IST METZ GmbH is using live production at DRUPA to show what modern UV drying is capable of, despite its low energy consumption ⿿ LED prototypes are packed ready for the exhibition.
Any printer trying to score points in the ever tougher competition in the industry would be well advised to look at new materials and technologies which allow unusual solutions: UV drying system specialists IST METZ GmbH will be giving really practical demonstrations on its stand at DRUPA to show how to score points with customers using tricky materials like plastic or special varnish effects. They have set up a sheet-fed offset press especially for the exhibition to demonstrate the benefits of UV drying when processing awkward materials.
Following the overwhelming interest of visitors in UV technology at DRUPA 2004, it was logical to show "UV application engineering live" at this year's printing industry exhibition. Dirk Jägers, Managing Director of IST METZ GmbH, is convinced the effort has been worth it: "This enables us to demonstrate on our stand in a completely practical way everything our systems make possible." Furthermore, between 29th May and 11th June there will be daily presentations in German and English of highly technical printing operations to demonstrate how UV drying looks in practice. In addition to producing a complex jacket for a notebook live on the stand, provided with refinements such as metal-sensitive varnishing and a pearlized effect, the machine with its six printing units, a varnishing unit and a punch will also make matt and gloss-varnished labels in a single operating step and also show how quickly plastic can be printed in high quality in the form of luggage labels or a ruler ⿿ UV technology making all this possible without protracted drying periods.
The target group for these demonstrations is clearly defined. "We are targeting all those who have not yet grasped the nettle of varnishing, printing plastic and UV drying", says Marketing Manager Gerhard Ohmacht. The potential really involved in looking more closely at these topics is highlighted by the printed products produced on the stand.
The applications for media and varnish coatings in the printing industry are so varied that UV curing is opening up completely new opportunities for jobbing printers too: from the upgraded postcard to the production of credit cards, this makes many things possible which were previously highly complex, if not impossible, using conventional technologies.
In order to be able to present these benefits live at DRUPA 2008, IST METZ will be providing not only practical demonstrations of the printing process at this, the most important print industry exhibition in the world, but also competent advice for those interested in UV drying technology. IST METZ GmbH also has something of a pioneering spirit when it comes to continuing the development of UV technology: the company will also be showing initial prototypes for UV drying using LED technology which, in addition to being virtually free of waste heat, also significantly reduces yet again the energy required . "LED technology is driven heavily by the automotive industry, but it will be some time before LED technology becomes mature enough for the graphical industry market", says Dirk Jägers.
