UV technology has become an established solution in packaging and label printing – enabling fast production processes, immediate further processing and the use of a wide range of suitable substrates. However, the requirements for modern printing systems are changing: regulatory requirements, new ink and coating systems, and changing production requirements are becoming increasingly important.
Particularly in sensitive applications such as food or pharmaceutical packaging, the printing process is increasingly subject to scrutiny – both in terms of the materials used and the technology applied to cure printing inks and coatings.
Curing without photoinitiators or with reduced photoinitiator content
An innovative approach is to eliminate photoinitiators or reduce their content in suitable formulations. These are the chemical substances that initiate polymerization during UV curing. FREEcure uses a high proportion of short-wave UV radiation to support direct photochemical initiation and crosslinking. This enables suitable formulations to be cured without photoinitiators or with a reduced photoinitiator content. This can be particularly relevant for migration-sensitive applications, as reducing or eliminating photoinitiators can help reduce corresponding sources of migration. However, actual migration depends on the entire ink, coating, substrate and process system.
In suitable applications, the number of UV units required may also be reduced. This can also reduce the electrical energy demand of the curing system. The actual savings potential depends on factors including the formulation, production speed, substrate, coating thickness, required degree of cure and system configuration.
Intelligent control: artificial intelligence in the curing process
Intelligent curing solutions based on artificial intelligence go one step further. SMARTcure takes available production conditions into account and recommends a suitable LED UV output setting for the respective production job. In addition, format-dependent zone control enables only the LED segments required for the respective format to be activated. This can help avoid unnecessarily high output settings and enables LED UV systems to be operated according to actual requirements.
Modular design for high flexibility
Another technological development can be seen in modular LED curing systems specifically designed for high-speed printing. These systems offer high UV output and, thanks to their modular design, can be adapted to different press types and production conditions.
Ease of maintenance, coordinated thermal management and a robust, industrial-grade design support reliable operation even under demanding conditions. This makes it possible to combine performance, durability and flexible integration options.
This development illustrates the transformation taking place in the printing industry: alongside performance, intelligent control, flexible system concepts and demand-based process design are becoming increasingly important. Modern curing technologies combine high print quality with a range of options for adapting to specific production requirements.
Anyone investing in UV-based printing systems today should therefore consider not only performance, but also adaptability, process requirements and future expansion options – because this is where the future of printing is taking shape.