LED UV seminar in Moscow

22.10.2024

On October 15, 2024, VMG Group held a seminar on "LED technologies for flexographic printing". The event was devoted to the transition from standard mercury lamps to new LED drying devices for polymerization of flexographic inks and varnishes.
The seminar was organized by Vneshmultigraph and VMG-Trade companies. The seminar participants were representatives of flexographic printing houses. The event was opened by the speech of VMG CEO Mr Dmitry Remizov.
Ms Elena Stepanova, VMG Label Sales Director, spoke about the new LED equipment from VMG's partner, the Chinese company Height-LED. She spoke in detail about the opportunities provided to printing houses by interchangeable mercury UV — UV LED dryers. Elena emphasized that they can be installed on any type of flexographic machines, as well as screen and varnish machines. LED dryers can also be installed on machines that have been in operation for a long time.
The problem of Russian printing houses is known, when in the absence of support due to sanctions, traditionally familiar brands of UV drying devices stop working due to the failure of one or another control unit. In such cases, Height LED equipment can solve the problem for many years to come.
Mr Sergey Tretyakov, Commercial Director of VMG-Trade, spoke about inks for LED technology and presented their characteristics and range. It includes, among other things, Pantone colors. Varnishes for LED curing are also supplied.
Mr Andrey Zuikov, CEO of VMG-Trade, examined in detail the economic aspects of the transition to UV LED technology. He analyzed all components of savings: investments in equipment, electricity consumption, lamp service life, cost of inks and varnishes. Based on this data, a calculator was created to calculate savings in any production. Calculation tables were provided to all participants of the event.
After the reports, the seminar participants — more than 30 people — went to the nearby Arte printing house. There they saw the new technology in action: UV LED dryers from Heigh-LED were installed on a 10-color Gidue M5 flexographic machine. Ten LED dryers were installed on 10 sections, as well as five replaceable cassettes with conventional mercury lamps. The use of interchangeable LED/mercury cassettes allows the use of not only LED varnishes and inks, but also traditional ones.
The printing house demonstrated printing with LED inks and varnish.