the line a lot, that lag time can start to feel like a real drag on your productivity. So, it comes down to what you need. Go with SW if you’re chasing speed and deep penetration. Stick with MW if you need a soft touch and a precise surface dry.