MARK SMITH UV

BY MARK SMITH UV rays beating down. Hot air blowing across the skin. Catching some waves. Sounds like a great day at the beach. In the sheetfed offset printing arena, those descriptions also fit three technology options for boosting quality and speed—UV curing and drying with hot air knives or IR (infrared) energy. Market pressures are dictating that printers implement some form of drying/curing capability, but the "right" choice of technology remains an open question. "With a multicolor machine plus coater now being the standard for modern sheetfed presses, adequate drying systems have become a must to achieve the highest quality results," notes Bill

BY MARK SMITH UV web offset press operators may not have to wear shades, but the outlook for the market segment is upbeat. By incorporating this drying/curing process, press manufacturers have enhanced the capability of half- and narrow-web machines to compete for commercial printing work. Delivering a dry print affords greater flexibility in finishing operations, while the application of a coating can enhance the appearance of a piece. At the same time, the UV process has gotten easier to use. "Every web press Muller Martini has sold in the past two years included a UV dryer," observes Fred Jones, press division manager for the

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