UV flexo for food packaging project offers cost-efficient, solvent-free flexible film packaging
Market for conductive silver inks to expand rapidly in the next eight years
DuPont and Sun Chemical collaborate on environmentally smart flexo printing methods
DuPont Packaging Graphics and Sun Chemical have joined forces to make the flexographic printing process better for the environment, using Sun Chemical’s WetFlex wet-on-wet flexographic printing process, with its UniQure electron-beam cured inks, and DuPont Cyrel Fast technology. The partnership focuses on linking the WetFlex printing process with the DuPont Cyrel photopolymer plate technology. The companies are able to obtain previously unachievable levels of print graphics while providing the market with a solvent-free process that can contribute to sustainability improvements in printing and packaging.Research and development teams from both companies worked together to determine the optimal Cyrel photopolymer printing plates for the WetFlex process. The Cyrel Fast plates outperform other Cyrel solvent plates in terms of print quality and staying clean on press. DuPont’s Cyrel Fast Digital is the first solvent-free platemaking process for flexographic printing. The rapid access platemaking system reduces total plate production time to less than one hour by eliminating the washout and drying steps. Sun’s UniQure inks used in the WetFlex printing process offer the flexo industry an ink system based on both water-based and energy curable chemistry.
DuPont Packaging Graphics;
302-999-4350; www.cyrel.com;
Sun Chemical;
708-562-0550; www.sunchemical.com
UV flexo for food packaging project offers cost-efficient, solvent-free flexible film packaging
Gidue, IST Metz, Air Liquide, Softal and Sun Chemical have joined forces to present a new concept for ultraviolet (UV) flexo printed food packaging at drupa 2008. The concept, known as UV flexo for food packaging, represents the first turnkey UV flexo printing solution specifically designed to provide cost-efficient, solvent-free and food-approved flexible film packaging. The collaborators intend for this product to meet the demand from the global packaging market for a solution that meets critical food safety requirements.The digitally-controlled mid-web press Gidue Athena now incorporates Aldyne, in-line plasma treatment from Air Liquide and Softal, and UV Time, inert atmosphere curing integrating the latest generation IST Metz air-cooled MBS lamp modules with revolutionary gas sealing technology from Air Liquide and Gidue.
This solution offers new opportunities for narrow web printers to enter new markets and gives flexible packaging converters an alternative to solvent-based printing, while eliminating previous constraints in UV printing, such as poor ink adhesion on packaging films, low print productivity and high nitrogen consumption in inert atmosphere curing units.
Market for conductive silver inks to expand rapidly in the next eight years
According to a new report from NanoMarkets, the market for silver conductive inks will almost triple over the next eight years to reach $2.4 billion by 2015.Key findings from the report include:
-- While demand for silver inks from traditional applications, such as membrane switches and PCBs will remain stable, a new group of applications is emerging that will bring new business revenue to silver ink makers. The biggest opportunity will be found in the RFID space where revenue from silver inks for RFID antennas alone will exceed $880 million by 2015.
-- As applications for printable electronics begin to reach full-scale production, flexo and gravure printing will become increasingly popular and require special inks tailored to the needs of these kinds of printing machines. The market for silver flexo and gravure inks is no more than a niche now. By 2015, it is expected to reach more than $530 million.
-- Nanosilver inks will reach almost 21% of total ink sales by 2015, driven by their high conductivity and ability to be cured at low temperatures. The latter will be especially important given the growing role of thermally sensitive flexible substrates.
NanoMarkets
804-270-7010
www.nanomarkets.net
www.nanotopblog.com
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