In response to the increasing demand for efficient and customised solutions, IST METZ has developed pioneering technologies that take the performance and versatility of UV curing to a new level. The company will be presenting its latest developments in UV curing at drupa 2024, being held in Düsseldorf from May 28 – June 7.
IST have been living the motto ‘more than UV’ with passion for half a century. With a view to a sustainable future, IST think long-term and their UV solutions are not just a trend, but pave the way for the next generation of light curing. IST look forward to presenting their latest breakthroughs in UV drying technology at drupa this year.
SMARTcure is the company’s innovative AI-supported curing assistant that determines the optimum principle instead of the maximum application-specific principle and optimally controls the dryer based on the parameters from the pre-press stage – for a revolutionary UV curing process.
The required data transfer between the plant and the cloud creates a system that can provide operating data for maintenance in addition to an assistance function, all with the aim of establishing modern and environmentally friendly work processes. In this way, precise specifications for the power settings per dryer are determined and implemented in an energy-saving manner. The resulting reduction in power consumption and operating temperature has a positive effect on the service life of LED systems.
The user can evaluate the drying quality via a feedback option. Feedback and setting changes are processed directly in the cloud. Other measuring systems and analyses can also be used here, such as the UV Analyzer, measurement of the double-bond conversion, solvent resistance or simply a thumb test. The SMARTcure system thus learns continuously and enables a simple and customer-friendly optimisation process for modern drying applications.
This is where the future is being created: IST have laid the foundation for this in Nürtingen, namely in their state-of-the-art application centre, the UV Technology Campus. Over the last two years, a new top-class research laboratory has been created, where the ideas of tomorrow are already being developed in the ‘original Swabian sense’. The centrepiece of the new laboratory is not only test facilities, but also a high-tech analytical laboratory. Here, at the birthplace of SMARTcure technology so to speak, the ink and coating series are measured and the data prepared for the SMARTcure Cloud. SMARTcure combines the data from the UVTC with the data from prepress and creates a recommendation for the printer/press – the printer does not have to intervene manually in the process – it can accept the recommendation and thus produce the job under optimised conditions with maximum energy savings. Visitors can find out what this looks like in practice at the company’s drupa stand.
IST are aware of the advance of LED technology, but also see a certain period of time in which it will be used in parallel with UV lamp technology. The co-existence of both technologies gives users the opportunity to monitor the situation and to recognise when it makes sense to switch to LED-UV.
IST’s UV lamp systems are already fit to make the changeover uncomplicated: they are either ‘LED prepared’ or equipped with the direct change option ‘HotSwap’. These features make it possible to switch without having to change the entire periphery of the unit. So-called hybrid systems, in which a mix of UV lamps and UV LED systems are installed inline on a machine, are also becoming increasingly popular.
IST has revolutionised and further developed lamp technology from the Swabian town of Nürtingen and thus also found an answer to the new printing ink regulation: the patented FREEcure system, which minimises the use of photoinitiators or even helps to eliminate them altogether thanks to an extremely high proportion of UVC. This is particularly important and of great benefit in the production of sensitive products and packaging using low-migration inks. However, the extremely powerful system fundamentally improves the curing result and promotes energy savings, because the number of dryers can be reduced in many cases by using FREEcure.
In concrete terms, this means, using an example from the wood sector, possible energy savings of up to 75%, several tonnes of CO2 savings depending on the production site, a significantly smaller space requirement and amortisation times of 1.5 to 2.5 years. And last but not least: the low photoinitiator content, which means that the FREEcure system is also becoming increasingly important in other areas of UV curing.
Another development in the field of light control is flexible shutter positioning. Thanks to the infinitely variable control of the shutters, the dose and heat input on the substrate, for example, can be optimally controlled or fully automated using the new SMARTcure technology. A reliable and predictable process is extremely important for every production – IST has developed a measuring system for quality assurance that is suitable for both UV LED and UV lamp solutions: the UV-Analzyer. The combination of UV app (compatible for Android and iOS), measuring strips and analyser stick offers a handy tool for quality assurance and documentation of common UV and LED systems.
And finally, the company history has led them to a very special anniversary: IST will be handing over the 100,000th special light source to the German company Wiesendanger from Murnau this year. The company will be celebrating this directly at the drupa stand.
Drupa VIP Appointment Service:
Those planning on attending drupa 2024, or alternatively those who would like to set up a video call with the right specialIST based on their specific requirements, can do so with ATS’ drupa VIP Appointment Service. With this service, ATS will arrange a tailor-made VIP appointment on the desired day and time to meet with a designated SpecialIST in-person at drupa, or via a video call. Connect with a specialist.
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