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The demands placed on printing and packaging processes are constantly increasing. Alongside production, the focus is increasingly shifting towards the recyclability of printed materials. So-called deinking plays a crucial role, particularly in the case of paper and cardboard packaging. Modern UV and LED printing technologies now demonstrate that high print quality and the recyclability of printed materials can be combined.
In order for waste paper to be processed into high-quality recycled paper, printing inks and coatings must be removed as completely as possible during the recycling process. This process is known as deinking.
After the waste paper has been pulped, ink particles are separated from the paper fibres in a flotation process. Whilst conventional printing inks have been achieving good results for many years, the removal of UV-cured inks has long posed a challenge. Due to the strong cross-linking of the ink films after curing, ink residues often remained in the pulp.
However, progress has been made with the further development of modern UV and LED ink systems. Specially developed formulations can enable improved ink removal and thus support the recyclability of printed products.
In addition to the de-inkability of printing inks, the curing process also plays an important role in the production of a printed product.
With the LEDcure NX LED-UV system, IST METZ offers a UV curing solution for a range of applications in the printing industry. LED UV systems do not require a warm-up phase and can be switched on and off as and when required, in line with the production process. Compared with conventional UV lamp systems, they also emit a lower proportion of infrared radiation. This reduces the thermal stress on the substrate. At the same time, the LED components are characterised by a long service life.
The lower level of infrared radiation opens up additional possibilities for processing temperature-sensitive substrates, such as packaging, labels and graphic print products.
Another approach for specialised UV curing processes is the FREEcure UV system developed by IST METZ. With suitable formulations, this process enables curing without, or with reduced use of, conventional photoinitiators.
This helps to reduce potential sources of migration and opens up new areas of application. This approach can be particularly significant for sensitive packaging applications. At the same time, FREEcure supports the development of suitable printing inks and coatings for photoinitiator-free or photoinitiator-reduced UV curing processes.
For a long time, UV printing processes were primarily associated with high productivity, brilliant print results and high-quality finishes. Today, the focus has also shifted to the recyclability of the end products.
New generations of suitable UV and LED printing inks can achieve good results in recognised deinking tests. Actual deinkability depends, amongst other things, on the specific ink and varnish formulation, the substrate and the structure of the printed product. This means that modern UV and LED ink systems can also be used for applications where the recyclability of the printed material plays an important role.
When developing printed products today, a range of requirements are taken into account throughout the entire process – from production and curing right through to the recyclability of the materials used.
With solutions such as LEDcure NX and FREEcure, IST METZ supports print shops and packaging manufacturers in meeting a variety of requirements for the UV curing process. In combination with suitable de-inkable UV and LED ink systems, solutions can be implemented that meet high quality standards whilst also taking into account the recyclability of the respective printed product.
The ongoing development of curing technologies and UV and LED printing inks thus expands the possibilities for combining UV curing with the recyclability requirements of printed materials.