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Cationic UV-curing ink vs free radical UV-curing ink

Kudos to Gerber for daring to be first with a full-scale cationic ink. During late 2005 and early 2006 Durst tried cationic ink chemistry as an alternative ink for their Rho 350R. It was such a disaster that, literally, they did not even want to discuss it (merely hearing the word cationic seemingly caused them another headache).

We have learned informally that Sericol tested their cationic ink with Inca. The results have never been publicized but information suggests that this ink failed. Zund was not aware of the failed tests of Sericol cationic ink at Inca, and attempted to use a Sericol cationic ink in 2004, when they first launched their innovative Zund 250-combi UV printer. The ink was unfortunately a flop, as in causing a serious failure. It took Zund two years to redesign their printer (heat was also an issue). Zund now uses Sun ink, and free radical chemistry. Today, having abandoned trying to use cationic ink, the Zund 250-combi printer with free radical ink is a good system (I have tested it for two days at the Zund factory in Switzerland).

At an IMI conference in Lisbon in 2007, I asked five leading industry figures (several of whom were either chemists or printhead manufactures), whether cationic UV ink is functional. Their answers are in the updated FLAAR Report on the Gerber ion; indeed I have just updated this report again based on a lengthy discussion with an immanent ink chemist who is familiar with the chemistry of cationic and free radical UV ink.

Of course miracles do happen. Everyone told Christopher Columbus that if he sailed west his ships would fall off the edge of the world. He discovered America. So let's hope that cationic UV ink chemistry actually functions, and that the Gerber system can control it, since once cationic starts to cure, it tends to cure spontaneously with catastrophic results inside the printheads. There are also severe limitations of the amount of humidity. Again, this is discussed in the updated FLAAR Report on the Gerber ion.

“ Cold” curing is also innovative

It is ironic that Gerber, whose sales have been clobbered by ColorSpan for years, is the first out with an innovative cold cure.


Gerber Solara ion X UV-curing flatbed with roll-to-roll printer

It will take a while to figure out who is making the UV curing lamps in the Gerber Solara ion printer. Gerber claims they are not using an LED lamp. The size, shape, and positions of the UV lamps are listed in the FLAAR Reports, which can be ordered from www.wide-format-printers.NET . Regular mercury arc UV lamps are the temperature of plasma.


Gerber Solara ion X flatbed printer with GerberCAT cationic UV ink

New flatbed UV printer for coroplast, foamcoare from Gerber Scientific Products

On the assumption that Gerber is using a truly cold cure, their advertisement is obviously not improper, and they deserve recognition for their innovation.

See the attached file on LED uv lamps being used by Sun LLC. They also had an exhibit at SGIA ‘07. Other than Sun LLC (no relation to Sun Chemical), the only company with successful LED lighting for curing is the Inca Spyder 150.

What will Oce do now?

The roll-fed mechanism on the Oce Arizona 250 GT has only begun to function after 18 months of development after it was first shown. What if it takes Gerber even six months to finish theirs?

The roll-fed system on the Mimaki JV-1631 is merely tacked on; it does not even try to actually move the roll-fed material up onto the table (you have to do it by hand).

In past years I worked as a professor of history and archaeology, and last month in Israel I uncovered an historical treasure: two of practically the first flatbed wide-format inkjet printers ever made: the Data Mate Rembrandt. FLAAR has issued a short report on these (free download).

So it's worth pointing out that yes, there are flatbeds that have a roll-fed mechanism better than Oce and Mimaki, but these were 10 years ago. People have already forgotten that these early printers even existed (that's why FLAAR publishes them).

The real market is for a 4x8' printer in the US and a 2x3 meter size in Europe . But Oce missed these sizes. Gandy only recently came out with their Jeti 1224 and 2030 UV flatbeds.

Raster Printers is starting with a small size to test the market for dedicated flatbeds (Daytona T600uv). It tried a cold pinning (with LED) but had to remove this option and return to using two full-scale mercury-arc UV-curing lamps.

What will Hewlett-Packard do now?

An innovative, popular, and break-through product by Gerber Scientific Products, far ahead of any product from Roland, Mutoh, or Seiko sets Gerber ahead for the race to entry-level market. This is a challenge for the two ColorSpan printers: ColorSpan 5440uv series (now the HP Designjet H35100 and HP H45100) and the ColorSpan 9840uv (now the HP Scitex FB910).

