UV Technology Continues to Push Boundaries

This neon sign, printed on an Anapurna M2540i, and rear backlit sign, printed on an Anapurna M3200i, used UV inks.

The Human Factor

Another driving force in the UV space is how easy the presses are to operate, and how productive they are during any given shift. As speeds increase, substrates are more delicate, software is more precise and inks are more durable, so operators are going to need the right training and tools to keep all of those proverbial balls in the air.

“I’m not sure machines that can do thousands of boards an hour and cost millions of dollars are a fit for the bulk of the market,” explains Larry D’Amico, director of sales, Large Format, Durst Image Technology US. “In the next 12 to 18 months I see more speed, but I also see innovations that address the labor costs. Automation and workflow will help printers produce work with fewer touches and ultimately lights out production. As price pressures continue to increase, reducing the labor cost will be an ongoing priority.”

Automation, in particular, is a buzzword driving trends across most of the print industry, but for UV presses it will be a key element in the future. Every successful print shop is always looking for ways to automate, because time is money, and the more times the shop has to touch a job or a piece of equipment, the more the margins sink.

“This is becoming more important as we are beginning to see some commoditization among applications in the market,” Kaufman of Canon Solutions America notes. “So, having automation or ‘smart printers’ allows customers to reduce costs and increase profits.”