Glunz & Jensen launches Halo LED kit

Glunz & Jensen has launched the Halo LED Kit, a new LED retrofit technology designed to upgrade conventional flexo exposure units from mercury UV-A tubes to modern LED exposure technology.

Halo represents the next step in Glunz & Jensen’s LED exposure development. At drupa 2024, the company introduced the Flex-Pose LED 420, a 4260-format LED exposure unit. At Labelexpo Europe 2025, Glunz & Jensen continued that development with the larger Flex-Pose LED 520, a 5280-format moving-bar LED exposure system. With Halo, the company now extends its LED offering to the global installed base of exposure equipment, enabling users to access LED exposure either through brand-new systems or by upgrading existing units, regardless of model or brand, where technically feasible.

'Halo expands the options for flexo plate makers,' said Per Arild, chief commercial officer, Glunz & Jensen. 'Not every customer is ready to replace a complete exposure unit, and in many cases, the existing machine is still mechanically sound. Halo gives those customers a practical route into LED exposure, while our Flex-Pose LED 420 and 520 remain the solution for customers investing in a new integrated LED exposure platform.'

The Halo LED Kit is engineered to replace conventional mercury UV-A tubes with LED lamps and dedicated LED drivers. The technology is designed for fast, service-led conversion, with LED lamps installed in the existing lamp positions in many conventional exposure units. No additional frames, wiring, software changes or brackets are required in typical applications, reducing mechanical complexity and minimizing downtime.

LED exposure is becoming increasingly important in flexo platemaking because it offers a more stable and controllable light source than conventional UV-A tube technology. Conventional tubes require warm-up, age over time and may vary in output from tube to tube. LED technology provides immediate readiness, consistent irradiance and improved process control, supporting repeatable plate quality across shifts, production sites and repeat jobs.

A central advantage of Halo is exposure consistency. The system is designed to deliver homogenous exposure across the plate surface and precise back exposure, supporting stable floor formation and predictable plate relief. Glunz & Jensen specifies back-exposure precision within less than 0.02 mm tolerance. Halo also offers flexible light intensity control, with output options of 22, 25 and 28 mW/cm², allowing the exposure process to be adjusted to specific plate and customer requirements.

The move to LED exposure also helps address one of the technical challenges in flexo plate production: oxygen inhibition. During photopolymer exposure, oxygen can inhibit polymerization at the plate surface, influencing dot formation, shoulder structure and fine image reproduction. By providing a stable, controllable and immediate UV-A light source, LED exposure can help reduce process variation linked to oxygen inhibition and support more consistent dot formation, particularly in demanding packaging applications, flat-top dot workflows and high-resolution screening.

Halo also responds to growing environmental and operational pressure on mercury-containing technologies. The kit is mercury-free, reduces waste associated with conventional UV tubes and helps users prepare for tightening regulation and customer expectations around hazardous substances. At the same time, LED technology consumes less energy, generates less heat and requires no pre-heating, improving both sustainability and plate room efficiency.

According to Glunz & Jensen, Halo can reduce exposure times by approximately 20–30 percent, depending on plate type, settings and production conditions. The LED tubes are specified for more than 10,000 hours of guaranteed lifetime, reducing replacement frequency, maintenance interruptions and variation caused by tube aging.

Halo is available for common exposure formats including 3647, 4260 and 5280. Custom sizes and additional equipment platforms may be evaluated upon request, subject to technical assessment. The solution is intended for installation by qualified service technicians to ensure correct electrical integration, optical alignment, safety and exposure validation.

'With Halo, our objective is not simply to introduce another product,' added Arild. 'It is to make LED exposure accessible to more of the flexo market. Customers can now choose the route that fits their operation: a new Flex-Pose LED system or a Halo upgrade for existing equipment. Either way, the direction is the same – more stable exposure, lower energy use, mercury-free operation and a more controlled plate-making process.'

Halo LED Kit is available globally through Glunz & Jensen and its authorized sales and service network.