The new Nilpeter press with GEW hybrid UV curing being installed
A Nilpeter press with GEW hybrid UV curing has been installed at Leeds-based OPM Group. The press will improve energy savings and extend the company’s commercial offer.
OPM (Labels & Packaging) Group Limited has acquired a customised configuration of a UV curing system installed on a Nilpeter FA-4* flexo press with nine GEW systems comprising five arc lamp stations and four UV LED lampheads, together with ArcLED Rhino electronic power supplies and a chill roller with each print unit. The configuration is able to print flexo inks and coatings on multiple substrates and multi-layer compounds.
The decision to invest in the system was based on the company’s desire to reduce energy use, increase productivity and offer its clients a wider range of products.
Managing director Chris Ellison said, ‘Tactile use of UV LED on certain print units has doubled this machine’s productivity and our capability to manufacture special new products. Only GEW was able to offer us this package of efficiency, capability and reliability.’
With the new system, the company was able to achieve higher speeds as UV LED curing is used to target and relieve processes that were bottlenecks with conventional arc lamp UV curing. The high intensity long wave output of the UV LED lamps enables these processes to be run at speeds of up to 175 m/min.
He continued, ‘A guaranteed level of ink cure with reduced power settings gives us the peace of mind that the packaging we produce is fully cured. Adding to the fact that we are full low migration packaging producers, this is very important.
‘The hybrid arc/LED plug and play functionality combined with the Rhino electronic power supply reduces our electricity bill. Our initial investment effort is recouped quickly through faster, stable production with no downtime.’ concluded Mr Ellison.
