Until recently, waterless quality offset printing on coated papers remained a difficult technical challenge. The first production trials with UV led curing carried out on Koenig & Bauer's Cortina web press now show results deemed sufficiently convincing to envisage gradual industrialization. Presented at a user workshop attended by some 80 participants, these tests were carried out at Freiburger Druck, a German printer belonging to the BZ Medien group.
Promising UV curing tests on Cortina
For several months, Freiburger Druck's production team put the LED UV modules through their paces in the daily production environment. According to Daniel Binder, head of production, the results exceeded expectations, with colors deemed more vivid, stability during the print run and drying capability on coated paper, which is not considered very compatible with this type of process. He also points out that the led modules could be integrated without any major modifications to the press.
The process uses electric led modules instead of traditional gas dryers, reducing energy costs and dependence on fossil fuels.
In addition, LED UV technology eliminates the high heat release associated with heatset printing, while ensuring immediate ink drying. Applied to Koenig & Bauer's waterless press, this drying mode opens up new prospects in commercial printing, in addition to the traditional press market.
Towards expansion into new markets
Rodi Media Group in the Netherlands, which was the world's first user of the Cortina rotary press, is closely following these trials. It plans to devote resources to the project as early as next year, in order to evaluate possible applications in high-end commercial printing, particularly magazines. The group prints 1.5 million copies a week, across 45 editions.
In Belgium, Printing Partners is also planning to test LED UV technology. Its CEO, Paul Huybrechts, cites a direct interest in this drying method in a context of diversification of printed substrates. "Drying ledis an important step forward", he declared. "But it's not just about newspaper production. We have a commercial platform in development, where this technology could play a key role. It's something we'll be testing in the near future."
Georg Zitterbart, project manager for Cortina at Koenig & Bauer, reveals that other sites may soon be adopting UV leds. "Led drying has proved its worth in production, with outstanding results. With optimizations underway and at least four more installations planned, we're living through a pivotal period for waterless offset printing. This technology offers an economical and sustainable alternative to gas dryers, and the industry is taking a keen interest."
