By Melissa Donovan
The February issue of Industrial Print magazine dives into UV LED curing as well as the more traditional mercury or arc lamps. While some vendors offer hybrid solutions—the ability to switch between the two systems—others offer both as separate products. We’ve compiled information from vendors interviewed for the February article on their products used in the industrial print space.
American Ultraviolet
The company offers both regular mercury lamps and doped lamp systems as well as standalone or combines UV LED conveyor systems for a vast amount of applications. American Ultraviolet recommends UV LED systems for heat-sensitive substrates.
BW Converting
The BW Converting Baldwin brand offers the QuadCure Unity UV and Unity LED systems, which are a hybrid solution designed for sheetfed presses. This system allows users to interchange LED and arc lamp heads easily, leveraging shared components to simplify the transition between technologies. While currently available for sheetfed applications, future iterations are expected to expand to other printing platforms. The QuadCure Unity UV solution reinforces BW Converting’s commitment to providing flexible, forward-thinking solutions that meet the evolving needs of the printing and packaging industries.
GEW (EC) Limited
The company pairs E2C or arc lamps with its AeroLED2 LED lamps, because both are air cooled and simple to interchange. Similarly—and more applicable to the industrial market due to the higher power—it pairs E4C arc lamps with LeoLED2 LED lamps, which are both water cooled.
NUVA2 is also regularly used for industrial applications, and this can also be interchanged with LeoLED2 cassettes.
Hönle
The company offers hybrid UV curing systems that combine lamp and LED technologies. These systems provide unparalleled flexibility, allowing operators to switch modes depending on job requirements.
IST America
IST’s hybrid systems, such as the MBSC and MBSCx, are designed to support both LED and traditional UV lamp technologies. These systems are ideal for businesses seeking flexibility and adaptability in their production processes. For industrial print applications, the SMARTcure artificial intelligence-enabled systems provide advanced performance optimization in presetting curing output and energy saving features, ensuring compatibility with future regulatory and operational demands.
Uvitron International
At Uvitron International, UV lamp and UV LED technologies ensure its customers have access to the most suitable solutions for their unique applications. The company’s diverse product portfolio is a testament to its commitment to meeting evolving market demands.
It offers modular conveyor systems where lamp heads can be changed out based on specific application requirements. For example, an end user might opt for an arc lamp system for curing materials that demand broad-spectrum UV output, but they can then switch the lamp head to an LED unit when needing a more energy efficient or heat-sensitive curing solution. This design provides flexibility in adapting to different curing needs, though it is not a hybrid system in the strict sense. Currently, Uvitron does not offer a fully integrated hybrid solution.
Feb2025, Industrial Print Magazine