LFP - Large-Format-Printing
UV-LED and flexible UV ink – two new technologies herald a new era of inkjet printing
Friday 08. August 2008 - LED-UV-curable inkjet printer: UJV-160
Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd., a leading manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and cutting machines for the sign/graphics, industrial and textile/apparel markets, is pleased to announce its new 60″ UV-curable inkjet printer UJV-160 using environmentally-friendly UV-LED technology which does not generate heat, and a flexible UV ink which has been developed together with 3M.
In outdoor signage or fleet marking, solvent inkjet printers are main-stream. On the other hand, from an environmental point of view, reduction of VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) is required. Consequently UV-curable ink printers have attracted attention in the sign and graphics markets. But current UV-curable inkjet printers generate high temperatures which deform heat-sensitive materials like PVC and cured ink membranes on curved surfaces such as fleet marking.
However, the new hybrid UJV-160, a 60″ roll-to-roll large format UV-curable inkjet printer, utilizes UV-LED (Light Emitting Diodes) curing technology, and the curing temperature emitted by the UV lamps is very low. Therefore the printer can accommodate heat sensitive media, such as PVC which could not be previously printed. In addition new flexible UV ink developed in conjunction with 3M, which can stretch up to 200%, enables printing on cured ink membranes such as vehicle wrapping using thin PVC and any other curved surfaces such as shutters. Thus, the applications for UV printing are greatly broadened.
Conventional UV lamps also emit infrared rays that create excessive heat and sometimes ozone. Both of these negative effects of conventional UV printing are eliminated with LED curing technology. The LED lamp emits only ultraviolet rays that do not create heat and consequently the power consumption is less than half of that needed by traditional UV lamps, thereby significantly saving energy costs. In this respect UV-LED technology is a breakthrough new technology in step with the latest environmental demands. Since the ink is cured or fixed immediately after LED radiation, the job turnaround time from printing to further processing, such as lamination, is shortened greatly, so dramatically improving working efficiency and productivity.
3M will provide their 3M MCS (Matched Component System) that covers 3M media and the finished graphics for a stated durability period when the ink and 3Ms selected media are used and the recommended ways of installation are observed.
“Mimaki, as a pioneer of inkjet printers for outdoor signage, is now providing another break-through solution together with 3M, another pioneer in the sign and graphics industry. We believe that this new technology developed by Mimaki contributes to both our customerss and the industrys future success by offering a highly environmentally-friendly solution” says Kazuyuki Takeuchi, IP Division.