IST UK has announced a scheme to retrofit various UV options to installed presses. This service applies to both LE-UV (also known as HUV by Komori users) and LED-UV/LUV as well as conventional UV drying technology.
The retrofit for a conventional UV unit would be five to six days but for LE-UV or LED-UV could be completed in one or two days. The main benefit is that the sheets are dry as they come off the press so that they can be finished for faster turnaround times. These systems should also reduce the amount of ink used, by up to 30-40% in volume, as well as eliminating powder spray and reducing the energy bill when compared to other drying options. They also provide high gloss levels and resistance to abrasion, side-lining the need for a dedicated coating or sealing unit.
IST says that the LE-UV option is better suited for smaller printers, with most presses needing just one LE UV lamp at the end of the line, though a perfector would require a unit at the perfecting unit and another in the delivery. These lamps are guaranteed for 2,500 hours, though IST says that customers could typically expect them to last for up to 4000 hours.
The LED-UV option, which IST calls LUV, is more expensive to install but the lamps are said to last for around 20,000 hours. It’s a modular system so groups of LED arrays rather than a whole unit can be replaced. The full package includes the lamp module, a control cabinet, water chiller and screen software.
Chris Schofield, joint managing director of IST (UK), commented: “The retrofit option will be attractive to companies who can’t currently budget for a new press or who would like to trial LE-UV or LUV for a relatively low capital cost before buying a dedicated new press using the latest energy efficient technology.”
All retrofits are provided with a 12 month warranty and printers can extend that with an IST (UK) service agreement.
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