At FuturePrint TECH in Valencia, Christophe Behaghel from Excelitas delivered a standout presentation on the challenges and innovations in drying water-based inks for inkjet printing. Excelitas, a global leader in photonic solutions, encompasses brands like Phoseon, Noblelight, and OmniCure, offering a comprehensive range of UV and IR technologies for industrial applications, including disinfection, analytics, curing, and heating. Christophe’s expertise, honed through his tenure at Excelitas and Phoseon Technologies, provided valuable insights into the role of infrared (IR) curing in the evolution of sustainable printing technologies.
The presentation focused on IR drying, a critical process in water-based inkjet printing, which is gaining traction as the industry shifts toward environmentally friendly solutions. Christophe began by detailing the three traditional heat transfer methods: convection (air flow), conduction (direct contact), and radiation (light energy). While each method has its advantages, the key to optimizing the drying process lies in combining them effectively.
Christophe emphasized the importance of wavelength selection in IR drying. Excelitas offers a range of IR emitters from 1,000 to 3,000 nanometres, including short-wave IR (NIR), carbon IR (CIR), and medium-wave IR. While short-wave IR delivers high energy quickly, making it suitable for compact inkjet systems, it is less efficient at absorbing water. On the other hand, medium-wave IR excels at evaporating water but is slower to activate, which is not ideal for the rapid on/off demands of inkjet presses.
The solution lies in CIR, which strikes a balance between energy absorption, uniformity across different ink pigments, and faster response times. Christophe explained that ink color significantly affects IR absorption; black pigments absorb more IR than colors like yellow or red, leading to uneven curing. CIR helps to level the curing effect across the print surface, avoiding damage to heat-sensitive substrates.
Moreover, CIR offers substantial energy savings. Lab tests conducted by Excelitas demonstrated that CIR could achieve a 69% reduction in energy consumption compared to NIR while delivering the same drying result. Additionally, CIR eliminates the need for ‘pinning lamps’ between printheads, reducing system complexity, cost, and the risk of heat damage to sensitive components.
Excelitas has developed two systems tailored for the graphics market: the InfraCompact and InfraCombi. These systems are scalable, with power densities up to 250kW and widths up to 3m, and include integrated air management to handle heat efficiently, which is crucial for integration into inkjet presses.
Christophe encouraged print OEMs exploring water-based inkjet technology to collaborate with Excelitas early in the development process. The company offers simulations, lab testing in Germany, and demo systems with interchangeable bulbs to help customers determine the optimal wavelength and configuration for their presses.
In summary, Christophe’s presentation highlighted the critical role of IR curing in advancing sustainable inkjet printing. By leveraging CIR technology, Excelitas is addressing the challenges of uneven curing, energy efficiency, and system complexity, paving the way for the next generation of environmentally friendly printing solutions. This marked a strong debut for Christophe and Excelitas at FuturePrint, signaling their commitment to innovation in the industrial print sector.
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