UV Flexo
Narrow Web Label Inks
Inks for Narrow web printing
Solvent
Inks
Waterbased
UV Free
radical
UV
Cationic
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Nitro
Acrylic
Acrylated
prepolymers
Cycloaliphatic
Epoxides
Reducers
Solvents
Water amine
Acrylated
monomers
Vinyl ethers
Solvents
> 30%
< 5%
Zero
Zero
Ingredient
Pigments
Resins
Wax
Additives
Antifoam
Silicones
Plasticizers
Wax
Antifoam
Wax
Photo
initiator
Stabilizers
Wax
Dif Photo Init
Stabilizers
UV Flexo
Constantly improving printing technology
Reliable and constant printing process
Fastest growing printing process in Narrow
Web industry
High offset quality for label printing
Fast and cost effective printing technology
Is often used as the main printing method
in combination printing presses
UV inks/varnishes
Components
Prepolymers
Adhesion, properties, pigment wetting
Monomers
Viscosity, Cure rate, adhesion
Photo initiators
Curing properties
Pigments
Shade, strength, lightfastness
Additives
Flow agents, silicons, stabiliser,
Wax
Slip, scratch resistance
Curing
UV-ink cure when
exposed to UV-light
Binder reacts with
photo-initiator and
crosslinks
Curing
If not sufficient UVlight or wrong ink
formulation, only
surface curing occurs
This results in bad
adhesion
Curing
Full cured, through cured
A UV-ink can maximum
cure 100%
Over cure is ink that
is to brittle & shrinks
when cured 100%
Pigment UV absorption
100
90
80
Absorbance (%)
70
60
50
40
30
Competes with photoinitiator
for UV light
20
10
0
200
250
300
350
Wave length (nm)
400
450
Factors effecting UV-curing
mechanism
Power output of UV-lamp (W/cm)
Peak energy
Reflector geometry
Spectral output
Cold-UV-lamps & Ozon Free
Pigment UV-light absorption
Photo-initiator reactivity / amount
Film weight
Demands on low odour
UV flexo
Flexographic unit
Plate
Anilox roller
Doctor
roller
UV flexo
FLEXO printing Chambered Doctor blade unit
Ink pumped out
Ink pumped in
Requirement of UV inks for
Unsupported Materials and processes
Where are the opportunities?
What are the challenges?
Narrow web market segments
Converter
Supported
Labels
Un-supported
films
Packaging
PS paper Labels
Wrap around Labels
Sachets & Pouches
PS film Labels
Shrink Sleeves
Folding Cartons
Cut & Stack Labels
Flexible Packaging
In mould Labels
Narrow web printing
Suitable to run on Narrow web presses
General push in industry for short run and short lead time
Smaller production runs
Shorter time of delivery
Reduced stock
Price pressure from consolidation & overcapacity
Concentration & globalization
Brand owners demanding innovation & change
Label / package need to sell in supermarket (grab effect)
Narrow web printing
Why print Packaging in Narrow web
What is the typical run length / job?
Printers
using
wide web
presses
Best for jobs
> 100 000 sqm
To expensive
Mid web ideal for jobs
between 5-50 000 sqm
And here more & more
packaging jobs end up
Printers
using
Narrow web
presses
Best for jobs
< 5 000 sqm
Inks for all types of applications
WB Flexo
UV Flexo
UV LP
UV Offset
PS Paper label
PS Film Labels
Wrap around film label
In Mould Label
Sleeves
Folding Carton
Sachets & Pouches
Flexible Packaging
Highly recommended
Limited use
- Not recommended
(based on 1 ink for all applications)
Inks for Narrow Web printing
Flexo - Solvent & Water based
UV Flexo - Free radical & Cationic
Letterpress - Oil based & UV curable
UV Offset - wet & waterless
UV Screen - Flatbed & Rotary
Gravure - Solvent based & UV (?)
