UV Offset

Proven printing technology

UV Offset
Basics

ƒ Well established and developed printing

technology
ƒ High level of standardisation
ƒ High quality for label printing
ƒ Very good compatibility with other printing
technologies and VIP
ƒ Full rotary or semi rotary printing
ƒ Effective for long production runs and multiple
label designs
Inks for Narrow web printing
Solvent Water- UV Free UV
Ingredient Inks based radical Cationic

Pigments Yes Yes Yes Yes

Acrylated Cycloaliphatic
Resins Nitro Acrylic
prepolymers Epoxides
Acrylated
Reducers Solvents Water amine
monomers
Vinyl ethers

Solvents > 30% < 5% Zero Zero

Wax Wax
Wax Wax
Antifoam Photo
Additives Antifoam
initiator
Dif Photo Init
Silicones
Stabilizers
Plasticizers Stabilizers
UV inks/varnishes

Components
ƒPrepolymers Adhesion, properties, pigment wetting
ƒMonomers Viscosity, cure rate, adhesion
ƒPhotoinitiators Curing properties
ƒPigments Shade, strength, light fastness
ƒAdditives Flow agents, silicones, stabiliser
ƒWax Slip, scratch resistance
Curing

ƒ Curing
– when exposed to UV-light
– Binder reacts with photo-
initiator and crosslinks

ƒ Unsufficient curing
– If not sufficient UV-light or
wrong ink formulation, only
surface curing occurs
– This results in bad adhesion

ƒ Through cured
– UV-ink can cure max 100%
– ”Over cure” is ink that is to
brittle & shrinks when cured
 Pigment UV absorbation

100

90

80

70

60
Absorbance (%)

50

40

30

20

10

0
200 250 300 350 400 450

Wave length (nm)

Factors effecting UV-curing
mechanism
Lamp system Press settings
ƒ Power output of UV-lamp (W/cm) ƒ Press speed
ƒ Peak energy ƒ Anilox configuration

ƒ Reflector geometry ƒ Screen stencil

ƒ Spectral output ƒ Ink feed / transfer

ƒ ”Cold-UV-lamps” & ”Ozone Free”

Ink formulation
ƒPigment UV-light absorption
ƒPhoto-initiator reactivity / amount
ƒFilm weight / ink thickness
ƒDemands on low odour
Offset Unit

Ink fountain Vibrator Inking Oscillating Form Plate Blankett Impression

roller roller roller roller roller Cylinder Cylinder

Dampening
roller

Water &
Fountain
solution
UV Offset basics - Plates
ƒ Plates do not have raised images
ƒ Image is created through hydrophilic hydrophobic areas
ƒ The image area is receptive to ink, and the non image area
is receptive to water, or fountain solution. (The hydrophilic
area “like” water, the hydrophobic area “like” ink)

ƒ The wetting of the plate depends on its surface energy and

surface tension.

ƒ On non image areas the water forms a continuous film,

while on the image area water beads up and move away
UV Offset basics – Inks
ƒ The pigment level of the ink will effect the ink / water balance

ƒ Monitoring the density reading during a press run, is the only way
to control this.

ƒ By maintaining a set density, the least amount of ink is always

being applied

ƒ Basically an optimum ink/water balance is achieved when the least

amount of ink, and the least amount of water is used.

ƒ This generates the ‘least amount of problems’

ƒ Less is best……!
UV Offset Stable printing process

Correct level Better ink Lower ink

of water transport feeding

Correct density

Optimal printing
contrast

FB0625
UV Offset
range

ƒ Lithokett
– UV offset ink for Narrow Web presses
– Excellent lithographic properties, very stable & large
operating window
– Superb printability and press performance
– Excellent colour strength
– Universal function for wide range of substrates, from
matt paper to synthetic films
– Does require an overprint
UV Offset inks

Application Lithokett

PS Paper label ●●●

PS Film Labels ●●●

Wrap around film label ●●

In mold Label ●●

Sleeves ●
Folding Carton ●●●
Sachets & Pouches ●●

Flexible Packaging ●