Radtech's UV/EB 2010 technical conference and tradeshow took place last week in Baltimore, MD. The recovering economy and increased focus on sustainable manufacturing was evidenced by an increased interest in energy efficient UV/EB curing technologies. AEB was on hand to interact with the world leading chemists, materials scientists, converters and manufacturers in attendance.   

Highlights included:
AEB's Dr. Anne Testoni presented work on characterizing the efficacy of electron beam treatment on 3-D objects. (Click here to download presentation)

AEB's Dr. Somchintana Norasetthekul had a paper published in the Radtech Report on AEB's collaboration with UMass Lowell to investigate the effects on low energy electron beam on typical plastics used in packaging.  (Click here to download paper)

AEB collaborator, Dr. George Sadler of Prove It LLC had a paper published on the use of low energy electron beam for active packaging applications.   (Click here to download paper)

AEB collaborator, Dr. Mike Laksin from Ideon LLC summarized recent developments in electron beam ink chemistries for food packaging applications.   (Click here to download paper)

Paper, Film, & Foil Converter (PFFC) magazine's July issue is dedicated to the subject of security printing for product authentication and brand security.  There is a range of techniques and applications discussed, including:

• Specialty substrates
• Security inks and coatings
• Printing & converting techniques
• Variable data printing
• Holographic printing

Electron beam curing can be an enabler for these techniques.  EB curing systems are abie to cure thick layers of inks and coatings at high speeds, regardless of color, as well as cure through opaque laminate structures.  These are important components for printers and converters looking to enhance their product offerings by having the capability to deliver advanced security and brand protection features.

Ask us about our ability to support your security printing goals.

If asked just a short time ago, I may have guessed it was the name of a newly discovered planet.  However, after visiting Drupa for the first time, I now realize it is actually the intergalactic emperor of trade shows.  I was humbled.  And, I was excited at the universe of opportunities for modern electron beam curing technology.

As a sign of the growing trend to find sustainable and safe alternatives to conventional curing technologies for food packaging, our friends at ESI demonstrated their beams running on a flexo press from Comexi and a web offset press from Drent Goebel.  As expected, sustainability and energy efficiency were strong themes.  Also front and center were foci on overall productivity, economic solutions for short run packaging, and product differentiation solutions through process innovation, all for both digital and conventional printing solutions.

With the growing success of EB curing for traditional print packaging, we are seeing an increasing interest in deploying electron beams in a wider range of non-traditional applications.  In the April issue of the Radtech report, we discuss some alternative approaches to EB curing.  Leveraging AEB's compact, cost effective emitter technology opens up another universe of curing possibilities for the printing and packaging markets.