Ink Jet - solvent, water, Oil & UV
Inks for Narrow web Printing
Solvent
Inks
Waterbased
UV Free
radical
UV
Cationic
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Nitro
Acrylic
Acrylated
prepolymers
Cycloaliphatic
Epoxides
Reducers
Solvents
Water amine
Acrylated
monomers
Vinyl ethers
Solvents
> 30%
< 5%
Zero
Zero
Ingredient
Pigments
Resins
Wax
Additives
Antifoam
Silicones
Plasticizers
Wax
Antifoam
Wax
Photo
initiator
Stabilizers
Wax
Dif Photo Init
Stabilizers
Inks for Narrow Web printing
Good to know inks are available but what should
they do?
What demands exist for various applications? Can
we use same ink for PS labels & Packaging?
Demands do vary based on market conditions.
Inks tailored for clear Lamination or surface
printing are available (and different).
Wrap around labelling
1000 M sqm
900 M sqm
lamination
800 M sqm
monoweb
700 M sqm
600 M sqm
500 M sqm
400 M sqm
300 M sqm
200 M sqm
100 M sqm
0 M sqm
North
America
Latin
America
Europe
Oceania
Middle East
others
Laminated Wrap-Around Labels are
mainly used in North & Latin America.
Mono web labels dominate in all other
parts of the world.
Demands on inks
for wrap around labels
Fast curing speeds (150 m/min)
Very good adhesion and scratch
resistance to corona treated PE, OPP, PS
A good opaque white, non yellowing inks
Demands on inks for In-mould labels
Very good adhesion & scratch resistance
No curling effect
(non corona PE, PP, PS)
(no shrinkage)
Very good through cure
(partly cured ink can cause blocking problems)
High melting point
Should not crack after being heated
Have an antistatic effect
(IML-labels are picked one by one)
Resistant to grease, butter, oil, solvent, acid solution, shampoo,
body lotion, water, detergents, petroleum products, cheese (!?) etc.
Pass steam sterilisation for 20 minutes without fading
Possible to use in deep freeze environment
Narrow web market segments
Sleeves
Shrink Sleeves
Stretched
Sleeves
Roll on
Shrink On
Demands on inks for Sleeves
Excellent flexibility
Stretch & shrink
Fast curing speeds (150 m/min)
Very good adhesion and scratch resistance to corona
treated PVC, PET, OPP )
A good opaque white, non yellowing inks
UV inks for packaging
Is it possible to use UV inks for packaging products
There is no regulation concerning printing inks and
direct food contact, so no ink can be approved or
not approved for direct contact
Most packaging users & ink makers
work towards industry guidelines such as:
FDA guidelines
In Europe
Council Directive 89/109/EEC-LMBG
Plastic Directive 90/128/EEC
BGA recommendations
What about odour in UV inks?
Surface printing
Odour
Odour both perceived odour of product during printing,
but more commonly odour of printed article.
Measured via Odour panel testing, comparing samples to
each other or to unprinted, but corona treated material.
No industry standard available (pass or fail) but individual
end users have their own requirement
Migratables and Extractables
Inks and coatings are designed NOT be transferred to the
food stuff, or migrate into the food stuff, but we need to
test if there is any doubt or concern..
Test for extraction or migration of materials into the food
stuff through the packaging material, or transfer migration
caused by set to the reverse side of the web, then into the
food stuff.
Migration levels are determined by a quantitative analytical
method such as GC_MS.
Narrow web printing segments
What can generate odour?
Raw materials
Bi-products generated by
the curing process
Not fully crosslinked (cured) ink
Contamination
(press and production)
Coating of the paper i.e. Casein
Coating or additives
on/in the film substrate
UV lamps and corona treater
UV Flexo Low odour
Substrate B
Substrate A
Flexo UV Ink
Without ink
1.5
2.5
Odour value: 1-2 Low odour, 2-3 medium odour, 3-5 high odour
Odour assesment test
Printed at 100 m/min on a Arsoma EM410
PE
Cationic UV flexo
OPP
Free rad 2
Free rad 1
Without ink
1.5
2.5
3.5
4.5
Odour value: 1-2 Low odour, 2-3 medium odour, 3-5 high odour
Inks for Narrow Web packaging
There are solutions available
Important to know end user requirements
Liaise with suppliers before you start
