Printers attending LabelExpo Americas 2016 in mid-September will have a chance to see an Air Motion Systems LED UV curing system live and in action during the show, at Bobst’s exhibit (#5721). The Flexo XP Series system will be installed on an M6 10-color 530 mm flexographic press, and demonstrated to give operators an opportunity to observe the speed, quality and efficiency of AMS’s LED-based curing solutions for high-speed flexo applications. The Flexo XP Series LED UV curing module, shown here, can enable speeds of up to 650 feet per minute on flexo presses.
LED UV curing does not generate heat to the substrate, and does not produce ozone – this environmentally sound combination is among its many benefits. Presses equipped with Flexo XP Series™ curing modules can print at speeds of 650 feet-per-minute, while drawing much less electricity than a standard UV lamp-based system would; some operators have seen a 70% reduction in energy use, helping them realize short ROIs after investing in an LED system, followed by increased profit margins.
The systems also support time-saving efforts: the need to frequently replace UV bulbs is eliminated (the LEDs readily last more than 20,000 hours), tight turnarounds can be met thanks to increased press speeds, blowers are no longer needed (which also makes the press quieter), instant on/off means no warm-up or cool-down time, and rolls never need to be cooled.
Additionally, AMS’s Flexo XP Series LED system is ideal for printing on a broader range of substrates than one could tackle with standard UV systems – thinner substrates and heat-sensitive materials can be used without issue. From self-adhesive labels and shrink sleeves through unsupported films and lamination applications, the secure cure enabled by the AMS LED system allows for the highest-quality printed results, without fear of tackiness due to degrading bulbs. With power densities of up to 25W, color quality and ink density can be improved, too.
The Flexo XP Series system from AMS is available for both new machines and retrofits; it can be installed on all makes and models of flexographic presses.
Founded in 1997, Air Motion Systems is the world’s leading manufacturer of LED UV curing systems for the printing industry, with more installed feet of LED-based curing solutions than any other supplier. It produces the highest-power LED curing solutions available on the market, which use a patented technology that collimates light to provide the most uniform cure possible, while allowing for the greatest working distance range: this means that whether the lamp is positioned millimeters or inches from the substrate, the output intensity remains the same.
