Phoseon Technology: Monson Fruit Company Improves Packing Line Speed and Label Print Accuracy with UV LED Curing

By investing in UV LED curing from Phoseon, Monson Fruit Company has experienced both improved accuracy and packing line speeds, along with enhancing overall printing of their fruit packaging labels. Monson Fruit Company is a vertically integrated grower, packer, and shipper of high-quality fruit, based in Selah, Washington. Their current product mix includes apples, cherries, apricots, peaches and pears.

A philosophy of continuous investment in the expansion of state-of-the art production lines and controlled atmosphere (CA) storage facilities has enabled Monson Fruit Company to consistently deliver high quality fruit to the global marketplace 365 days a year. The technology used for each line has been engineered to efficiently prepare, sort and pack specific types of fruit to precise criteria. As part of the packing process, Monson Fruit Company has integrated UV LED technology to cure legally required digital inkjet markings on master fruit packaging cartons.

Air-Dried Labels Produced Poor Print Quality, Wasted Packaging Time

Air-drying the required digital inkjet markings on the fruit packaging cartons was painfully slow. The water-soluble inks on glossy surfaces often produced labels that were not dry enough to be effectively used for production. The smearing or illegibility on these labels would render the package invalid for shipment or sale. The packed fruit box would then have to be removed from the product line and later relabeled. The UV LED-cured labels are more accurate and durable, with no smearing, increasing the speed and accuracy of the final finishing process.

Investment in UV LED Technology

With the installation of Phoseon’s FireJet™ ONE, Monson Fruit’s production line can do nearly a case per minute, whereas before, each case could take up to 10 minutes to complete one label. These new production speeds were very impressive, says Sergio Llamas, IT Manager:

“It’s been truly amazing to see the difference in performance. The Phoseon lamps cured over 1.8 million boxes of cherries this growing season, shipping to a global market. We plan to add a Phoseon UV LED lamp to all current and future Digital Inkjet lines, and we will be encouraging our industry-wide integration partners to do the same.”

UV LED Benefits

The benefits of UV LED apply to all label and package printing applications. The long life and reliable output of UV LED lamps provides consistent cure and stability of process. This translates into improved up-time and predictability of cure which benefits all who are involved. Since UV curing issues on press are typically the result of a faulty mercury lamp, the formulation, or the converting process, the use of UV LED technology eliminates the UV curing system as the source of the problem. This saves time in troubleshooting and ultimately has a positive impact on the bottom line. UV LED opens the door to new revenue opportunities with the ability to print on heat-sensitive and thinner substrates, offering increased profitability for printers and converters.

 UV LED Curing Solutions

Phoseon UV LED curing solutions offer the widest selection and are the most reliable on the market. Starting from 2002 in Portland, Oregon, Phoseon Technology created the first LEDs for Industrial Curing applications. With over 300 patents worldwide, Phoseon has earned the reputation for technological innovation, quality and reliability. The global Phoseon team of direct sales and field engineers welcome the opportunity to work with anyone who is interested in determining how LED can relieve pain in various manufacturing processes.