GEW introduces technology innovations at Labelexpo Europe

GEW has confirmed its participation at Labelexpo Europe in Barcelona, scheduled to take place from September 16-19. The company will highlight its air-cooled AeroLED2 UV LED curing system, which was launched at Labelexpo Americas in 2024, alongside its highest power, water-cooled LeoLED2 system. Both will be featured for the first time since their launch at GEW's stand 3G61.

AeroLED2 is GEW’s next-generation UV LED system for full-cure, printing, coating, and converting applications up to 70cm wide. It delivers an electrical power of 70W/cm, a UV dose of 170mJ/sqcm, and a UV irradiance of 26W/sqcm. LeoLED2 is GEW’s water-cooled option, delivering electrical power of 140W/sqcm, a UV dose of 300mJ/sqcm, and a UV irradiance of 44W/sqcm.

Both models are ArcLED compatible, allowing for easy interchange with GEW’s Arc lamp systems. GEW’s Arc and LED cassettes are compatible with the same power supply and fit in the same housing, for ultimate press flexibility.

As for new launches, GEW will introduce OxyGuard at Labelexpo. It is GEW’s next-generation oxygen control system that rapidly achieves and maintains the optimal curing atmosphere for low-odor, low-migration production, siliconization, and other high-performance curing applications.

Ambient oxygen reduces the effectiveness of UV curing in many inks and coatings. The OxyGuard system can be used to overcome this by controlling oxygen at the point of curing, exactly where the ink or coating is exposed to UV light. Inert gas is used to purge the curing chamber of oxygen and maintain a target oxygen level during production runs.

OxyGuard features closed-loop control, which automatically maintains the oxygen level at a customer-set point (measured in parts per million) and ensures that this set point is not exceeded. The OxyGuard system adapts the input of inert gas accordingly, regardless of the machine's running speed. Throughout the process, gas consumption is optimised for maximum efficiency.

OxyGuard can be retrofitted onto existing nitrogen systems and is compatible with all GEW curing lamps, including UV Arc and LED models. It is fully customizable to any number of configurations, making it suitable for a broad range of demanding applications, including coating and converting, silicone release and low migration work, excimer mattification and wood finishing.

The third innovation from GEW is DoseGuard, which will also be launched at Labelexpo. DoseGuard, powered by ICAD technology, delivers in-line UV monitoring and automatic UV dose control. It consists of a scanning optic (ICAD unit) which is mounted underneath each of the lampheads on a UV system, whether conventional UV Arc or UV LED. DoseGuard continuously measures the UV light that reaches the substrate across the entire width of the system and issues a warning if the level of UV output delivered to the substrate changes during production for any reason.

DoseGuard also significantly enhances the UV curing process by automatically adjusting the power of the UV lamps to maintain a target UV dose, regardless of speed or UV lamp condition, even for multiple lamps on a single print or coating station. This ensures that the product is cured to precisely the correct level, every time. Operational data can be exported, allowing customers to generate compliance documents or certificates.

Furthermore, DoseGuard helps reduce energy and maintenance costs by ensuring that only the exact power required is used to produce a high-quality product, automatically optimizing lamp power to deliver the desired UV dose. This feature also increases lamp lifetimes, enabling bulbs and reflectors to be used for more extended periods.

Robert Rae, managing director at GEW, commented: 'With AeroLED2 already dominating new installations in the label and narrow web market, and the launch of our two new precision control systems, OxyGuard and DoseGuard, we are super-excited to get underway at Labelexpo. We already have the highest performing, most reliable LED systems on the market. Combining these with GEW’s new control platforms will enable our customers to achieve a level of curing process reliability like never before.' He concluded: 'We look forward to welcoming visitors to our stand, and having the opportunity to highlight these exciting innovations to a global audience.'