EB Curing Can Offer the Flexible Packaging Printer a Long List of Potential Advantages
- Very sharp, high quality printing
- Sustainable green process
- Eco-friendly
- Ambient temperature cure process
- No use of photoinitiators
- 100% VOC free process
- Food compliant inks by nature
- No curing variation-on or off process
- Water wash up
- Viscosity like SB inks
- CI auto cleaning, = time & cost+
- High Gloss, rub & chemical resistance
- Cost neutral with SB inks
- Solvent free, non-explosive process
- No CO2 emissions with 100% solvent free inks & coatings
- Lower operating costs for short-medium runs
- Broader range of flexible substrate acceptance
- Low odor & migration potential
- Wet trapped inks/coating applied cure instantly at press end under a single EB processor.
Three Types of EB FLexo Ink Systems
In the EB curing CI press concept inks need to trap over one another so that they may be cured at press end. This has lead to three types of EB flexo ink systems being looked at.
- 100% solid EB flexo inks
- EB flexo inks plus water content.
- EB flexo inks plus solvent content.
The CI offset EB curing concept is being developed around 100% solid EB inks.
Conclusion
It is being projected that the adoption of EB will represent the next leap forward in the future of flexible packaging. It remains to be seen if EB flexo or EB offset will be the winner as flexible packaging evolves.
Sustainable/green packaging will reduce the environmental impact, and the ecological footprint of packaging.
Cork continues to advance its environmentally responsible GREEN technology utilizing sustainable renewable (bio) resource materials content.
