UV LED Curing System
UV LED technology uses ultraviolet light-emitting diodes as the primary light source. Dozens to hundreds of UV LEDs are mounted onto a circuit board known as an LED module. These modules are then connected together to form a UV LED lamp array with lengths ranging from 15 to 250 centimeters. Each type of UV LED product offers various power outputs and wavelength ranges to support different application requirements.
What is UV LED Curing?
UV LED curing is a photochemical reaction that uses energy from long-wavelength ultraviolet light (e.g., 365, 385, 395, 405 nm) to instantly bond inks, coatings, adhesives, or molded materials to a substrate by altering the molecular bonds of the cured material. It is not an evaporative drying process, as UV LED formulations contain no water or solvents that need to evaporate.
What is an LED Module?
An LED module is a component that contains dozens to hundreds of individual LED emitters, each approximately 1 millimeter in size, arranged in a matrix of rows and columns. Multiple modules are then assembled together inside the lamphead to cover the required UV exposure area across the desired width and length.
UV light emitted from LEDs has a much narrower and more specific wavelength range compared to mercury-based light sources. The emission wavelength is determined by the semiconductor material structure inside the LED, which is fixed and cannot be altered for each individual diode. Typically, a UV LED module is composed of LEDs with similar characteristics, and the peak wavelength is specified approximately.
LED modules are available in a variety of models with different peak wavelengths to support applications across multiple industries.
What Types of Applications Are Suitable for UV LED Curing Systems?
UV LED curing is ideal for applications involving printing, inks, coatings, pressure-sensitive adhesives, wood fillers, and nitrogen-inerted glass fiber coatings. It is highly compatible with UV LED formulations and supports various printing techniques such as flexography, offset, inkjet, and screen printing
Commercial Printing
To achieve high-quality results and versatile design capabilities, it is essential to employ various printing technologies such as Offset, Flexography, Letterpress, Digital, Inkjet, Gravure, and Screen Printing. These technologies can be effectively integrated with both Mercury Arc and UV LED curing systems
Label converting
In label manufacturing, printers use inks, coatings, and adhesives to produce labels that are not only visually appealing but also durable and functional. Labels produced using UV inks and UV curing offer more vibrant and striking colors compared to those printed with water-based or oil-based inks.
Most label printing applications use laminated films or UV-cured matte and gloss coatings, especially for consumer products and industrial packaging.
UV printing is therefore an excellent choice for modern, high-quality label production.
Package converting
Packaging cured with UV technology is available in a wide variety of formats, sizes, and constructions. It is typically categorized into two main types:
- Rigid Packaging – Made from corrugated or solid board, which is printed, UV coated, and formed into shape.
- Flexible Packaging – Made from single-layer or multi-layer plastic films and metalized films, which are printed or laminated and then formed using heat or pressure.
UV curing enhances both the visual appeal and durability of packaging, making it ideal for high-quality, high-performance applications.
Direct product decoration
UV printing directly onto products allows for vibrant, full-color decoration on flat and open surfaces. It supports both single-color and multi-color designs and is well-suited for high-volume production. This method enables the direct application of brand names, trademarks, logos, and text onto the product surface, offering a distinct advantage over traditional label printing, where labels must first be printed separately and then applied to the product.
Industrial coating, converting & finishing
Manufacturing processes involving coating and post-press converting rely heavily on UV curing technology. Whether the process involves offset, flexographic, or gravure printing, or techniques such as dispensing, spraying, vacuum coating, evaporation, or atomization, all are compatible with both UV Mercury Arc and UV LED systems.
Wood Coating
Wood coating is a process designed to protect wood surfaces from environmental factors, enhance durability, and improve aesthetic appearance. Wood coatings offer multiple benefits, including moisture resistance, UV protection, reduced surface wear, and the enhancement of the wood’s natural beauty and visual appeal.
Is UV LED energy saving?
UV LED systems are highly energy-efficient. While actual savings may vary depending on the system design, installation, and application, UV LED typically delivers over 70% energy savings compared to conventional mercury arc systems performing the same task, particularly on flexo applications.
In addition, UV LED can help reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 7 tonnes and provide a total energy saving of 46% when compared with even the most energy-efficient mercury-based UV systems on the market.
In addition, UV LED can help reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 7 tonnes and provide a total energy saving of 46% when compared with even the most energy-efficient mercury-based UV systems on the market.
Is UV LED compatible with all applications?
While not all UV chemistries have been fully optimized for UV LED curing, ongoing development continues to expand compatibility.
Today, many types of inks and coatings available on the market work well with UV LED systems, making them suitable for a wide range of printing and converting applications.
