SunJet breakthrough in Shanghai with new addition to UV curing inks range

SunJet®, the global inkjet division of Sun Chemical and its parent company, DIC Corporation, has announced at the Shanghai International AD & Sign Technology and Equipment Exhibition the launch of a new white UV curing ink for use with LED light energy sources.  SunJet is present at booth, 031-033, Hall 1, from July 7 to July 11.

SunJet is a leader in the development of UV curing inks and has supported the industry developments in LED UV lamp technology for several years.  SunJet was one of the first ink companies to recognise the potential benefits to customers of inks which have the ability to cure with UV LED lamp exposure in scanning head systems.  As lamp and ink technology has advanced, SunJet has developed a graphic ink which fully cures with LED UV exposure.  What we are announcing in Shanghai is the addition of a white LED curing ink to this range. 

SunJet has produced four colour LED curing ink sets that are designed for use in single pass and scanning applications.  Adding white to this range of inks will enable a wider range of media types, including non-white and transparent media that can be used in label and graphics situations.  SunJet's aim is to obtain full cure with LED lamp sources whilst retaining the functionality of the final ink film.  This means that popular ink sets such as SunJet's flexible and unique wide adhesion profile inks can be used with the new LED lamp technology if correctly integrated into the printer. 

SunJet Director of Digital Technology, Nigel Caiger, said:  "We have seen full cure of white ink, including surface cure, in 12 micron ink films when using 365nm and 395nm wavelength lamps.  We can now demonstrate full curing with energy doses of 50mJ/cm2 and below which allows the system to effectively run fast, which is what our customers are asking us. We have achieved adhesion to PVC, hard plastics and metals with these inks, so they are functional"

Peter Saunders, SunJet Sales and Marketing Manager, adds: "Given SunJet's historical presence and increased commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, the International AD & Sign Technology and Equipment Exhibition in Shanghai was the perfect place to showcase these new curing inks. 

"When SunJet first launched UV curing inks that could run with LED sources, customers consistently asked "how fast can you cure?" but that question soon changed to "what can you cure with LED?"  Our original intention was to cure functional inks and we achieved that.  The addition of white now adds to this capability. In case anyone is still asking - they can cure at line speeds in single pass applications equivalent to 100M or 300ft per minute!"