Win-win retrofit installation for UV

[Original article from MetaPrintArt translated into English]

In this interview Alberto Maiano, CEO of UV RAY, explains how to make high-performance narrow web label and packaging machines current with high-reliability UV performance retrofits. With full satisfaction for the end customer in a win-win operation.

Whether offset or flexographic printing, a reconditioned machine is sometimes no match for much more expensive newer, state-of-the-art installations. UV Ray's experience working with the best label machine service and reconditioning is a case in point.

There are many printers with experience in commercial printing who, especially after the forced 'rest' in the long lockdown of 2020, decided to convert or complement their production in the label industry.

We discuss this with Alberto Maiano CEO of UV RAY, who has installed several retrofits with UV lamps on presses in recent months, particularly on narrow web Gallus presses.

(MetaPrintArt) - What are the typical services that customers request from you and on which specific machines?

Alberto Maiano - We generally work with printers that are well equipped and capable of undertaking any type of reconditioning. Some partners have also approached us because of the need to perform complete equipment overhauls for their customers who want to begin with refurbished machines. But in particular, they ask us to include equipment for special applications on the machine, and as printing with UV inks and varnishes expands, they ask us to retrofit presses for UV drying.

We produce different types of lamps, however, for some applications and particularly for the label and flexible packaging sectors, which require fast drying without heat generation, we suggest the UV Ray Atom 300 model.

MPA - Are there any particular reasons?

Alberto Maiano - First of all, experience has taught those who refurbish machines that they have to make a careful quality/price assessment for retrofits, and they consider UV Ray systems to be very reliable. We also take into account that UV Ray is an Italian manufacturer and therefore can provide quick and complete service.

MPA - You mentioned to us the Atom 300 model. What is special about it?

Alberto Maiano - On narrow-web presses we generally recommend installing our Atom 300 model, because it is a small UV reflector well-suited for flexographic printing, and equipped with a robust structure in extruded aluminum. In the most recent case, on a Gallus 8-color press, we also chose it by mutual agreement with the end customer because of its high performance and very low working temperatures. Atom 300 is a dichroic reflector with borosilicate glass with multilayer treatment. It is also equipped with a cooled cylinder to accommodate all types of substrates, even self-adhesive labels and film up to 18 microns thick. The service technicians involved in the entire overhaul and upgrade of the machine with the UV systems reported a very satisfying operation not only for UV Ray, but for the end customer, who was completely satisfied. A true win-win operation.