Learn How Converters Embrace Sustainability while Increasing Profits
UV LED Curing Brings the Best of Both Worlds
“Phoseon UV-LED ensures constant and efficient curing on all colors and at all speeds,’ commented Aron Huc, son of company founder Jacek Huc. ‘The fact that we do not need any replacement lamps or any other spare parts, as well as the longevity of the Phoseon UV LED lamps with an achievable lifetime of over 60,000 operating hours, give us security and predictability in our production. UV LED lamps do not emit any ozone, which means no extraction system had to be installed. UV LED is not only good for the environment but also has a very positive effect on the finances, sustainability, and health and safety of our company.”
Sustainability
Sustainability has risen on the agenda, but the economics are driving UV LED adoption, and at the end of the day the economics are the biggest driver for change. In the past, making the sustainability changes was typically more expensive. But today it is possible to meet the economic targets and increase the sustainability initiatives at the same time. With the adoption of UV LED, companies can reduce their carbon footprint by decreasing energy consumption, preventing pollution, and reducing waste, while increasing profits.
LED Brings Profitability
If you truly want to bring profitability to your printing process, upgrading to LED curing will bring you those profits much faster than traditional mercury arc lamps. The operational cost savings for LED is significantly lower over time and brings significant benefits compared to systems that require mercury.
Mercury systems require a large amount of electricity, additional infrastructure, bring long term recurring costs with bulb replacements and other spare parts, along with significant downtime and maintenance required. Mercury UV will continue to negatively impact your bottom line for the lifetime of the system.
Phoseon recently visited a label converter in Europe with eight printing presses and learned that one third of the entire energy consumption of the factory is attributed to the mercury lamps on the presses. If Phoseon were to approach that customer a year ago with energy savings numbers, it would not have been as compelling. But today the energy prices have tripled so printers have become very eager to install LED on the press to replace the mercury. Upgrading to UV LED curing can reduce energy bills by 50-80% overnight with return on investment in well under one year.
Eticod Embraces Sustainability with Nexus ONE™ UV LED
Eticod, in Poland, is a great example of a company that has embraced sustainability not only in printing but also in the way they designed their factory. In the second generation now, Eticod is transforming the self-adhesive label industry with state-of-the-art labels printed on paper, film and foil as well as aluminum and wood. According to Eticod, sustainability starts with small steps, and you need to take many of them to then become fully sustainable.
Eticod runs five Bobst flexographic presses. They reduce energy consumption by using Phoseon UV LED curing on two of their presses instead of traditional mercury lamps. They also have two HP indigo presses in the factory and several converting machines from other web vendors. The company has no chillers on any of the machines. Instead, they are using geothermal energy to cool the water for their presses, and they are the only company worldwide to run HP indigo presses without chillers.
When Eticod compared their two newer M5, 10-color Bobst presses (with UV LED curing from Phoseon; inks supplied by Flint) to the older presses (with traditional mercury lamps), the newer presses reduced the energy costs by 70 percent. In addition to the 70% savings, the newer presses with LED have better machine up time, do not require bulb changes, do not require chillers, and no ozone is generated. The eco-friendly inks from Flint have much better adhesion and curing performance at higher speeds than traditional inks, so they're very happy with this combination.
“When we made the decision to invest in a new machine, we knew we could only remain competitive if we invested in the latest technology and our future. In opting for Bobst and Phoseon, we liked the perfect combination of two suppliers that have shaped the past and will shape the future of flexography, “ – Aron Huc, Managing Director / Co-Owner of Eticod
Mercury systems need to be running all the time, while LED is instant on off and can be used as needed. With mercury there is a lot of heat to manage, stray light, components that deteriorate over time, and a very short lifetime. In contrast, LED has a very long, stable lifetime.
70% less energy consumption than a traditional press
No spare parts
Fully air-cooled
No ozone = no under pressure, better thermal dynamics in the plant
Better machine up time (no heating up or cooling down of lamps)
No mercury (no hazardous waste)
Smaller carbon footprint
Ekocure Inks from FLINT (Better adhesion and curing performance at higher speeds)
Why Should Converters Upgrade to 100% LED?
OPERATIONAL COST SAVINGS:
UV LED curing brings cost savings due to increased productivity, higher uptime, no bulb replacements, and extremely long product lifetime.
NEW CAPABILITY:
UV LED curing increases capability for end‐users and machine‐builders by allowing tighter control over the curing process, especially on heat‐sensitive substrates.
PROVEN RELIABILITY:
UV LED curing ensures reliability with consistency, process stability, and overall improved curing quality for printing, coating, and adhesive applications.
PRODUCT SUSTAINABILITY:
Sustainable UV LED curing products bring significant energy savings, prevent pollution, and reduce waste compared to mercury. Collectively, Phoseon UV LED lamps have eliminated millions of pounds of CO₂ emissions.
IMPROVED PRINT QUALITY:
Higher quality opaque whites and dense blacks with stronger depth cure; multiple thick layers cured all the way through with good inter-layer adhesion; expanded potential in cold foil adhesive offerings; UV adhesives, both for lamination and pressure sensitive adhesives; low migration/food packaging.
A Promising Future for UV LED
As UV LED continues to grow, it will continue to take over the market share from conventional mercury installations. It is clear that the economic factor is further driving the change towards sustainability, which is already boosted by customer and legislative demand.
Phoseon continues its focus on R&D; last year Phoseon introduced the industry's first fully air-cooled system for flexographic UV printing systems and continues to collaborate with customers to broaden their range of products. With Phoseon’s wide portfolio and continuous development, the company is ready to meet growing demand for sustainable LED technology in the print industry.
Upgrade Your Press Today
If you find yourself interested in UV LED curing, consider upgrading one or two stations on your press to see how the UV LED system performs. This is the best way to become familiar with what is possible and demonstrate first-hand the many ways in which UV LED systems are superior to mercury arc lamps.
For more information about Phoseon Technology products and services, please contact: info@phoseon.com
