Marc Verbeem, supervisor product management, Mimaki Europe, writes that by using UV-LED printing, you are not only upgrading the quality of the print but also meeting sustainability targets the entire industry is striving towards.
Striking, high-resolution prints are naturally the number one priority for any printer in any industry, and a switch to UV can not only elevate your designs but also expand your printing possibilities. Printers add gloss, matt or other textured finishes during the printing process through layered printing functions, giving designs an almost 3D effect. As well as this, UV inks dry instantly, without any smudging or colour bleeding, leaving users with a print that boasts vivid and photo-realistic image quality and is ready for use immediately.
The removal of the drying process drastically increases the production speed, something that is crucial when keeping up with increased demand. According to Keypoint Intelligence’s research, over 60% of large format print jobs in the sign industry require turnaround times of less than 24 hours. Having a UV printer will help supply keep up with demand, and also save money in investing in additional printers to do so.
UV printing is incredibly versatile, with the ability to be applied to a wide range of traditionally hard-to-print surfaces, such as paper, plastic, glass, metal, wood and more. This is a massive advantage in the luxury packaging industry, where bottles and containers can be irregular shapes and can be made of a variety of materials. Another advantage of UV, in comparison to traditional methods, is the durability of the inks. UV inks are more resistant to scratches, fading and abrasion, which makes them particularly suitable for outdoor applications, for example, car wrapping.
Leaving Your Mark In Print, Not On The Planet
While the immediate focus of printers is providing high-quality prints to customers, there is an underlying long-term goal to make the industry more sustainable. By using UV-LED, users can make significant reductions in their waste and carbon emissions, while improving the quality of their prints.
As mentioned previously, there is no curing and drying process with UV, which subsequently means there is no accompanying curing heater. By removing this part of the process, users can reduce energy consumption by 90%, significantly reducing their carbon footprint.
Another way that UV-LED printing is more sustainable is through the use of waterless inks. There is a myth that water-based inks are better for the environment. However, health and safety data show that 35% of chemical make-up in latex inks, for example, are harmful and toxic to humans and the environment.
The drying process consumes more power because evaporating the remaining 65% of water requires significant heat. Water is the most valuable resource on the planet, the less we use the better, and so using waterless inks is a fantastic way to reduce the amount of water we use.
Not only does UV-LED printing use less water and energy, but it also produces less waste. Traditional thermal printheads for latex printing need replacing regularly. However, UV printing uses Piezo electric printheads, which have much longer durability. These printheads do not suffer thermal stress like thermal printheads do, which means they experience less degradation and also provide a more stable print quality.
Over the lifetime of the printer (approximately five to seven years if well maintained), with a Piezo printhead, users will only go through two to three printheads. When this is compared to thermal printheads, which may need to be replaced over 50 times in a two-year period, UV-LED will not only save on money spent on printheads, but also significantly reduce waste.
Printers seeking to create stunning prints across various sectors and applications while aligning with their own and their customers’ environmental objectives will find UV-LED printing an ideal fit. This innovative and reliable technology offers a safe pair of hands to ensure both your prints and the planet are better off moving forward.
|
LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR |
