IST Metz is demonstrating four times per day on a six-color press the succes of UV technologies at drupa

According to Holger Kuehn, a managing director of IST Metz, “We are seeing quality crowds in excess of 200 people for each event every day, as we do this four times a day you can imagine the excitement in the stand.” IST is the only UV manufacturer at drupa with an operating printing press doing live print demos. “We much prefer to show people what we can do and provide solid information and education regarding the differences between traditional and UV LED curing, rather than simply surrounding the subject with hype and hearsay,” continues Kuehn.

The purpose of the demonstration is to offer an up close and personal real time view of two different printing job formats, one representing packaging with five colors, a special drip off varnish and iridescent coating on board substrate, and the second representing a commercial job with five colors. The packaging job is produced at full press operating speed using an IST LAMPcure UV system with two interdecks and end of press lamps. Upon the completion of the packaging job, while the press operators change plates, colors and substrate, one IST LAMPcure UV interdeck is exchanged with an single IST LEDcure interdeck using IST’s exclusive ‘Hot Swap’ technology. From the finish of the packaging job, to the start of the commercial job spans an unbelievable average time of just seven minutes, the actual UV exchange is only roughly two minutes. The commercial job is also run at full press rated speed using just one IST UV LED curing module and no end of press UV lamps, then turned over and run back thru the press again. Both forms are up to color, in perfect register and on the counter in only a few sheets with no marking problems observed.

Of the two jobs, one is part of the printed brochure selection available from IST, the other is actually the vehicle for the exclusive IST world premier virtual reality glasses, which deliver a tour of the inside of the press and the installed IST UV system to people attending the demo.

Today, UV curing is common place throughout the industry, providing application flexibility, special effects and increased production efficiency. IST has been in the forefront of this technology for decades. Bill Bonallo, VP of IST America notes, “The decision between choosing a traditional UV, LED UV or mixed system is a very important one, we try to take the influence of trendiness out of the discussion and just deal with the facts, our daily demos help us to enlighten people by giving them the information they need to make an educated purchasing decision.”

One of three world premier technology’s introduced at IST’s stand, the exclusive ‘Hot Swap’ is based on an electronic lamp power supply produced by IST that provides power for both traditional UV lamps (LAMPcure) and UV LED modules (LEDcure). Both UV light sources connect to the same cables, mount to the same point, are controlled by the same interface and are automatically identified with no input required by the operator. IST’s ‘Hot Swap’ allows buying for the future today.

IST, along with its subsidiary Integration Technology Limited (ITL) offers high quality, high functionality, world class reliability, service and support with every UV curing and conventional drying solution for sheetfed, narrow web, wide web, label, converting, digital printing, bonding and other industrial applications it provides.