Radiation curing

• UV light = Standard mercury vapour lamp (medium pressure)

electromagnetic radiation

• shorter wavelength than

visible light Mercury drop

Image source: Eye-UV/SunChemical

micrometer
picometer nanometer millimeter meter kilometer Ultra-Violet
visible light
Gamma
X-Rays UV IR. Microwaves Radiowaves
Rays

Ultra-Violet visible
Infra-Red
light

200 nm 400 nm 760 nm

Radiation curing

Composition of colours Curing / drying process

* UV only
Image source: Sun Chemical
LED

Formation of ozone Low Engergy UV Technology

semiconductor

Accumulation
of diode LED spectrum (395, 385, 365nm) Standard mercury spectrum Spectrum iron-stabilised Hg

UV A 315-400 nm
UV B 280-315 nm
UV C 200-280 nm
Set-up
substrate
of diode
Electron beam curing (EB)

How does an electron beam work?

Vacuum chamber
Repeller (80 – 125 kV)
Filament
Window with titanium foil
Dose rate 25 – 30 kGy

Nitrogen atmosphere

Image source: Sun Chemical

Standard UV

Applied in all print processes:

• Commercial print (paper, film)

• Label print (paper, film)

• Packaging print
(paper, cardboard, film, foil, tinplate)
Image source: Siegwerk
• Objects print (www.siegwerk.com)

(cups, tubes, bottles, 3-D objects)

Standard UV

Advantages of UV curing:
• Wide choice of substrates Image source: Flint Group (www.flintgrp.com)

• Easy handling
(cleaning, no self curing, no explosion-protection)
• Quality intensification
(gloss, resolution, abrasion resistance, fastness)
• Immediate processing
• VOC free Image source: Siegwerk
(www.siegwerk.com)
Standard UV

Challenges of UV curing:
• Investment costs
(lamp, extraction system)
• Operating costs
(energy, maintenance, ink)
• Work place safety
(ozone, handling of ink)
• Food packaging
Image source: Siegwerk (www.siegwerk.com)
LED - UV

LED-UV curing used for:

• Commercial print (paper, film)

• Packaging print (paper, cartonboard, film

& polycarbonate).

• Objects print (tubes, bottles, 3-D objects)

UV LED Curing Systems Benefits

- Solid State Technology.

- Easy Integration.
- Near Ambient array housing temperatures.
- Negligible heat transfer to cure surfaces.
- Instant on / off curing.
- No warm-up / cool- down cycles.
- No shutters needed.
- Diode life in excess of 20,000 hours.
- Consistent UV Output over time.
- No Mercury-filled UV bulbs
- No Ozone Production.
- No System Exhaust.
- No Conditioned Plant makeup air.
- No Radio Frequency emissions.
- Lower total cost of ownership.
LED - UV

Advantages Challenges
• Energy-saving potential • Food packaging
(no preheating time, pulsable circuit) (reactivity / limit of migration)
• No ozone creation • Varnishes
(curing of surface, yellowing, cost)
• Almost no heat input to substrate
• Limited choice of raw materials
• Long durability
• Energy density – wavelength
• Constant radiation output
• Young technology
• Free of mercury
UV LED Technology at work
EB technology

EB Offset EB flexo
• Reel-fed offset printing • Central cylinder flexo
(no lamp for sheetfed offset) (wet on wet printing)
• Tension control of substrate • Various developments of technology
(no intermediate drying) (some with intermediate drying)
• Flexible printing length
(request of flexible packaging market) Other developments
• Narrow web EB lamp
• Inline printing machines of different
machine manufacturers • Screen and gravure printing
• Central cylinder offset press • Inkjet
EB technology – comparison

Advantages EB Challenges EB
• Process safety by controlled dose rate • Investment costs
• Low migration potential • Influence on substrates
(photoinitiators, polymerisation)
o Discolouration of some PA, PVC, OPP
• Low operating expenses formulations
(maintenance cycles, energy, spare parts) o PE heat-seal temperature
• No heat input (IR) to substrate o OPP- hot tack window

• Free of mercury o Some substrates show fission products

o Smell of substrates containing chlorine
Inkjet

• Established printing method

for small print jobs

• LED-UV, as well in combination

• 3-D printing

• EB under development UV Inkjet drop leaves nozzle

• Many applications with

exceptions to be developed
Image source: Siegwerk (www.siegwerk.com)
Inkjet

Advantages Challenges
• Prepress software-based only • Speed of printing
• No set-up times • Dependency of print head – ink
• Minimal wastage • Food packaging
• Individualization • Limited choice of raw materials
• Non-contact printing • Colour spectrum – branding
• Higher resolution
Future of Radiation Curing

- Low energy UV Curing.

- UV LED Curing.

- EB Curing

- Low Migration inks & Coatings.

- Hybrid inks which can be used for both UV & EB curing.

Forecast of UV+ EB growth in next 2 years.

26.5%

12.0%
8.3% 8.0% 7.5% 7.2% 7.0% 6.6% 6.3% 5.8% 5.5% 5.5% 5.2%
UV+EB products usage in various applications.

UV+EB

3% 3% Graphic Arts—
5% 6%
27% OPV
Graphic Arts—Inks
6%
10% Wood

Plastic Coatings
21%
19% Printing Plates

Adhesives

Motivations for Using UV+EB
1. Increase Productivity
2. Improve Physical Performance
3. Enabling/New
4. Cost Effective


Most Important Advances in Last Two Years:
1. UV LEDs
2. Better Adhesion
3. Improved rub / weather Resistance
4. Fast Cure Speeds
5. Lower Cost Materials
Future of Radiation Curing

 Speed up manufacturing process.

 Reduction in production costs.
 Broaden market possibilities
 Broad substrates.
 Improve margins.
 Food safety.
 Health Safety.
 Environment.
 Safety.