The State of UV/EB in
Feature
Graphic Arts
E
By David Biro and nergy-curable inks, coatings and products. Energy-curable manufac-
Rick Sanders adhesives continue to make an tured products make up a unique cross
impact on the graphic arts section of products for everyday use.
industry around the world and around Whether it’s the gable top juice carton
you. When you pick up a glossy used for a breakfast drink or a mid-
magazine or paperback, a box of night frozen pizza snack, these
cereal, a credit card, a CD or DVD, packaging solutions use energy-curable
frozen food cartons, toothpaste or a technology to achieve their goal. So,
youngster’s school book, you are what’s the big fuss about, where this is
picking up an item probably converted going? Well, first of all, the use of
or manufactured using energy-curable on-line sources of information and the
technology. This includes ultraviolet digital age still have not resulted in a
(UV) and electron beam (EB) curing of significant decrease in the amount of
inks, coatings and laminating adhesives. printed or coated material on a daily
basis. Admittedly, the weaker economy
RadTech’s e|5 theme for the conference and of late has taken its toll on several
common markets. But, by and large the
exposition is: efficient, enabling, economical, energy majority of us still go shopping for food
savings and environmentally friendly. All these and consumer products, which are
printed using UV and EB technology.
aspects are involved within graphic arts when Let’s discuss the future of graphic arts
incorporating UV & EB technologies. using the five elements: efficient,
enabling, economical, energy savings
RadTech’s e|5 exhibition is the UV and environmentally friendly.
and EB industry’s technical conference
and exposition. At e|5 2004, held in Efficient
Charlotte, NC, you will learn about the UV and EB curing of inks, coatings
use of UV- and EB-curable coatings, and laminating adhesives is an efficient
inks and adhesives for many industries process. You start with a mixture of
including commercial and package monomers, oligomers, resins,
printing, food, drug, consumer product colorants, additives and photoinitiators
packaging and UV inkjet to name a few (for UV) to form a crosslinked “photo-
of the topics. RadTech’s e|5 theme for set” matrix with incredible properties.
the conference and exposition is: First, a photoset means that light
efficient, enabling, economical, energy or electron beam energy is used
energy savings and environmen- to make a crosslinked matrix within a
tally friendly. All these aspects are micro to millisecond timescale once
involved within graphic arts when exposed to the correct energy density.
incorporating UV & EB technologies. This is a rapid chemical reaction,
What are we talking about? which is exothermic and very efficient.
Graphic arts span a wide variety of Converters like to use UV and EB
consumer, commercial and industrial chemistry because it generates an
MARCH/APRIL 2004 RADTECH REPORT 53
instantly cured or set film of ink, they did not have a product already. Another challenge is the commer-
Feature
coating or adhesive. That is efficient. Today, UV hybrid inks are more cial acceptance of UV or EB printed,
Okay, that happens 24 hours a day at a developed and provide the converter coated matter into the consumer
large-scale food packaging or glossy with another arrow in their quiver—to market. When converters think of film
magazine cover converter, but what offer a high-gloss product with rapid printing and food packaging, the
about the future? As converters seek turn around time. An additional benefit obvious questions of FDA compliance
to expand their capacity or consolidate seen by converters was the reduced arise. The converters are concerned
their assets, they will be considering total cost of print by using the hybrid because their customers, the food
energy-curable technologies as a way UV and coating process. Hybrid inks producers and packagers, are con-
to make their current processes more are beginning to make their way in cerned. UV/EB inks and coatings, when
efficient without the use of solvent other graphic art applications as properly applied and cured, are fully
recovery or afterburners (for flexo or printers get more adventurous and suitable for most food packaging
gravure packaging.) Energy curing push the technology to new limits. applications where three conditions
provides an efficient way of setting the The next frontier for graphic arts is apply:
graphics on paper or plastic without using UV/EB technology in plastic and 1) There is no intent of direct contact.
the use of excessive heat. UV and EB film packaging. A couple of challenges 2) The UV/EB print is separated from
products may be slightly more to this market segment exist. One the food by a “functional barrier.”
expensive than more conventional challenge is understanding what this 3) The use of the UV/EB inks or
products on a pound for pound basis, energy-curable technology means for coating results in a food package
so that has to be factored into the the industry. This is because traditional free of odor or taint.
