GEW trials its Excimer system with RK’s VCML

GEW is a manufacturer of UV systems for the labelling and narrow web printing industries. Its UV system has been used with RK Print’s reel to reel VCML machines for many years and was therefore the ideal choice to run trials of the new Excimer system.

‘Despite these exceptional and somewhat strange times we are currently facing, here at RK Print Coat Instruments our VCML still remains in continuous demand in the development and trials of new products,’ said the RK Print Coat Instruments in a statement.

Working with RK’s senior project manager, Darren Ellis, Ryan Turner, GEW’s R&D engineer spent a week running coating trials on the VCML unit and the new Excimer system with positive results.

GEW’s technology includes an LED pre-gelling lamp, an Excimer system and a Mercury lamp. Using a reverse gravure method to apply the UV coatings, numerous tests at different Excimer levels were carried out. The results produced very successful outcomes with uniform matting across the length and width of the coating.

The Excimer system produces quasi-monochromatic vacuum radiation, commonly used for the mattification of surface coatings. It can also be used for the modification of surface tension or surface cleaning for semiconductor and medical industries. The system removes the high gloss finish of UV coatings.

The RK PrintCoat Instruments VCML pilot coater and the GEW Excimer system are now available for customer trials at the RK Print Coat facility in Royston, Hertfordshire in the UK.