Ashland Offers New LED Products

Published: June 16, 2015

DUBLIN, OH | Ashland Specialty Ingredients has commercialized five new innovations said to answer both the demands of the growing printing and converting industry and the requirements of increasing global regulations for reduced energy consumption in the flexographic narrow web market.

Company says the recent trend toward ultraviolet light emitting diode (UV-LED) curing is addressing concerns among many packaging converter firms regarding traditional mercury-arc lamp technology. LED lamps reportedly require less energy and offer improved operational efficiency since cooling of the lamps is not required when turning on and off. In addition, UV LED lamps do not emit ozone and do not require special ventilation, adds company, noting that since the lamps generate less heat, additional applications are accessible where temperature-sensitive substrates are used, such as with shrink film.

The new products include gloss overprint varnishes (OPVs), matte OPVs, laminating adhesives, pressure-sensitive adhesives, and cold-foil adhesives. In addition to meeting reduced energy and lower temperature requirements, these products are said to offer faster line speeds and provide similar performance and processing characteristics as traditional mercury-arc lamp-cured OPVs and adhesives. Company’s products are also designed to cure under both LED and traditional mercury-arc lamps.

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