Breaking unchartered ground in web offset printing

What to do when capacity utilisation is getting lower and lower due to decreasing print runs? Many web offset printers have been grappling with this question for years. And we at the hubergroup have also given it some thought. The result is our LED UV ink series NewV news UNL4000, which is specifically designed for printing on rotary presses, and, thus, enables web offset printers to expand their portfolio to high-quality semi-commercials, such as magazines, labels, airline tickets etc.  

But how does UV printing work? What factors do you as a printer need to consider and what are your advantages of implementing the UV technology into your pressroom? We have the answers to the most frequently asked questions. 

Firstly, what is UV radiation? 

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is part of natural sunlight. As a form of electromagnetic radiation, it is between 100 and 380 nanometres in the spectral range, which is invisible to the human eye. UV radiation, which is very high in energy, has been deployed in many technical applications across various industries. In printing technology, it is used to cure, that is dry, inks and coatings. 

How exactly does UV offset printing work? 

UV offset printing uses special inks that cure under UV light. The inks are applied to the substrate in the same way as in conventional offset printing and then immediately cured under a UV lamp while still in the press. This immediate curing process is triggered by the reaction of photoinitiators contained in the ink with photons of UV radiation. 

There are different types of UV lamps such as LED and mercury lamps. The trend is towards LED UV printing due to faster operational readiness, lower energy consumption as well as longer service life, and because a ban on mercury lamps is imminent, especially in Europe. 

What are my benefits as a printer? 

The most promising benefit for you certainly is that the UV technology allows you to better utilise your capacities as you can expand your portfolio to high-quality semi-commercials such as magazines, labels, brochures or airline tickets. UV inks are suitable for a wide range of substrates including matt and gloss-coated papers and cartons, foil-laminated and metallized materials, plastic films, and composites. 

In detail, UV inks offer the following advantages: 

• Brilliant colours, high contrasts and high gloss levels make UV inks particularly suitable for attractive design features.
• A high physical and chemical resistance ensures that unwanted effects such as rubbing, carboning, scratching, changes in colour due to setting or absorption into the substrate, ghosting or inadequate dot definition on uncoated papers are almost eliminated. The print result is smooth and free of any haptic disruptions so that no protective coating is required.
• The fast curing of UV inks facilitates high production speeds and a rapid finishing so that you can deliver the print products to your customers quickly.
• UV inks convince with a long shelf life because they remain absolutely fresh both in the press and in the can as long as they do not come into contact with UV radiation.
• UV inks reduce cleaning intervals as no gases and silicones are necessary. 

Why should I choose hubergroup’s NewV news series for UV printing? 

As we developed our NewV news series in cooperation with customers and press manufacturers, it is tailored to the needs of its users. The consistent know-how exchange between chemists and application engineers has resulted in unusual ideas for the synthesis of raw materials and ink formulation so that you get first-class results. 

Our ink series can be used on systems with lower or upper ink blades and is characterized by the following properties: 

• High ink-water stability 
• Very good production-run properties 
• Good mechanical resistance
• Suitable for NBR and EPDM ink rollers and blankets
• Suitable for laser printing (e.g. for personalisation)
• Fast curing (nail dry in 10.5 m/s)
• Larger colour gamut at densities of K: 1.50 Dv and coloured: 1.20 Dv
• High brilliance and intensive gloss depending on the substrate
• No to low contamination of the conductive elements
• Good rheological properties with different ink fountain systems 

Does the NewV news series support sustainable printing? 

From the very beginning, we focused on two aspects during development: high print quality and good recyclability. As a result, the NewV news series does not only have sharp image quality and intense, bright colours but is also characterized by a very good deinkability on coated paper. The deinkability was evaluated by the PMV department of the Technical University of Darmstadt according to INGEDE method 11. Furthermore, the NewV news is formulated free of VOC, solvents, ITX, and phthalates, and we guarantee that we do not use any substances that are classified as SVHC (“substance of very high concern”) or CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic for reproduction) according to REACH. We use raw materials from our own Chemicals Division wherever possible to ensure high environmental standards and pay great attention to energy-efficient as well as resource-saving production. 

That all sounds great, but how can you start?