On the first day of Labelexpo Europe in Brussels on 11 September, Fujifilm launched a new LED UV curing system as well as announced that it is launching CuremaX IDFC – the company’s first ever indirect food contact ink.
The LuXtreme LED UV curing system allows any traditional flexographic press to be converted to LED UV curing, resulting in enhanced label production on a narrow web press.
LuXtreme offers high speeds of up to 200m/min, along with better substrate stability, resulting in enhanced productivity for printers. Additionally, the system offers 30-50% higher radiant intensity than competitive LED curing systems, up to 25W/cm², the company said.
The system uses 30-60% fewer LED lamps to achieve the same radiant intensity as other comparable systems. This results in better registration and less material distortion. improving the overall quality of printed materials. The energy savings this offers compared to conventional UV systems, as well as competitive LED curing systems, are significant, with both material usage and waste also significantly reduced, enhancing overall productivity and making the system a highly sustainable mercury-free solution.
Due to the reductions in power required for the LED UV lamps, cost savings can be made across the production process. Additionally, the lower maintenance, downtime and make-ready times required to support the system also lead to a lower number of replacement parts required over its lifecycle, and lower associated labor costs.
The working environment for operators is also improved, with many undesirable factors eliminated or reduced, including heat from conventional UV and air cooled LED lamps, ambient noise and odors.
The system offers up to 50,000 hours LED life and up to a 720mm lamp length, scalable in 24mm steps. An LED adaptor allows easy integration on to existing mountings.
Manuel Schrutt, head of Packaging, Fujifilm EMEA, said: “We are excited to be bringing such an innovative and unique solution, alongside other innovations such as LED IFDC inks, to the labelling market. Sustainability is at the forefront of our processes and product development, and this launch demonstrates our commitment to providing high quality solutions that are beneficial for the environment, while providing customers with improved efficiency and productivity and a pleasant work environment. Labelexpo provides the ideal opportunity to launch this to the market and we look forward to showcasing the product to existing and potential customers.”
Food contact ink: CuremaX UV LED IDFC
Fujifilm also announced the launch of the CuremaX IDFC – the company’s first ever indirect food contact ink. The ink series is a range of gloss LED UV inks with the added option to cure under conventional lamps. This dual cure range has been specifically developed for printing on food and pharmaceutical packaging with indirect food contact and has minimal risk of migration. The inks are suitable for use on narrow web labels, including a range of applications from self-adhesive labels and unsupported films to saturated pouches and shrink sleeves.
CuremaX is suitable for use on all typical synthetic and non-synthetic substrates used by label printers including PE, PP, OPP, PET, PVC and aluminum as well as coated and uncoated papers. The inks are available in a range of low-viscosity high press-ready colours, offering high color-density, and can replicate the full pantone color library. Additionally, the range is over-printable with thermal transfer ribbons and cold foil adhesives.
CuremaX IDFC has been formulated to conform to The Swiss Ordinance (SR 817.023. 21), which defines provisions specifically related to printing inks for non-food contact surfaces of food contact materials. Furthermore, the inks are manufactured to the European Framework regulation and the good manufacturing practice EC regulation.
Steve Wakefield, Aftermarket manager, Fujifilm Speciality Ink SystemsSteve Wakefield, Aftermarket manager, Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems, said: “The launch of CuremaX IDFC marks an exciting time for Fujifilm. We’re confident that these inks will enable customers to explore new markets and achieve new standards with confidence. Additionally, the dual cure option offers printers flexibility, no matter what their business requirements are. CuremaX, in combination with our newly launched LuXtreme LED curing system and our Flenex water washable flexo plates, provides customers with the perfect combination of reliability, performance, efficiency and sustainability, via one partner. We look forward to demonstrating the solution at Labelexpo and connecting with visitors at the show.”
Fujifilm is at Labelexpo on stand C39 in Hall 9.
