KBA Hosts LED-UV and Traditional UV Conference

A large international customer event took place at KBA-Sheetfed Solutions in Radebeul, near Dresden, with the LED-UV & Traditional UV Conference from June 24-26. The event was a success with approximately 1,000 print experts from more than 30 countries in attendance. This huge level of interest shows just how important the topic of UV printing in diverse variations has now become to the print industry.
 
KBA key account manager Jürgen Veil mentioned the company’s all-encompassing approach while presenting the podium discussion on cutting-edge finishing and curing technology. Technology partners from the world of printing inks (Flint, Epple, INX), coating (Actega, Weilburger) and drying (AMS) answered user questions.
 
When it came to ink and coating, attention focused on the availability of special series, opaque white, metallic or Iriodin, as well as their suitability for food and non-food packaging, the toy and the tobacco industries. Questions were also asked about the print services available, suitable cleaning agents and technological features. The discussion on dryers also focused on practical topics: how do you know when a diode is broken, who can replace these, how is maintenance work carried out on LED dryers, how can the curing of LED inks be measured with measuring technology and much more.
 
The new KBA Rapida 105 PRO medium-format press was presented in theory and practice as a raised six-color press with twin coaters for conventional inks, primers and UV coating. The new press fulfills the essential requirements of commercial and packaging printers. With speeds of up to 17,000sph and a high level of pre-set capabilities, the press offers somewhat more comfort and performance compared to the Rapida 105. In terms of price and performance the Rapida 105 PRO is positioned between the Rapida 105 and Rapida 106, which is the world’s number one press in its format class with speeds of up to 20,000sph and the shortest makeready times.
 
A series of press demos was dedicated to UV and finishing: cold-foil kit in connection with HR-UV technology on non-absorbent substrates was shown on a six-color Rapida 106 with coater and ColdFoil Micro. One of the highlights of the demonstrations was the brilliant print quality on offset paper delivered by LED-UV.
 
KBA presented a job printed with in-mould film and low-migration LED-UV inks on a Rapida 145 (six colors with coater). This was followed by jobs demonstrating fast work and turn with three different types of paper (matt, gloss and offset).
 
The Rapida RDC was also unveiled at the open house. It features a rotary die-cutter based on Rapida components that can run at speeds of up to 14,000sph.