Drying & Curing
New roll out of UV LED curing for 2017 B
ritish developer Integration Technology has launched new innovations in UV LED curing systems. Incorporating the
company’s XT8 technology, these constitute some of the market’s leading solutions in terms of output and dose. The products and corresponding applications
that are new in the 2017 LEDcure ranges include Pincure Z (pinning), NCX (direct-to-container), MZ (wide format), SZ and VZ (wide/grand format graphics), SC (single-pass industrial and direct-to- container). The intensity ranges from 3W/cm2 to 30W/cm2, which is dependent on application and curing requirements. Over 18 months in development and
incorporating the latest nano-technology materials, this system uses a ‘hybrid’ semiconductor technology, which offers high- performing thermal properties and UV output increases of 30-100 per cent, without any need for an additional driver current. Key XT8 user benefits include faster curing with significantly more usable UV energy than before, allowing for higher speed and more demanding applications, improved cost- eficiencies and system working life, and all of this is complemented by a five year warranty. XT8 is sustained by two new supporting technologies: STEADYcool and VARIcool.
New developments in drying and curing S
pooner Industries converting sales manager, Lee Fairhurst, expands upon the company’s new developments and the changes in the drying and curing sector.
WITHIN THE DRYING AND CURING SECTOR IS SPOONER PLANNING ANYTHING NEW? A recent development for the drying and curing sector is the new HPS (High Performance SpoonerFloat) nozzle. The HPS nozzle has been specially developed to provide extremely high drying rates with stable flotation of lightweight porous webs. Conventional flotation nozzles are unable to work with these types of webs. Alongside highly trained engineers, Spooner
has a test centre located at our head ofice in Yorkshire. The test centre is continuously used to develop technologies, but can also be hired out exclusively and confidentially for our customers’ to conduct trials on more sensitive projects.
ARE THERE ANY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS YOU CAN EXPAND UPON? We have recently developed an electronically synchronised parallel lifting for our converting dryers, which has been used on a few projects. An advantage of this lifting system is cost savings for the customer, as there are minimal shafts and gearboxes required. This also results in a reduction in the guarding required for the
18 July/August 2017
dryer, which is another cost saving!
HOW DO YOU THINK THE DRYING AND CURING SECTOR MIGHT CHANGE IN THE FUTURE? WHAT WOULD THIS MEAN FOR SPOONER? Over the last few years’ health and safety concerns have caused the market to slowly move away from solvent-based coatings and opt for water-based alternatives. Having said this, there are converting processes that require the solvent-based coatings as water-based are ineffective. This is one reason Spooner formed a
partnership with Anguil, in America. It provides environmental systems designed to destroy the VOC’s produced in solvent-based processes and can be provided as a bespoke package from Spooner. UV curability has recently been used as opposed to traditional thermal curing dryers for products like sticky back release paper, where a thin layer of silicone is applied and UV is used in
favour of its low-cost energy usage. Unfortunately this is not available for use on all products yet, but looking to the future it could become a more viable option. Traditionally customers would go to an OEM
to supply an entire line, but more and more are now realising that the drying stage of the process is rather significant and are conducting in-depth research into who will supply their dryers. Quite often this is where customers come direct to Spooner, so they can conduct trials and develop our quality equipment to be tailor made for exact needs.
www.spooner.co.uk
www.convertermag.co.uk
Solutions for water and air-cooling are offering a more consistent, quiet and even-cooling performance than before. STEADYcool features specially designed water passages fitted with dynamic flow devices, which greatly enhance the water cooling surface area ensuring maximum thermal transfer and cooling eficiency. This ensures total even cooling to within 5°C and consistent UV output, even on the longest of arrays. VARIcool is a closed loop electronic system,
which automatically adjusts air-cooling to individual segments within the total length of the LED array, according to both the ambient temperature and working duty cycle. This delivers a consistent output even in working environments of up to 45°C. As one of the earliest developers of UV LED
technology, the company operates from 16 direct ofices worldwide. Integration Technology is also a member of the IST-Metz Group.
www.uvintegration.com
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