Heidelberg has described its newly launched LED option as the “most energy-efficient LED UV system on the market”.

The firm showed an LED UV press for the first time in the UK.  The LED drying system has been available for two years in other territories, and Heidelberg has more than 20 presses installed in Japan, where there is an energy-saving imperative for businesses. It also has LED presses installed in Switzerland and Germany.

A five-colour Speed
master SX 74 with coater, and fitted with both LE-UV and LED UV drying in order to show the difference between the two systems, was demonstrated at an event. It formed part of a presentation that involved producing a 32pp booklet with mix of digital and litho sections, and a digitally printed cover, with rapid turnaround time. The digital elements were produced on a Linoprint CV, and the booklet was finished on a Stahlfolder CH 56 and Muller Martini Presto II stitcher.

The booklet included sheets printed on one side with LE-UV, and LED-UV on the other.

The LED configuration is available on all presses from the SX 52 up to the XL 106. Heidelberg is also looking at adding it to its VLF range. The LED option uses Heidelberg’s own Drystar technology, while the LE-UV uses an IST Metz system.

A five-colour Speedm- aster XL 75 with coater was also running with a suite of Saphira inks and consumables.