By Cassandra Balentine
Part 2 of 2
The pace of digital printing has accelerated, and UV curing technology must evolve in parallel.
UV LED systems are expected to deliver higher output to match increasing print speeds. “For example, presses running above 300 feet per minute require not just powerful LEDs, but also effective thermal management and irradiance uniformity to ensure full cure across wide substrates,” admits Mark VandenBosch, technical sales, IST America.
By leveraging advanced electrical protection and thermal management technologies, moving beyond the traditional ARC lamp design approach, and introducing a real-time data-driven intelligent system, Peter Lin, CEO, IUV, points out that IUV is able to ensure its UV curing systems meet the increasing performance demands while maintaining overall system stability through smart control and predictive fault prevention,.
Space constraints are also a limiting factor. “Press OEMs are continuously reducing equipment footprints, which limits the available space for curing modules. This has driven compact designs like IST’s MBS-C and the Intech Pincure P, both of which are optimized for confined geometries without compromising output,” shares VandenBosch.
IST and Intech have developed both air- and water-cooled UV LED platforms to address thermal constraints and integration limits. “Our engineering approach prioritizes modularity, allowing OEMs and end users to scale their curing capability as application requirements evolve. Additionally, we’ve enhanced optical efficiency and cooling systems to maximize performance in minimal space,” says VandenBosch.
Substrate variability, especially in film, adds complexity. Some converters rely on digitally pre-treated films, while others perform priming inline. VandenBosch states that these primers, often UV-curable themselves, add a further layer of curing requirements that must be balanced against overall energy usage and system integration.
By integrating power-efficient lamp head designs and advanced reflectors, IST is helping converters keep pace with production speed demands without needing redundant lamp arrays. In many cases, we can achieve full cure with a single lamp where other systems require two, minimizing both energy use and integration complexity.
Cleanliness is another concern. During production, rugged and dirty environments can damage UV curing systems. Stacy Hoge, marketing manager, Excelitas, points out that in industrial environments where debris and material are in the air, air cooled systems have less protection and can get damaged more easily.
Excelitas offers ruggedized, water-cooled UV LED curing systems to keep the curing system protected in dirty environments. “In these types of industrial environments where debris and material are in the air, water-cooled systems are strongly recommended,” notes Hoge.
When it comes to consistency in high-quality printing applications, the consistency of UV curing directly affects the final product’s appearance and quality uniformity. IUV employs three parallel technologies—secondary optics, intelligent sensing, and constant UV energy closed-loop control—to ensure curing consistency across three dimensions: uniform UV light distribution, precise UV coverage control, and accurate UV energy dosing.
While most printing facilities still use traditional mercury-based UV curing systems, the advancement of UV LED curing technology highlight the fact that legacy UV systems increasingly limit the production potential of printing equipment.
Lin confirms that seamless integration of the latest UV and LED curing technologies into existing machines has become a critical demand. Leveraging extensive experience in UV system retrofits, IUV has developed a standardized upgrade solution. “Through modular design, printing companies can achieve gradual, seamless upgrades, maximizing the productivity of existing equipment with minimal investment.”
