UV LED Curing is Good for Package Printing

UV LED curing is a new technology that relies on ultraviolet energy to convert a liquid into a solid.  The light-emitting diodes convert electricity to light while giving off UV radiation. When this radiation is absorbed, it triggers a polymerization chemical reaction, changing the material into a solid.

The process takes place instantaneously, which along with several other benefits, makes this an increasingly preferred option in several applications. Some of these applications include decorations, electronics, graphics arts, stereolithography, and food packaging.

UV LED curing is an excellent option for package printing as it offers several benefits, including;

Highly Durable

LEDs are highly durable as they have a lifespan of 10,000 hours, meaning they can easily last up to five years, depending on usage. It is also 10 times the lifespan of traditional curing options. There is no drop in performance throughout their life, and the output is consistent. You also do not need to deal with lamp change downtime.

Fast Process Increasing Productivity

UV LED leads to faster package printing operations because you can instantly switch the lamps on or off, and you do not suffer any intensity degradation. Thus, no time is wasted on warm-up time, and you also do not wait on shutter motion, as is the case with arc UV systems.

Further time is saved thanks to flexible controls allowing you to easily make curing adjustments like working distance, wavelengths, and UV energy output.

You get significantly increased productivity when you add the fast times to factors like longer life, quick changeovers, and low maintenance time. It allows you to boost your packaging printing output.

Highly Flexible, More Control, and Easy to retrofit

UV LED curing offers more flexibility to your package printing operation. First, the systems are cool to touch because they work at lower temperatures than traditional operations. This feature allows you to work on heat-sensitive substrates and materials without damaging them. It increases the range of substrates you can work with, including self-adhesive sheets, PVC materials, and thin slides.

Further, UV LED curing systems for packaging printing come with increased controls, and because of the low temperatures, you can calibrate the lamps to the exact UV energy you need for the process. It results in lower product waste and higher press utilization.

You get further flexibility because you can easily retrofit existing flexo printing presses and narrow web conversion lines. That’s because these systems have a small form factor. They also have low exhaust air and cooling requirements eliminating the need for bulky external fans.

They also have simplified heat and light shielding management. While they need cooling, it is done with their inbuilt water cooling or muffin fans.

Higher Energy Savings and Lower Operation Costs

UV LEDs generally use 30% to 70% less energy than traditional curing systems. As a result, you incur lower operation costs thanks to the energy savings. Further, UV LED curing systems have a few parts that require replacements, like shutters, ballasts, and reflectors. You also save on maintenance costs since no time or labor is spent replacing or servicing the consumable parts.

Reliability and Consistent Result

UV LEDs are a better investment for your curing needs because it offers uniform results throughout the print width. Further, even with more time use, its output does not degrade. On the other hand, mercury arc lamps degrade with time at a rate of about 15% to 25%, and this is after only 1000 hours of use. UV LED curing gives you more consistency, stability, and reliable results.

Conclusion

UV LED curing is perfect for package printing, whether you want to enjoy the fast turnaround times and increase in productivity or the eco-friendly nature and added safety. Finding the right UV LED curing systems is equally important if you want to enjoy these benefits. In this regard, IUV is your best partner. Our LED UV systems come with excellent features, including an inbuilt water-cooling mechanism.

They are also sufficiently versatile and can cure inks and LED coatings on digital print machines, sheetfed, web offset, and even larger Flexo presses. They can easily be integrated into either analog or digital printing presses. Contact us today and get yourself systems that allow you to optimize productivity and profitability from our range of products.