Mar 19 2009
UV Inks - A Green Solution?
When it comes to environmental-friendliness, the vegetable or soy based inks seem to be at the forefront of most peoples’ minds. However, using UV inks could be another eco-option for those needing offset printing.
The biggest thing that sets apart UV inks from the conventional inks used with offset presses is the drying time. With traditional solvent-based inks, the drying time could be as long as 24 hours after the sheets come off the press, and it is during this time that the nasty VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are released into the air. Check out my post on VOCs and Offset Printing for more information.
With UV inks, however, the drying time is practically eliminated. The way UV inks dry is by passing under UV lights as the sheets come off the press. The light cures the ink instantly so there are no VOCs released during the drying time. Without using solvent-based inks and therefore reducing the amount of VOCs emitted, printers are able to comply with environmental and safety regulations much easier.
Not only that, but having the sheets dry as they come off the press, they can immediately go to the post-production or finishing part of the order. Cutting, folding, binding, etc. can be accomplished much faster with UV prints than having to wait another day for the conventional prints to dry. This allows a printer to reduce turnaround times and increase production and efficiency.
As a print buyer, there are many benefits as well. Because of the faster turnaround, your finished order can be in-hand quicker than with conventional offset printing. UV inks also produce sharper images on uncoated stocks due to the fast drying. With traditional solvent-based inks, the ink will be wet long enough to soak into uncoated paper, which leads to less crisp images and graphics. Since UV inks are dried instantly, there’s no time for the ink to seep into the fine grains of uncoated paper.
Depending on your printer, UV inks may cost more to use than traditional inks for a print job. Discuss the pricing options with your printer before making the decision to use UV inks. However, UV inks seem to be a more sustainable option overall and may well be worth the added cost.
well I never thought of green ink- good post! Hope you can stop by and visit my blog.
Almost all UV inks contain Phthalates nasty stuff.
The energy requirements of UV are astronomical.
A 40″ press can incur an increase in energy requirements of over 400 amps just for the press plus the additional air conditioning load to displace all the heat generated. There are also venting issues which must use air makeup which also requires and increase in heating and air conditioning.
Using Uv inks usually results in having to change press rolleres every 6 months or sooner. Conventional bio based inks along with renewable source press wash can externd roller life to 5 years.
UV inks along with all the associated chemicals and energy usage requirements make UV just about the least enviromental choice for printing.
There is technology were there are no driers required. No IR or UV energy sucking.
There are biobased inks (not the pigments) that have VOC counts of less than 2% and the VOC ommitted by them break down and biodegrade in minutes.
I agree with you Mike. I did respond to Green Printer via email to have him explain further his comment, but I never heard back.
From the research I have been able to do, phthalates are used in a lot of UV coatings to allow flexibility, but I didn’t find any facts on them being used in UV inks. All the research I’ve done points to UV inks as being quite the eco-friendly choice.
Thanks for stopping by and putting in your thoughts!