equation. However, UV & EB products packaging converters are familiar with These issues have been explained
are generally 100% solids, which either water-based or solvent-based before in a previous article.1 What the
means they can yield more finished inks and coatings, which are dried future holds is very simple. The
product at lower coat weights than
conventional products, which may UV & EB technology enables converters in the graphic
offset any slight increase in chemistry
cost. This leads to the second topic arts world to start with a roll of paper or plastic film
of enabling. at one end of the press and produce individual
Enabling packages or rolls of printed/coated matter at the
UV & EB technology enables
converters in the graphic arts world to
other end, which can be slit in line and then
start with a roll of paper or plastic film immediately shipped out to the customer.
at one end of the press and produce
individual packages or rolls of using ovens. UV/EB inks and coatings question is, are converters (big and
printed/coated matter at the other end, are not ‘dried’ this way, but polymer- small) willing to learn and explore the
which can be slit in line and then ized into a crosslinked matrix. Printing advantages of UV/EB curing while
immediately shipped out to the on plastic substrates poses its own understanding their limitations? Our
customer. This enabling technology difficulties since the heat from a UV answer is a resounding “yes.” Smart
was a driving force for the folding lamp or conventional oven, can distort people explore all opportunities and
carton market place more than film or plastic sheets if the heat is not make the best decisions for their
15 years ago. properly managed. EB curing is gaining respective market places. They have to
A few years ago, hybrid UV inks acceptance as an option since this make some tough choices (spending
opened up a new world for the sheet process does not impart much heat to money and learning something new),
fed printers. They could now use their the substrate. Recently, EB CI flexo inks, but they must be able to harvest the
conventional sheet fed presses, equip not requiring interstation drying, were fruits of their labor in a short time.
them with downstream UV lamps and introduced as a new use for the technol- The future of UV/EB in the graphic
print hybrid inks and UV coatings with ogy. Thus, EB technology can be used arts area is also a matter of timing
minimal gloss back. This enabled those for a variety of applications within the within a specific market segment. If
printers to expand into areas where graphic arts and packaging industry. one converter jumps into the UV/EB
54 RADTECH REPORT MARCH/APRIL 2004
arena, others will follow. They will
Reducing conversion costs leads to big savings, which
Feature
either see the advantages or stay
stagnant in conventional technologies. can be either passed on to the end-user or used to
Leaders and followers have their
offset the cost of the new technology.
respective advantages in the market-
place. Sometimes followers gain on market will continue to grow over the money and time. The latter being the
experience and problems already next few years as combination largest driver. Reducing conversion
solved by the incumbent. Being the converters take advantage of UV flexo costs leads to big savings, which can be
first one on the block to use UV/EB has and screen options for the label, tag either passed on to the end-user or
its pluses and pitfalls. It is a calculated and small product overwrap markets. used to offset the cost of the new
risk, but a risk undertaken between Those exploring wider webs (>30 technology. When companies change
converter, curing equipment supplier inches) for food packaging and technologies by incorporating UV or
and chemistry supplier. All three must consumer products are pioneers with EB technology, the transition period
work in concert to make sure that their their supplier partners in this area. can be difficult since there is a capital
customer’s needs are met with respect Rigid plastic sheet, cup and tub investment that must be amortized as
to product performance, appearance, converting continue to grow with many the new products and processes are
speed to market and acceptable cost. competitors entering the field. being developed. Recently enacted
Normally, this can happen without Converters in this market are looking legislation will help the investment
many problems. A good thing about at stand up pouches, flexible packages, justification due to accelerated
energy-curing technology is that the lamination replacements with UV/EB depreciation tables. There is a lot of
enabling feature allows many convert- coatings and other options in this time and money counting done as a
ers to perform jobs that they could not market including moving from a paper- new UV/EB technology emerges, but
do otherwise. based package to completely plastic- this has to be compared to how this
For printing on plastics, adhesion of based package. Folding carton paper would have been accomplished using
inks and coatings is a key criteria. Raw printing and coating is a mainstay and solvent- or water-based means. UV/EB
material suppliers have provided the may remain that way for the foresee- inks and coatings may be a bit more
ink and coating manufacturers with the able future until market forces expensive than their competitive
tools to overcome these difficulties. It elucidate a change. conventional water-based or solvent-
should be noted that formulation, based systems. The economical savings
application and cure play a big role on Economical usually offset these slightly higher
how the final product characteristics Every converter of graphic arts costs through reduced conversion time
are achieved. Adhesion of inks, material wants to be able to produce and increased efficiency of the process
coatings and laminating adhesives to their product at a lower cost than their as sighted above. Putting a glossy
plastic sheets, plastic films and plastics current technology allows. There is a UV/EB coating usually improves the
in general are a growing field within saying, “You get what you pay for.” It is look of a finished product and can get
the graphic arts since adhesion to valid whether you are buying a home the converter improved revenue.
