UV curing uses ultraviolet light to instantly cure printing inks and coatings on large-area substrates such as flexible packaging, labels and textiles. LED UV curing in particular has become increasingly important. LED UV offers several advantages over conventional mercury lamps. LED-UV is energy efficient, emits less heat and has a longer service life, which reduces maintenance costs. LED-UV is also environmentally friendly as it produces no ozone emissions and contains no hazardous mercury. This innovation enables higher production speeds, better print quality and improved substrate compatibility. As a result, roll-to-roll printing with LED UV curing is increasingly being chosen for its efficiency and sustainability.
The UV curing process is a cornerstone in various industries, notably in printing, coatings, and surface treatments. However, traditional photoinitiators are reaching their limits, especially in the food packaging sector, as their odour and migration potential limits their use.
This is where the innovative FREEcure technology sets new standards. It has already been successfully implemented in the industry, for example in the printing sector, where initiator-free or reduced offset and flexo inks have been polymerised at impressive speeds of up to 200 metres per minute.
By using the highest intensities at 212 nm, acrylate double bonds are activated directly, resulting in extremely efficient curing. As no photoinitiators are required, the system significantly reduces odour and migration risks, making it ideal for sensitive applications.
In addition, FREEcure technology fulfils the strictest environmental regulations while setting new standards in terms of energy and cost efficiency. Discover the benefits of FREEcure technology - for safer, more environmentally friendly and cost-efficient production processes.
Commercial printing refers to the process of printing promotional materials such as brochures, flyers and catalogues for business purposes. UV curing is ideal for commercial printing as it enables fast curing of the ink, resulting in improved print quality and reduced production times. UV curing technology is particularly well suited to multi-colour wet-on-wet printing as it enables precise and fast curing without smudging or smearing. UV curing also offers flexibility in the choice of curing source, be it a classic UV lamp, a LED UV or a hybrid solution, each offering their own advantages in terms of efficiency and energy consumption.
Newspaper printing is a specialised printing process used for the mass production of newspapers, with a focus on fast printing speeds and cost-efficient production. In combination with UV printing, coated papers can be used in coldset presses, allowing newspaper printers to produce commercial products.
Heatset printing is a process in which the ink is dried using heat to enable faster drying times and better adhesion to smooth surfaces such as glossy paper. In the heatset printing industry, UV curing is particularly useful as a substitute for conventional gas curing, as it reduces emissions and improves print quality.
Liquid packaging refers to packaging specifically designed for the storage and transport of liquids such as beverages, sauces or detergents. UV curing is an ideal technology for liquid packaging as it enables immediate curing of the ink and thus reduces production time, which is crucial for fast roll-to-roll processing of large quantities of packaging.
Flexible packaging is packaging material made of easily deformable materials such as plastic films, aluminium foils or paper and is often used for food, beverages and other consumer goods. UV curing is ideal for flexible packaging as it enables instant drying of the ink on various materials such as plastic films, resulting in increased productivity and improved quality.
Gravure printing is a printing process in which the ink is transferred from the recessed areas of a printing plate to the paper, resulting in high print quality and colour intensity. UV printing or UV varnishing is an ideal addition for creating tactile and visual effects.
Decorative printing refers to the process of printing decorative surfaces on film or paper to achieve aesthetic effects. Due to the achievable colour gamut and the chemical and physical resistance of UV formulations, UV printing is an ideal process for this.
Security printing is based on the key factors of a complex process, special material mix of paper, colours and foils as well as design. This requires a wide range of different UV printing and finishing technologies. The security features and a large part of the expertise required to print the banknotes are subject to confidentiality.
