Skanem acquires a hybrid UV LED curing system from UV Ray SRL to outfit its Gidue E-Combat flexo press

Original article featured in Labels Flexibles and More.]

MNO Engineering and Lumen Engineering, sister concerns representing UV Ray SRL in India, have spearheaded a transformative project at Skanem India, a prominent player in the labels and flexibles industry.

In collaboration with UV Ray SRL, a distinguished Italian brand specializing in LED and conventional UV curing systems, the company successfully implemented an industry-first retrofit and revolutionary hybrid UV LED curing system on Skanem’s Gidue E-Combat 370mm press. MNO Engineering, responsible for service, ensures the seamless functioning of the curing system with multiple engineers dedicated to servicing the system at the client’s plant, thereby minimizing press downtime. On the other hand, Lumen Engineering focuses on providing spares and consumables, ensuring a comprehensive and integrated support system.

The hybrid LED and UV curing system comprises 8 stations of LED (water-cooled) and 2 stations of conventional mercury arc UV technology (air-cooled with chill-base), all integrated into a sophisticated curing system, ensuring long-term high performance and stable operation. The advantages of a LED water-cooled system include operating at 25W/cm, a stable output in any condition, a low temperature transmitted to the press through the web, a longer lifetime, and a sealed LED COB to avoid vapour contamination. The system has standard features such as an IR filter and quick self-restrained water plug fittings, eliminating noise from a blower as no airflow is used from the ambience. The chiller, running the chill plates/base, keeps the web cooled and consumes less power than an air-cooled unit, which typically uses the power of a blower and AC cooling.

Skanem India, having experienced the exemplary performance of UV RAY SRL’s UV curing systems, opted for a hybrid water-cooled LED UV curing system, further solidifying their commitment to cutting-edge technology.

MNO Engineering, headed by Mayank Pandya, initiated the affiliation by retrofitting the first UV curing station at Skanem India on the same Gidue E-combat press in 2016. The success of this initial installation led to subsequent retrofits across various plants within the Skanem network, highlighting the reliability and effectiveness of UV Ray SRL’s state-of-the-art curing solutions.

Speaking on the installation, Mayank Pandya said, “We take pride in our extensive track record of successful hybrid LED UV system installations on industry-leading printing presses. Our notable clientele include: Nilpeter, Monotech, Vinsak, Weigang and AKO, demonstrating our commitment to delivering advanced and tailored solutions to a diverse range of clients. UV Ray SRL stands at the forefront of the sustainability wave, asserting its leadership in the Indian market with a remarkable number of LED UV installations. We excel in retrofitting, demonstrating a focused commitment to upgrading existing systems and processes with cutting-edge LED and UV technology.”

“We look forward to continued opportunities that push the boundaries of technological innovation and contribute to the continued success of our valued customers,” concludes Pandya.