paper is usually trivial (depending on theater system or a UV/EB-solution There are commodity and specialty
the paper and underlying inks.) The technology for your application. You type raw materials for the UV/EB
adhesion to certain plastics can come cannot directly compare the cost of a market. Naturally, the latter are more
at an added cost that may limit the UV/EB technology against conventional expensive because they provide added
enabling feature of the technology. In solvent-based or water-based technolo- advantages. Looking into the future of
most cases, the converters and printers gies. This is a dilemma, which was UV/EB, suppliers will have more raw
are more interested in price while addressed in part by a working cost materials for food packaging (low odor)
sacrificing performance. UV/EB model developed several years ago and and specialty materials for adhesion to
technology enables the converter to is available through RadTech.2 The plastics and metals, plus the regular
manage this delicate balance between future of graphic arts with respect to gamut of conventional monomers. The
performance and price. economic factors is one of many raw materials suppliers to the UV/EB
The future will bring more flexible suppliers doing their homework to industry play an increasingly important
plastic printing and coating to graphic provide their customers with realistic role in the future of the economics of
arts and packaging. The narrow web cost models on how they can save UV/EB. Whatever the outcome, the
MARCH/APRIL 2004 RADTECH REPORT 55
current and new UV/EB converter is Environmentally Friendly Summary
Feature
aware that this technology requires UV- and EB-curing technologies are The five e’s—efficient, enabling,
attention with respect to all components environmentally friendly processes. economical, energy savings and
involved—substrate, ink, coating, curing This is potentially one big aspect, environmentally friendly—are just
equipment and process conditions. particularly for countries supporting some of the benefits that come to the
the Kyoto treaty. Those co-signors are converters who utilize UV/EB technolo-
Energy savings very aware how this will affect them gies. Attendees of the e|5 Technology
Energy savings are of prime 4-6 years down the line. Many countries Expo and Conference Graphic Arts
concern whenever we are running may not adopt all of the aspects of the User Focus Session May 3, 2004,
against a new or competitive coating or Charlotte, NC, will hear from people
treaty, but it makes them more aware of
ink. The future of energy savings will representing various segments of the
their current environment positions
most probably involve an engineering supply chain, talking about how UV/EB
within the global market place.
is helping them produce and sell their
manager, a mechanical engineer and Environmental protection agencies
products. The Graphic Arts “SuperStore,”
spreadsheet showing the potential in several states have programs in
which will showcase many different
energy savings.2 These are presented place that encourage the use of these
types of packaging solutions using UV
to upper management for those willing technologies. Some, like New York,
and EB technology, will be part of
to invest and benefit from this technol- have financial incentives in the form of
RadTech’s applications “TechCell.” ◗
ogy. News reports are replete with zero interest loans available to
notices of increased utility cost. companies who incorporate energy- 1. Ink World, UV/EB for Food Packaging—
Natural gas and oil costs continue to curing technologies like UV/EB. The Invisible Elephant, Don Duncan,
September 2002
increase each year. These costs are Several segments of the U.S. EPA have
2. RadTech, UV cost model, 2001.
difficult to manage or predict thus embraced UV technology and consider
making long term pricing difficult if not it a best available commercial technol- —David Biro is a scientist, Energy
impossible. Energy-curing technology ogy (BACT) with respect to emissions. Curable Research and Development,
offers a unique way of stemming the As stated above, UV/EB technologies SunChemical, Carlstadt, NJ. Rick
Sanders is sales and marketing
tide of continued increased costs that have no emissions, which make them
manager, Energy Sciences,
allows for improved profitability. very environmentally friendly. Wilmington, Mass.
RadTech International North America offers you
opportunities for professional development and RadTech Headquarters
6935 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 207
the chance to chart the course for the growing
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
UV/EB industry. For more information about the
Phone: (240) 497-1241
value of RadTech Membership, contact: E-mail: uveb@radtech.org
www.radtech.org
56 RADTECH REPORT MARCH/APRIL 2004