GEW has announced the launch of C3, a new reflector design for its range of UV curing systems. Based on its retractable cassette system, which is easily removed from the dryer housing, this third-generation reflector cartridge has been developed as a replacement to the existing XC extreme cure reflector system used on the VCP and eCP product platforms.

The new reflector, the company says, is 25 to 30 percent more efficient than others. The C3’s reflector material is composed of a specially developed, multi-layered dichroic coating as opposed to the polished aluminium used before. This allows the infrared radiation from the lamp to be absorbed by the reflector and removed by air-cooling of the reflector’s rear surface; UV radiation is simultaneously re-directed back to the web. The second improvement has been the addition of a cold filter, which blocks IR radiation from the lamp and prevents it from reaching the printed substrate while allowing the UV to pass through. Third, a “cold shutter” has been integrated into the C3 that has eliminated the risk of damage to substrates from heat when the press stops and the shutters close.

GEW has also strengthened its energy-efficient product line with a new range of peripheral technologies. The company now offers intelligent power management software to lower mean standby power to below 15 percent to save energy. The technology is in intelligent avoidance of power waste. Printers typically leave the UV on standby for long periods, as opposed to switching them off, so that they are always ready to run as soon as the printer is ready to restart the press. GEW has developed GreenTimer, a software package which allows the operator to program the system to start automatically after the desired amount of time, and also to power down after a predetermined duration on stand-by.

At the Label Industry Global Awards banquet and ceremony, GEW was acknowledged for its products that further environmental sustainability. The company is the recipient of the Label Industry Green Award for its efforts to reduce energy consumption in UV curing.