Offset Printing - UV/LED Curing

Starting out with the topic of LED UV, Steve Metcalf and Jon Graunke gave an update on where this new technology is currently and where it’s going. They noted that AMS successfully installed its first production unit in Japan on a four-over-four machine last fall, with more units to be installed here in the states this year.

Along with partner, MAG-D-PRINT (MDP) in Barcelona, AMS demonstrated a sheetfed offset lithography printing system powered by a single high-intensity AMS Peak LED-UV lamp and capable of drying ink at top production speeds on paper, foil and plastic stocks on a Sakurai 475SDw 30˝ offset press.

With yet another sold-out conference last week, Print UV 2011 opened with a record audience count. The attendee list included almost 170 participants with representatives from more than 60 individual printing companies, along with some of the leading vendors.

“Fearless creativity in the pressroom has to be nurtured for the longterm. When you stop creating and taking risks, you lose your edge.” So said Hans Ulland, co-founder and VP of sales for Air Motion Systems, in his opening remarks welcoming nearly 70 printers and a dozen or so vendors and sponsors to the fourth annual Print UV Conference, held March 6–8 at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas. The event featured two days of high-end discussion, information-sharing, and problem-solving—as well as a not inconsiderable amount of networking. “Print UV is a high-end networking event disguised as a conference,” Ulland

PSI’s new press was put into full operation in June 2010. It has six printing units, full UV interdeck dryers from Grafix, an extended delivery and a Harris & Bruno anilox UV coater. It provides fast changeovers, automated makeready, connectivity to prepress via the Mitsubishi CIP4 ColorLink server and closed-loop color control.

The job that drove this press purchase is now printed entirely using UV. “We plate the spot satin coating with UV and run a gloss UV through the coater unit,” says Smith.

One key to UV coatings, Smith says, is their ability to prevent scuffing as the packaging product

Regardless if you’re a veteran printer or new to the UV game, you will quickly realize that if you want to be successful, you must put the necessary time, money and energy into R&D. But when the dust settles, the smoke and chaos clear, you stand back and look at the finished product with admiration.

LED curing is one of the most intriguing areas in energy curing. In 2008, LED curable technologies debuted at drupa, with plenty of press and ink manufacturers showcasing the technology. LED curable technologies have made inroads in the inkjet field, with Sun Chemical and INX Digital among the most notable ink companies working in the field.

Tom Molamphy, vice president of sales and marketing for Phoseon Technology, said that drupa 2008 was the first major event where people started to take notice of UV LED technology, most notably in inkjet applications, where the technology has had its strongest success.

Back in the day, two- and three-roller coating systems made UV coating look as deep and smooth as a sheet of glass. Then it all changed with the introduction of the new closed-chamber, anilox style coating units. They were sold by the OEMs as “pressman proof.” They enabled management to have the ability to make sure that all of the pressmen apply the same amount of coating regardless of the individual or knowledge level.

Printers can and should do a better job of informing their corporate client partners of how “green” their printing and packaging is. UV printing is considered to be among the highest print quality processes and is “greener” than it has ever been. It also opens up a new world of substrates, from plastics and foil to specialty grades and board.

The objective is to use a sufficient amount of energy to dry the inks correctly, but not to distort the plastic so it looks like a potato chip. Dyne levels of the plastics along with chemistry compatibility continue to have a large effect on successful adhesion and end result.