Adphos: Successful workshop on drying technologies
Experts from the technical and commercial sectors of the packaging and decor printing industry accepted an invitation from Adphos and the ERA (European Rotogravure Association) to take part in the workshop "Drying Technologies and New Electrothermal Drying Solutions".
After a welcome address by Ms. Stefani Dhami, Secretary of ERA, and the Managing Directors of Adphos, the current drying technologies were presented and compared in various sessions at the "Drying Technologies and New Electrothermal Drying Solutions" workshop. The systems currently available on the market were compared and evaluated for different applications. The significant differences in the performance of the respective systems aroused particular interest among the workshop participants. A highlight of the workshop was the tour of the Adphos company premises. Here, the special design, the outstanding technology and the diversity of the aNIR drying configurations were illustrated. In three application demonstrations in the newly designed technical center, the experts were able to see the aNIR technology for themselves.
Firstly, in the drying of textiles: fully impregnated textiles (200 g/m²) were completely dried in just 0.1 seconds. This demonstrates the impressive efficiency of aNIR technology in drying textiles quickly and effectively. Further in the cross-linking of coatings: A 2K barrier coating on aluminum substrate was crosslinked at a temperature of up to 230°C and a dwell time of 0.9 seconds. This demonstration illustrated the ability of aNIR technology to crosslink coatings in a very short time, which is of great importance for industrial applications. Finally, inkjet printing on laminated paper: a Y and a K inkjet ink were simultaneously applied to laminated paper and dried at a process speed of 60 m/min. The substrate itself maintained a temperature below 50°C. This demonstration showed that color inkjet printing can be easily dried with aNIR technology without overheating the substrate. The workshop was rounded off with an after-session evening event at a local Bavarian brewery, which allowed for many more interesting discussions and lively exchanges. Overall, the event was a great success and provided valuable knowledge about innovative solutions in the field of drying technologies.