Fujifilm has announced an LED-UV retrofit system for converting any traditional UV or waterbase flexo press to LED-UV curing.
Called Illumina, Fujifilm says its LED technology delivers up to 44 per cent more energy toward the substrate, resulting in faster curing. It says the more efficient design of Illumina takes full advantage of the latest LED ink technology, including the Fujifilm 300 Series flexo ink system.
Fujifilm claims the UV energy emitted at Illumina’s 20 per cent power setting equals the 100 per cent power setting of other UV-LED curing systems. The UV-LED cure, an instant on/off process, lowers the energy usage and stress on lamp bulbs experienced in conventional always-on UV mercury lamp curing. UV-LED also eliminates the costs generated by cooling air blowers, ozone extraction, and heat makeup systems.
Illumina employs additional patented and patent-pending technology to achieve greater savings. Fujifilm says the design produces less heat than competitive LED technologies and it possesses more effective heat-dissipation as well. The small number of insulating layers used, and a domed lens design enables cooling with room temperature distilled water. This eliminates condensation issues as well as increases the lifetime of the water circulation system.
Illumina’s single piece extrusion design allows large cooling water channels to be located directly behind each LED module. Fujifilm says this lengthens the cooling time from several seconds to several minutes if the chiller were to stop running.
The company adds that Illumina’s UV LED curing system is proven to work on heat-sensitive film applications including high percent shrink film without the use of chill rollers.
