SHEETFED DRYING/CURING SYSTEMS -- Running Hot and Cold

BY MARK SMITH

UV rays beating down. Hot air blowing across the skin. Catching some waves. Sounds like a great day at the beach.

In the sheetfed offset printing arena, those descriptions also fit three technology options for boosting quality and speed—UV curing and drying with hot air knives or IR (infrared) energy. Market pressures are dictating that printers implement some form of drying/curing capability, but the "right" choice of technology remains an open question.