The Role of Dual-Cure Inks in the Transition to UV LED
- Published: September 29, 2025
By Pierre Dogliani, R&D Innovation Manager Narrow Web, Flint Group
If you heard "Mercury" and thought of astrology, you wouldn't be alone. In label and narrow web printing, mercury-based UV curing has long been a mainstay. But as the industry evolves, more printers are turning to UV LED curing — a technology that offers greater energy efficiency and sustainability. While curing system advancements are critical, a revolution is happening in the ink itself. Dual curing UV LED inks are proving to be the essential enabler in this transition, giving converters the flexibility to move toward UV LED curing without disrupting operations or writing off existing equipment.
With demands for sustainability intensifying and converters facing growing demand for higher quality and faster turnaround times, UV LED curing has emerged as an invaluable tool to meet these challenges head-on. This approach offers improved print quality with less energy consumption, reduced waste and a lower overall cost to print, making it an appealing choice across narrow web printing applications.
At the heart of this transition lies dual curing UV LED inks. These advanced formulations are accelerating the adoption of LED curing by smoothing the path for converters determined to future-proof their operations without disruption or waste. As dual curing ink technology advances, the benefits of UV LED are becoming far more accessible.
Why UV LED curing?
Against a backdrop of growing efficiency demands and calls to reduce printing's environmental impact, UV LED supports improvements for quality, speed and sustainability.
UV LED lamps work by generating UV light which is absorbed by photoinitiators within the ink. UV wavelengths penetrate deeply into the ink to initiate polymerization from the point where it contacts the substrate, transforming the liquid ink into a solid film within milliseconds. This results in high resistance films with improved adhesion and less waste or rejected prints.
In addition, unlike mercury lamps that require prolonged warm-up times and generate significant amounts of heat, UV LED curing units can be activated or deactivated instantaneously with no waiting and minimal energy loss. This translates to faster changeovers, reduced material waste and less downtime.
The operational benefits of this technology extend far beyond speed. UV LED curing's lower heat output facilitates printing on a broader range of substrates, including delicate films and foils that would be compromised by the heat emitted by conventional UV lamps. What's more, UV LED lamps offer significant improvements in durability and reliability because the lower temperatures they operate at result in vastly reduced wear and tear. This means UV LED lamps benefit from longer operational lifespans, often exceeding 10,000-20,000 hours or more, providing a more predictable, less labor-intensive operation with lower lifetime operating costs and reduced waste from defective or rejected prints.
The Dual Curing Solution
Despite these advantages, the transition to UV LED curing is not without its challenges. The capital investment required to install new LED-equipped presses or retrofit existing lines can be significant, especially for smaller converters. More fundamentally, the ink itself has historically presented a barrier. Inks are traditionally formulated for specific curing methods, and switching from UV Hg to UV LED curing may mean writing off existing ink stocks and managing the logistical headache of multiple inventories.
This is where dual curing UV LED inks are proving transformative. These inks are engineered to cure efficiently under both UV Hg and UV LED lamps, ensuring remarkable adaptability across curing systems. This technology enables printers to use one ink range across their UV Hg and UV LED presses, meaning they can minimize inventory and costs as they transition their units, simplifying the switch to a more efficient technology.
The chemistry behind dual curing inks is a testament to the innovation ongoing in the print industry. Advances in photoinitiator technology, the adoption of biorenewable resins and the refinement of UV LED lamp design have combined to create inks that deliver robust adhesion, vibrant color, and high resistance across a wide range of substrates and curing conditions. This technical progress ensures that converters do not have to compromise on quality or performance as they embrace more sustainable production methods.
Meeting Regulatory Requirements
Dual cure inks are supporting printers as they adapt to a changing regulatory landscape. The Minamata Convention, a global treaty aimed at phasing out mercury use, is tightening the availability and increasing the cost of traditional UV lamps. Simultaneously, the push for Net Zero is compelling print businesses to cut their carbon emissions, with energy consumption in the spotlight. By enabling a phased transition to mercury-free UV LED systems, this technology helps printers align with global phase-out initiatives and improve their energy efficiency.
Working Together
Importantly, the transition to UV LED curing does not have to be undertaken alone. Industry leaders in ink technology are working closely with converters, press manufacturers and the wider print value chain to ensure that the adoption of dual curing and UV LED curing solutions is as seamless and beneficial as possible. Through collaboration, knowledge sharing and ongoing technical support, converters can confidently navigate the complexities of change and unlock the full potential of next generation curing technology.
Dual curing UV LED inks offer more than a connection to the future of print technology - they are accelerating the industry's journey towards it. By removing the barriers to UV LED adoption, these inks empower converters to upgrade their processes at their own pace, reduce their environmental footprint, and enhance both operational and economic performance.
About the Author
Pierre Dogliani began his career in 2009 as a polymer formulation apprentice and later joined the adhesives industry as an R&D Project Manager. He holds a Master's in Polymer Science and a Business Management degree from Queen's University Belfast. After roles in R&D, sales and customer service across France and Ireland, he joined Flint Group in 2021. Since 2022, he has led the UV R&D team as Innovation Manager and contributes to the Evolution Solution task force, driving sustainability in label and shrink sleeve applications.
