Significant benefits are being claimed for LED-lamp based UV curing systems: innovative content, cost savings and improved quality.

One of the first companies to test the LED UV curing system for metal packaging was the Italian packaging company Tecnocap. A system was installed on a Mailänder 122 two-color press in Eastern Europe. Following the success of this installation, a second press has been upgraded.

The project was promoted by the Italian company PrintabLED that won the Gold Medal at “Innovation award” of METPACK 2017 for its high-performance UV-LED systems.

In addition to cutting power consumption by 90 percent, LED lamps run at lower temperatures and therefore transmit less heat to the substrate being cured or adjacent components. Also, ozone emissions are eliminated along with UVC radiation. Longer operating life is claimed along with reduced maintenance requirements.
LED-lamp based UV curing system producers say that commercially available products include process colors, pantone bases, overprint varnishes for general line and food packaging applications.