GEW UV curing enables silicone coating of release liners in a much more compact footprint than using traditional thermal drying methods. The very compact nature of the GEW UV solution enables silicone coating release liners to be applied inline with other printing processes, for example in the production of linerless labels and thermal tickets.

UV curing is a lower temperature process than thermal drying and is an enabling technology for applying silicone release coatings to heat-sensitive plastic films that are not compatible with thermal drying ovens. This can be carried out on webs of up to 2.50m wide.

GEW UV curing technology is optimised to deliver very high doses of UVC energy which are required for both free radical silicone and cationic silicone release coatings. Monitoring the UVC output along the length of the lamp ensures the fastest, most reliable and most consistent production of silicone release liners with enhanced release properties.

GEW has a long history of manufacturing inert gas curing systems for free radical siliconising processes, as well as systems for curing cationic silicone formulations.

Specialist UV System for silicone coating release liners

Find out more about NUVA2

Case study: Two-lamp, 1500mm NUVA2 air cooled UV curing solution

In this recent installation, GEW designed and manufactured a two-lamp, 1500mm NUVA2 air cooled UV curing solution mounted against a 400mm diameter, twin-shell water-cooled roller.

The curing system is used for curing hard-coating on PET film, under inert atmosphere conditions. The UV lampheads and roller are mounted to a solid subframe, on which the UV lamp can slide away from the roller. This can be done automatically, when the coating machine sends a signal to clear the web splice. The shutters close and the lamps retract automatically. The lamps then return to the home position when safe to do so, and the residual oxygen level then automatically returns to the set point.

Alternatively, when the lamps are off, they can be unlocked from the frame and moved manually to the maintenance position for inspecting and cleaning either the quartz windows or chill roller.

Additionally, the height of each UV lamphead can be independently adjusted by up to 30mm, to adjust the intensity of the UV light independently of the energy dose.

Watch the case study video below to find out more:

This is just one example of how GEW can help, by creating bespoke UV curing solutions tailored to your individual requirements. Contact the regional contact from our sales team that is best placed to help you: