Fujifilm recently announced the launch of the Activ Hybrid LED UV curing system, which can be installed on new presses or retrofit to existing equipment by label and packaging converters. The system combines the latest, high power, low heat LED UV curing technologies with Fujifilm’s ink expertise to improve label production on narrow web presses. It enables traditional UV or water-based flexo presses to be seamlessly converted to LED UV curing, resulting in significant environmental savings, cost and material savings and increased productivity and quality.
The LED lamp system and Sericol Flexo JJ ink range have been developed in harmony to ensure optimal performance. The system’s hybrid design has the added benefit of conventional UV Arc capability, arming printers with the option to print with specifically developed and unique conventional UV inks.
The Activ Hybrid LED UV curing system offers significant environmental benefits over conventional UV systems. Energy use is drastically reduced, VOCs are eliminated, and less waste is produced. The working environment for operators is also improved, with many undesirable factors eliminated, including heat from the conventional UV lamps, noise and even the smell. Material usage is also reduced, and the system requires less maintenance and labor.
Increased productivity is another significant benefit. Press running speeds are 30-50% faster than a conventional UV system, with comparable press speeds on labels increasing from 70 – 100m/min on a conventional UV press, to 120-170m/min with the Activ system. Shorter job setups and make-ready times are also possible, thanks to improved substrate stability and the elimination of material distortion. Lower press downtime results in additional significant productivity gains.
The system offers more consistent quality as the impact of the heat from the UV lamps is removed, resulting in better registration and less substrate stretching. In addition, colours are vibrant and easy to achieve with Fujifilm’s high performance LED UV inks, and the dramatic reduction in power required for the LED UV lamps, means substantial cost savings can also be made.
Manuel Schrutt, head of Packaging, Fujifilm Europe comments, “We are delighted to be bringing such an innovative product to market. Fujifilm is proud to be the only supplier able to offer a state-of-the-art LED curing system and a high performance LED ink range to the label and packaging industry. The Activ system takes advantage of the latest LED UV curing technologies and Fujifilm’s ink expertise to deliver a reliable industrial curing system with none of the disadvantages of higher power and higher temperature conventional UV lamps.”