Materials Best Suited for UV LED
- Films
- Shrink sleeves
- Heat-sensitive substrates (due to lower overall heat buildup)
Materials Still Best Suited for UV Arc Lamps
- Varnishes (such as spot gloss coatings)
- Specialty inks (e.g., spot colours)
- Low migration formulations
- Films
- Shrink sleeves
- Heat-sensitive substrates (due to lower overall heat buildup)
- Varnishes (such as spot gloss coatings)
- Specialty inks (e.g., spot colours)
- Low migration formulations
This is because UV Arc lamps emit shorter wavelengths (UVC) that contribute to stronger surface curing, which is particularly important for certain coatings and specialty applications.
Other UV LED benefits
Switching to UV LED doesn’t just mean reduced energy savings; there are a range of other benefits for customers who make this switch. For example, a switch to UV LED can open up mains capacity at your factory or plant, as UV LED systems often use less than 50 electrical energy than their mercury arc counterparts – two GEW AeroLED2 systems use less main capacity than one GEW mercury arc E2C system.
With an LED system, the life expectancy is also much longer at over 40,000 hours, compared to the maximum life expectancy of a mercury arc lamp, which stands at 2,000 hours, including stand-by time. Additionally, mercury arc lamps have reflectors and shutter mechanisms that need cleaning and replacing regularly to ensure maximum output; UV LED lamps don’t have these added costs.
UV LED also has no warm-up / cool down cycle, unlike mercury arc lamps which require 1 minute at either end of a print run. Mercury lamps also emit mercury, a material that many manufacturers are looking to eliminate from their plants. Finally, the output of UV LED lamps is consistent throughout the operating life of 40,000 hours, whereas the operating output degrades over the lifespan of a mercury lamp.
GEW UV LED Curing Systems
GEW (EC) Limited is a global leader in the design and manufacture of Mercury Arc and UV LED curing systems for printing, coating, and post-press converting applications.
The company specializes in UV solutions for label printing, narrow web, sheetfed and web-fed printing, as well as commercial and packaging markets. Press Systems are proud to be one of GEW’s official partners.
GEW operates a world-class manufacturing facility at its headquarters in the UK, with a subsidiary in the USA, a branch office in Germany, and a global network of distributors.
Press Systems is one of GEW’s trusted local partners, providing expert support and service.
UV LED curing is the future of UV technology, and GEW is the industry leader, offering unmatched performance and outstanding value.
GEW UV LED Systems
AeroLED2
It requires no chiller, offers excellent energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness, and is ideal for a wide range of narrow web printing applications, including wider format presses.
Available on applications up to 70cm wide, AeroLED2 is GEW next generation, higher power, air-cooled UV LED curing system. It offers a 30% increase in electrical power (70W / cm), a 30% increase in UV dose (170mJ / cm2) and a 40% increase in UV irradiance (26W / cm2) compared to its predecessor, AeroLED, and like all of GEW’s lamps, it is compatible with their ArcLED technology, giving customers total flexibility on press.
LeoLED2
A water-cooled UV LED system with two power level options and increased electrical power. LeoLED2 takes LED performance to new heights over GEW’s already highly-acclaimed, water-cooled LeoLED system. Offering a 55% increase in electrical power (140W / cm), a 50% increase in UV dose (300mJ / cm²) and a 45% increase in UV irradiance (44W / cm²) compared to its predecessor, LeoLED2 is GEW’s next generation UV LED curing system that guarantees the best performance on the market for the most challenging curing applications.
GEW UV Arc Lamp Curing Systems
E2C
High-performance air-cooled UV curing system delivering up to 140W/cm, the highest power in its class. A globally recognized product installed on over 30,000 printing presses worldwide
E2C-HP
Combines the E2C cassette with a larger lamp housing for improved cooling, delivering up to 180W/cm. Ideal for low migration inks or high-speed printing up to 80cm wide
E4C
Advanced UV cassette system with air or water cooling, offering up to 220W/cm. Supports widths up to 170cm, making it perfect for web-fed or sheetfed printing. One of GEW’s most advanced engineering innovations
NUVA2
Air-cooled UV curing system supporting widths up to 250cm, suitable for wide-format coating and specialty industrial applications. Offers a total power output of up to 27kW, with a highly modular and flexible design
NUVA2 HP
A high-power UV cassette with full air cooling, ideal for inkjet printing or applications requiring very high UV dose. Delivers up to 240W/cm with a standard length of 60cm
UV LED lamps are no longer a new technology. For many printers, they are a cost effective way of adding new life to an old printing press, allowing them to sweat this asset for many years more. But the added bonuses, such as reduced energy consumption, the elimination of mercury from the print room, the instant on/off and the consistent output over time, all add up to make a compelling argument for those looking to switch to UV LED.
If you would like to retrofit UV LED to your printing press, contact Press Systems now.
Contact us:
Address: 3030 Moo 10, Samrong Nuea, Muang Samutprakan, Samutprakan, Thailand 10270
Phone: +66 (0) 2 118 3852
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Email: info@presssystems.co.th
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