The technical highlight among the new product ideas being presented by IST METZ at Drupa 2008 is the new BLK®-5 UV drying system. The energy-efficient UV system makes very sparing use of the energy provided and still achieves an outstandingly high drying performance. It was developed specifically for web printing applications where high process speeds are critical when large print runs have to be completed, for example. Its increased efficiency means that instead of the equipment previously required for a machine (three type BLK®-2 UV units at 200 W/cm), two of the new BLK®-5 type of unit at 180 W/cm are sufficient to achieve the same drying results. The rated electrical output is consequently reduced so significantly that electricity costs are reduced by almost half.
The German trade association for print and paper processing ["deutsche Berufsgenossenschaft Druck und Papierverarbeitung (BGDP)"] recently subjected the UV system to a detailed examination and confirms an increase in efficiency of 40 %. The BLK®-5 system was rated especially energy-efficient for these reasons. On 2nd June 2008, the trade association's test certificate relating to energy-minimized UV printing ["energieminimierter UV-Druck"] will be awarded to IST METZ on its stand during the Drupa trade fair. This will make the company the first manufacturer of UV systems to obtain this certificate.
The use of modern technologies in Research & Development contributed to the realization of such leaps forward in efficiency. For example, the geometry of the reflectors on the new BLK®-5 system was calculated by means of "raytracing". This technology ensures that when interacting with a complementary surface coating, as much UV energy as possible reaches the material for printing. Thermodynamic simulation can be performed for individual mechanical components as well as for the system as a whole. All things considered, an increase in efficiency is achieved which represents a reduction both in energy consumption for the user and in exhaust air and cooling output. The reduced energy consumption of the UV system simultaneously means a reduction in CO2 output. If presses are equipped with BLK®-5 systems, the corresponding CO2 emissions are reduced by several tonnes a year.
In the case of IST METZ, progress towards the most efficient possible use of the available energy is favoured by the fact that all the important components of the BLK®-5 system were developed and manufactured within the group. This applies to reflectors and lamps as much as to electronic components. With the reflectors, for example, so-called cold-mirror reflectors are used. These sturdy reflectors with the URS® designation have over 60 different metal oxide layers and can be optimized with the aid of ray tracing technology to suit a particular application in terms of UV yield and IR radiation fraction.
The heart of a UV system is the UV lamp. This component too is developed and produced by IST METZ. The company supplies both UV lamps for standard applications and lamps with special doping for specialized fields. The cordless FLC® UV lamp system furthermore allows a lamp to be changed very straightforwardly in just a few seconds.Electronic power supplies make a further contribution to saving costs. The ELC®-type devices supplied by IST METZ are highly efficient with a low stand-by output, reducing energy consumption.
BLK®-5 systems are equipped with UV measurement as standard. The UMS-2 measuring device enables you to check your production parameters and UV output quickly and simply.
The new UV system has a high-performance temperature management system. Any heat introduced into the process is efficiently dissipated by the water cooling of the reflectors and the housing. The temperature load on the material web can be reduced still further by water-cooled undershielding or a cooling cylinder. A version of the system which can be rendered inert is available for special requirements - in food packaging, for example.
