LED UV Technology Benefits for Corrugated Printers Spotlighted at AICC Spring Meeting

Baldwin Technology Co. made its case for its pioneering LED UV in corrugated at the 2023 AICC Independent Packaging Association Spring Meeting, at Trump National Doral Resort in Doral, Florida, on April 26.

During the Supplier Innovations session at 8 a.m., Baldwin regional sales manager, Bill Elting, presented a 6-minute overview of the company’s XP Max LED-UV system, which is designed to cure especially wide substrates moving past it on a printing press, corrugated rotary die cutter, or manufacturing conveyor belt. Instead of one long LED array, XP Max uses numerous 20-inch (508mm) modules. These LED modules are set at an angle to allow for overlap of the LED emitting areas, forming a continuous UV curing array that spans any press or conveyor width needed.

Speaking frankly, Elting addressed the fire-safety concerns of corrugated converters and printers and noted the LED window temperatures within the XP Max system are much cooler than both IR and arc UV, resulting in a much lower chance of fire when the corrugated substrate falls onto lamp heads.

Additionally, the LED-UV modules within the XP Max system can significantly reduce energy and downtime costs while improving operational safety. LED-UV technology cures ink instantly with no drying time, using much less energy than both IR and arc UV. The modules can be turned on and off to cover only part of the conveyor, saving energy use when curing smaller stock widths. This arrangement also enables individual maintenance, allowing the removal of a single module without shutting down the full system for repairs.