The question of course is whether cationic ink and cold curing function. However it is unlikely that any company would be suicidal and launch a totally flawed printer.

Except look what Encad did with their Encad VinylJet? And remember the CrystalJet? Plus Kodak lost about $30,000,000 on their disastrous experiment with their flawed Kodak 5260 water-based printer.

Oce had a substantial loss with their flawed Arizona 60uv (it tried to use Xenon flash uv-curing).

So not all fresh launches have been successful. Luscher made the most expensive launch failure so far: its $650,000 printer also tried LED curing. I doubt this printer will even dare to appear at SGIA. The Luscher JetPrint was conspicuously absent at ISA ‘07 and FESPA '07 in Berlin.

You may notice that FLAAR does not reproduce the PR release

Other sites on the Internet merely publish the PR release, with no comments, observations, or suggestions. This is embarrassing.

We prefer to offer commentary and not simply copy what is already available.

During SGIA virtually everyone asked me the same question, ”Nicholas, did you see the Gerber ion printing? We never saw it actually moving.”

But I did see it printing and was able to acquire information from courteous Gerber managers, as well as significant additional information from knowledgeable industry colleagues.

But what I saw at SGIA was very different than what I was expecting based on the sophisticated and beautifully presented Flash animations and Press Releases (I judge the graphic design of the graphics in the launch literature as world-class). In the upcoming FLAAR Reports on the Gerber Solara ion printer I describe the differences, pros, cons, and comments by other industry leaders.

It is also a question of why (really why, not merely an excuse why) why Gerber pulled out of showing any printer at Graphics of the Americas 2008; why there was no Gerber ion or even brochures at the trade show in the Czech Republic the week after, and why there was no Gerber ion at the huge FESPA Digital show in Geneva in early April.

All the Gerber pre-show announcements, posted repeatedly all over that same FESPA event, all listed the Gerber ion as present in the Spandex booth (Spandex is the Gerber company distributor in Europe).

But at their booth there was not even a poster to show the Gerber ion: they showed only Mutoh solvent printers in the Gerber/Spandex booth.

Press releases state the delay is electronic boards, not problems with cationic ink curing. The only way I will believe that is to visit a beta test site and see the curing functioning two-shifts a day 6 days a week. Plus, seeing TWO of the printers actually functioning at SGIA 08 this autumn: one printing flatbed, the other printing roll-to-roll. It took Oce 18 months to get their roll-fed option to work!

But merely “printing” is not the full story: every single person who speaks to me at DRUPA about the Gerber ion (read between the lines, about 100%), comment that the printer was so slow that they were unsure whether it was actually printing. This is especially true on roll-fed attachment, but also on the flatbed. It seems slower at DRUPA than at VISCOM Italy '07 or SGIA '07. Also, everyone tells me they notice that the Gerber ion is never printing all day; Gandinnovations has every single printer printing 85% of the day (15% for cleaning or recalibrating).

So the comments that the Gerber ion is slow (or not printing at all) is based on other industry analysts, consultants and Press who are at DRUPA 08. But, on the positive side, at least cationic ink works a bit, and with increased R&D perhaps the cationic ink will prove to become a breakthrough in the future.

The reason we hope Gerber will overcome issues and get their new printer to function is because a successful cationic ink in their ion printer will catapult them to First Place in UV printer sales. However, my own personal and professional suggestions on this printer are in the updated FLAAR Reports. I have updated this about four times already.

Dedicated flatbeds are the way to go

Our FLAAR Reports have clearly stressed the importance of manufacturers offering dedicated flatbed style UV printers. Indeed the track record of issues with combo-style transport belts is increasingly poor. See the FLAAR Reports on the Grapo Octopus, for example.

I predict that several more companies will offer dedicated roll-fed and dedicated flatbeds at DRUPA '08. Indeed the innovative Spuhl Virtu RS 25 and RS 35 offer a dedicated flatbed aspect inside their combo transport belt system. This is a feature not available on the VUTEk QS2000 or QS3200.

Just be sure to read the FLAAR Reports on UV-printers before you make a down payment on any UV-curable machine.

Most recently updated June 3, 2008 after seeing the Gerber ion print “speed” and hearing of the lack of productivity rate.

First posted 5 October 2007. Updated after SGIA, November 2 2007. Updated December 5, after VISCOM Italy. Updated Jan 27, 2008, April 7, 2008.