IST presents modular curing technologies at Loupe India

IST has confirmed it will present the swap4cure modular platform at stand P8 during Loupe India 2026, taking place from October 29 to November 1.  

The system combines UV, LED UV and thermal curing on a single platform and allows users to switch between the technologies. Complemented by LEDcure NX and SMARTcure, swap4cure offers press manufacturers and print shops the flexibility to configure their systems to meet different production requirements. Looking ahead, the platform concept can also accommodate further curing technologies such as FREEcure.  

Label and packaging printing is undergoing a transformation. Production conditions are characterized by a variety of substrates, water-based inks and varnishes, increasing production speeds, and changing technical and regulatory requirements. For press manufacturers and print shops, flexibility in production systems is therefore becoming increasingly important.  

With swap4cure, IST is introducing a platform designed to meet these requirements. The modular system allows users to switch between conventional UV curing, LED UV and thermal drying using infrared and hot air. Depending on the print job, ink or varnish system and substrate, users can employ the most suitable technology without permanently locking the machine into a single curing or drying process.  

In addition to technological flexibility, machine availability is also important. The modular design and quick-change concept facilitate system replacement, as well as maintenance and servicing. At the same time, the components used are designed to meet the demands of industrial production environments.  

Energy consumption also plays an important role in the design of modern printing presses. With LEDcure NX, IST offers a water-cooled LED UV system with optical power up to 42 W/cm and efficiency over 50 percent. LED technology requires no warm-up phase and enables power control tailored to requirements. The system is complemented by SMARTcure. This AI-supported assistance system analyses production parameters and uses them to recommend the UV power output. The aim is to provide the power output best suited to the respective production process and to avoid unnecessary energy consumption. Furthermore, the format dependent control of individual LED zones makes it possible to adapt the active irradiation width to the specific print job. Prospects for further UV curing processes With a view to future requirements, swap4cure’s platform concept also offers the possibility of integrating further technologies.  

These include FREEcure, a UV technology with a high proportion of short-wavelength UVC radiation. Depending on the formulation and process conditions, its spectral properties can support photoinitiator-free or photoinitiator-reduced UV curing of suitable systems. This opens up additional possibilities for applications where the ink or varnish chemistry used, as well as migration and odor requirements, play a particularly important role.  

For machine manufacturers and print shops, the platform approach enables systems to be adapted to diverse and changing production requirements. New ink and varnish systems, additional applications or further curing and drying technologies can be incorporated without restricting the fundamental machine concept to a single process. The requirements for modern label and packaging printing presses can be summarized in five key points: flexibility in curing and drying technologies, energy usage tailored to requirements, short changeover, maintenance and service times, intelligent and data-driven process support, scalability through modular platform concepts. 

With swap4cure, IST is pursuing a platform-based approach that combines different curing and drying technologies within a single machine concept, thereby facilitating adaptation to varying production requirements. Visitors to Loupe India 2026 can learn more at IST’s stand P8 about swap4cure and other products for UV, LED UV and thermal drying. Experts on site will demonstrate how different technologies can be integrated into modern machine concepts for label and packaging printing.