The days of narrow web presses being limited to only paper and polymer label printing applications is long over. Today’s narrow web applications are as diverse as the surface treating technologies used to treat the wide variety of polymer and metalized surfaces. Enercon’s high definition corona treaters and atmospheric plasma systems are at the forefront of applications such as Digital Printing, UV inkjet printing, Flexographic Printing, RFID and Smart Labels, Solar foil cleaning, Printed electronics, Fabric/Textile labels and Coating applications.
Below are details on some of these unique applications:
Digital UV Inkjet label printing:
Narrow web Plasma3™ treatment raises substrate surface energy levels high enough to adhere high-solids digital UV inks. The need for digital UV inkjet printing on labels is growing rapidly due to an increasing number of product versions, SKUs and private labels.
RFID Tags /Smart labels
Plasma3™ removes debris surrounding antennae printed with conductive ink or stamped by foil at the chip site to ensure clean contact with the antennae leads on RFID tags. RFID technology is also being used as Smart Tag technology attached to textiles that can be read by a retailer’s hand-held scanners. Plasma3™ functionalizes the entire surface of the RFID/Smart Tag structure to promote adhesion to tag layers. Learn more plasma treating on RFID/Smart Tags.
Solar Foils:
Atmospheric Plasma3™ Technology provides an in-line surface cleaning solution for roll-to-roll photovoltaic applications. The cleaning of foils is critical to their adhesion within the construction of CIGS and thin film solar modules. Narrow web Plasma3™ treatment effectively and continuously cleans stainless steel, copper, titanium, aluminum, and other alloy foils for solar applications. Learn more about plasma treating for solar applications.
In-Mold Labels (IML):
Pretreating the plastic material, such as polyethylene, of in-mold labels improves the adhesion of UV and EB inks and coatings prior to applying a clear gloss or protective coating. These low polarity synthetic plastic substrates with high viscosity inks and coatings require a high energy surface treatment technology such as narrow web Plasma3™ to ensure wet-out and adhesion.
Metallized Film
Metallized films are easily contaminated when wound in a roll, creating poor ink adhesion. Plasma3™ treatment of metalized films prior to printing cleans the surface of contamination, insuring uniform adhesion.
Plasma3™ Cleans, Etches, Functionalize
Interested in learning how Plasma3™ can clean, etch or functionalize? Watch the
Plasma3™ animation.