Commercial printing is an ever-expanding print communications market segment. It encompasses pre-press, printing, finishing, and fulfilment across numerous product categories. For commercial print products, print serves as the primary function and includes catalogues, magazines, manuals, advertising, menus, stationery, newspapers, business forms, and direct mail.
Many commercial printers are increasingly repositioning themselves as multi-channel print providers. While focused primarily on media, marketing, and print used in business transactions, natural extensions are the printing of other promotional items, pressure-sensitive labels, and entry-level packaging that does not require much specialty equipment or post-print converting.
To deliver high-quality and single sourcing of such diverse print products, commercial printers around the world rely on a range of technologies including offset, flexo, letterpress, digital inkjet, gravure, and screen; all of which can be equipped with GEW’s mercury arc, UV LED, and hybrid lamp designs that enable operators to quickly swap between arc and LED technologies.
UV curing benefits to commercial printers
high-resolution graphics with vibrant colours
stunning visual, haptic, and tactile touch effects
high-gloss and special effect over print varnishes (OPV)
high speed print processes that enable further processing and shipping immediately following cure
elimination of spray powder in offset processes
GEW product advantages
arc and LED systems suited to sheetfed and narrow, mid, or wide web applications
fully integrated multi-lamp designs for curing coatings at high speed
Either UV LED or mercury arc lamp systems are installed after the coating station and at the end of press. High quality commercially printed sheets are generated on various coated and non-coated paper substrates at press speeds that can exceed 18,000 impressions per hour. Offset printing is also known as lithography or litho printing.
Web offset commercial UV presses create high-resolution images and text at incredibly fast line speeds by offsetting high viscosity paste inks through a combination of multiple rollers, aluminium printing plates, and transfer blankets. Each colour is applied individually using dedicated print decks and UV interdeck lampheads integrated after specific colours, after a series of colours, and after coatings.
High quality roll-to-roll (R2R) or roll-to-sheet (R2S) products are generated on various coated and non-coated paper substrates at press speeds that can exceed 300 and 600 m/min (1000 and 2000 ft/min). Offset printing is also known as lithography or litho printing.
Rotogravure, or gravure for short, is a printing and coating process where an etched cylinder meters an ink or coating for direct transfer to a substrate. When used for printing, an image and/or text is also etched into the cylinder. Each colour or coating is applied with a dedicated gravure cylinder followed by a UV curing unit. GEW’s UV lampheads have the option of nitrogen inertion which eliminates oxygen and improves surface cure.
Gravure is predominantly used for high-volume production and long runs. Web speeds can exceed 300, 600, and even 900 m/min (1000, 2000, and 3000 ft/min).
Beyond the highlighted offset and gravure installations, GEW’s mercury arc, UV LED, and hybrid curing solutions are easily integrated into other commercial sheetfed and web presses as well as entry level label and packaging machines including:
UV digital inkjet
screen
flexo inline, stack, and sheetfed presses
For commercial printers expanding into label and packaging converting, additional information is available through the following links:
GEW will be pleased to assist your evaluation and decision-making process to ensure that the optimal mercury arc, LED, or hybrid solution is matched to your application, process, and integration needs. Please contact our experienced team. We are available to offer guidance on product selection and can deliver the level of experienced system integration and ancillary components you require.
Speak directly to a sales representative
If you are unsure about which UV curing system best suits your requirements, we are here to help. Please contact one of our sales representatives directly.
Region, International: Gary Doman International Sales Manager, Sheetfed
