Fujifilm North America’s Graphic Systems Division has unveiled Illumina, an LED-UV retrofit system for converting any traditional UV or water-based flexo press to LED-UV curing. “Illumina represents the most powerful LED-UV curing system on the market, new or retrofit,” said the company. “The UV energy emitted at Illumina’s 20% power setting is the same as the 100% power setting of other UV-LED curing systems.” Patented LED technology delivers up to 44% more energy toward the substrate, resulting in faster curing. The more efficient design of Illumina takes full advantage of the latest LED ink technology, including the breakthrough Fujifilm 300 Series flexo ink system that performs equally well under LED-UV or conventional UV-arc curing. The UV-LED cure is an instant on/off process, dramatically lowering the energy usage and stress on lamp bulbs experienced in conventional “always-on” UV mercury lamp curing. UV-LED also eliminates the costs generated by cooling air blowers, ozone extraction and heat make-up systems.
Illumina employs additional patented and patent-pending technology to achieve even greater savings, resulting in nearly $30,000 in savings per retrofitted press per year, according to Fujifilm:
- The patented design produces less heat than competitive LED technologies and heat-dissipation is also much more effective. The small number of insulating layers used, and a unique domed lens design, enables cooling with room-temperature distilled water. This eliminates condensation issues and increases the lifetime of the water circulation system.
- Illumina’s single-piece extrusion design allows large cooling water channels to be located directly behind each LED module. This lengthens the cooling time from several seconds to several minutes if the chiller were to stop running.
- Illumina’s LED-UV curing system is proven to work on heat-sensitive film applications, including high-percent shrink film, without the use of chill rollers.
- Packaging the Illlumina LED retrofit system with Fujifilms own 300 Series inks, offers “a comprehensive and worry free LED transition” for printers.
