Triangle Digital INX Co. (TDI), a member of INX Digital, has stepped up the pace in global ink leadership, partnering with LED curing specialist Summit UV in developing EVOLVE™ UV — the first UV LED-curing ink to deliver eye-popping 4-color with single-pass through-cure at speeds of 80' per minute or higher, running with Xaar™ 1001 piezoelectric printheads. All with no inert curing atmosphere.

DRUPA visitors can see the system in action at the INX Digital Exhibit CO2 in Hall 8b, from May 29 through June 11, 2008 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

"We've been working with LED-cure inks for some time," said Ken Kisner, TDI's Sr. VP, Chief Technology Officer, "but at slower speeds. A key to this technology’s success is formulating EVOLVE UV to work with Summit UV’s unique, new LED. It has the ideal UV wavelength and, importantly, ample power."

"Compared to conventional high-intensity LED lights," explains Mario Carluccio of Summit UV, "our Black Diamond™ 365 Series has a shorter (365nm) UV-light wavelength and much higher focused outputs — in excess of 6.0 Watts per cm2. This enables us, with TDI's specially designed EVOLVE UV ink set, to achieve through cure at far faster speeds than ever before."

Breakthrough technology opens new avenues for digital growth

"We're now breaking barriers to digital printing in several areas," Kisner points out, "including short-run narrow web label printing, variable-data applications — and many more to come."

"Getting single-pass UV through cure in-line with one LED light at 80 ft./minute more than triples previous speeds. And it's just the beginning. We have the ability to tailor EVOLVE UV inks for virtually any substrate — plastics, film, paper; even metal or certain textiles."

"We're integrating technologies to provide high-speed printing at low cost. And, of course, the standard digital advantages vs. conventional printing apply — faster startups and turnaround with no plates, no cleanup or setup time."

"Likewise, versus traditional mercury lamps for UV curing," Carluccio emphasizes, "our LED technology dramatically lowers power requirements while offering advantages such as extremely low heat generation, instant on/off, no bulbs or other consumables. It eliminates hazardous mercury, and avoids ozone emissions."

"It's a 'double-green' system," sums up Kisner. "EVOLVE UV inks are formulated VOC-free."

Fast, collaborative effort generates ‘buzz’ at RadTech, jump-starts DRUPA debut.

And it's coming together quickly. Kisner and Carluccio both noted that mere weeks ago, this combined technology didn't exist.

Having previously collaborated on development work, INX Digital member TDI responded to Summit UV's invitation to test new EVOLVE™ UV inks with its new Black Diamond™ 365 series LED-curing lights. Another INX Digital member, electronics engineering and system integration specialist Innovative Solutions INX (ISI) has utilized advanced-generation Xaar printhead technologies.

"When Mario told us the speeds at which they were getting through cure," Kisner said, "we contacted Xaar immediately — only a few weeks before RadTech (UV/EB Technology Expo). Their Xaar™ 1001 printheads completed the system in time to demo at the recent Expo."

The high-speed, single-pass UV LED-curing system created quite a stir, Kisner and Carluccio concur. 
"Many observers said it was the most innovative system at RadTech this year," Kisner asserts, "and we anticipate a lot of interest at DRUPA."

"We're excited about how far EVOLVE UV LED-curing inks have come so far. And even more excited about where this technology can take digital printing in the future."

Triangle Digital INX Co., a member of INX Digital group, is a leading global manufacturer of inkjet inks for wide format, super-wide and new generation digital printers, and a supplier of printer parts and related services. TDI also distributes selected advanced-design wide format printers and recyclable polyethylene (PE) media.

INX Digital, the digital arm of INX International Ink Co., through INX Digital member companies and global affiliates, offers a full palette of digital ink systems, advanced technologies and integration services including chemistry, hardware, software, engineering design & integration and media.