Punch Graphix wins RedTech Europe Innovation Award

Punch Graphix International, from Lier in Belgium, has received a prestigious award from the RadTech Europe Association for the development of its UV curable toner for digital production printing. The award was presented at the RadTech 2005 Conference in Barcelona on October 18.

The award was introduced to recognize and celebrate the innovative utilization of UV/EB technology in different markets and was open to all companies utilizing this technology. The competition was designed to recognize and encourage innovative companies that manufacture products using radiation-curing technology, while promoting the future development of UV/EB technology by highlighting its many benefits.

Most toner systems cannot withstand temperatures above 65C. With UV curable toner, heat resistance can be dramatically improved. Images printed with Punch Graphix UV curable toner remain intact even at temperatures as high as 280C. And unlike images printed with traditional low molecular weight resin based toner, UV curable toner printed images will withstand contact with a wide range of chemical solvents.

Therefore all applications whereby printed matter should withstand temperature treatment, and or solvent treatments, are possible target applications. For the award Punch Graphix demonstrated cured samples of heat-sealed full-color pharmaceutical blister packs, heat-sealed diary cups and printed PET sheets. The R&D departments of Punch Graphix proved the feasibility of digital printing with dry toner electrophotography combined with UV curing.

The major challenges were the determination of the composition and production of 6-8 micron highly pigmented UV curable toner in order to give the same properties as conventional dry toner. In addition to the toner behavior in high-speed digital printing machines, the curing properties and behavior had to be optimized. In particular the layer thickness and color independence presented considerable challenges.

The specific advantages of using UV curable dry toner in combination with the Xeikon 5000 digital press and curing unit are numerous. Firstly, high-speed printing (up to 300 m2/h) is combined with high image quality (equivalent to 2400 dpi). Further, dry electrophotography is a proven technology. And finally, Punch Graphix’s dry toner approach is safer compared to a liquid solution, as there are no volatiles (solvents) or low molecular weight compounds involved and the optimized formulations have reduced the concentration of other potentially hazardous substances to a minimum. Consequently, Punch Graphix UV curable toner requires no special labeling.

The R&D team of Punch Graphix discovered that, due to the solid starting materials, dry toner is less sensitive to curing conditions and also that the curing conditions can be adjusted according to the temperature resistance required, without making the de-inking and recycling of paper impossible.

Dr. Lode Deprez, vice president of the Toner & Developer Group, received the award during the plenary session of the RadTech Europe Conference 2005. During this conference, held between October 18 and 20, he will also present a paper addressing the development of this solution as a combination of two winning technologies: UV curable dry toner and the Xeikon 5000 digital press. Dr. Deprez states: ‘We are definitely proud of ourselves and see this award as an endorsement of the R&D investment made over the last 3 years. It also gives an additional resonance to our corporate vision "beyond graphic excellence" and our digital solutions brand slogan: "we are because we dare".’

The Punch Graphix UV curable toner technology is currently being tested in the field with a number of highly involved European printers. In order to obtain more feedback and experience from the field, the tests will continue in 2006. Such partnerships are beneficial in creating a competitive edge for both Punch Graphix and its customers.