UV Lamp Curing Systems

OxyGuard is GEW’s next generation oxygen control system. It consists of an innovative new inert gas chamber and revolutionary control software for precision control of oxygen concentration. OxyGuard is ideal for low migration/odour printing, siliconisation and other high performance applications.

Closed loop control

OxyGuard features a radically improved closed loop control functionality. Oxygen set points are rapidly achieved and maintained to within ~±10%, even with different materials or coatings. Chamber O2 concentration and flow rates are clearly displayed on the HMI. The innovative control ensures no spikes of oxygen concentration, even during rapid machine acceleration. User adjustable warning and error bands are graphically represented on the HMI and can be outputted via digital I/O if levels are exceeded for an adjustable time period.

Job reporting

OxyGuard includes a means of recording live system curing performance data. Oxygen level (ppm), UV intensity and any warning and fault conditions that occur are recorded and timestamped.

For compliance or GMP (e.g. EC Regulation No. 2023/2006), data can be exported via GEW API for OEM integrations or via an email report, triggered via the HMI ‘Job logging’ function.

The benefits of OxyGuard

• Achieves precision oxygen ppm control with custom set points from 30-10,000ppm
• Closed loop control algorithm rapidly achieves set points and minimises inert gas usage
• Custom designed chambers support all GEW lamp models and widths, and any quantity of lamps per chamber
• Chambers can be on rollers, straight through web paths or mounted on conveyors
• A radically improved user interface makes operator monitoring and adjusting of the curing process easier than ever before
• Enhanced user-set alarm and warning outputs are available, to enable simple process compliance

How it works

Ambient oxygen reduces the effectiveness of UV curing in many inks and coatings. The OxyGuard system overcomes this, by reducing oxygen concentration at the point of curing. A chamber, with inlet and outlet slots, is constructed around the material and an inert gas, usually nitrogen, is pumped in to displace the air and maintain a target oxygen level. A quartz window in the chamber allows the UV lamp to be mounted outside the chamber and shine through to irradiate the ink / coating. Oxygen levels in the chamber are monitored by an oxygen sensor. A closed loop algorithm precisely adjusts the flow of inert gas to the chamber to maintain target oxygen ppm as the material moves through the chamber.

All GEW RHINO power supplies are rack mounted, able to run arc and LED lamps, and internet connected with 24/7 continuous online monitoring.

GEW UV arc and LED systems are powered by the proprietary RHINO and RLT power supplies. Available in a range of sizes up to 27kW, they are custom designed and manufactured by GEW, exclusively to power our UV systems. They meet the highest international safety standards (including ETL listing for all RHINO units), are monitored over the internet 24/7 and can be purchased with up to a 5-year warranty − unparalleled in the industry.

Every power supply is equipped with GEW’s ArcLED technology, enabling both UV arc and LED to be powered interchangeably by the same unit. Every RHINO & RLT system in the field is ready to run LED − only the LED lamp and chiller are required to make this change.

LeoLED2 takes LED performance to new heights over GEW’s already highly-acclaimed, water-cooled LeoLED system. Offering a 55% increase in electrical power (140W / cm), a 50% increase in UV dose (300mJ / cm²) and a 45% increase in UV irradiance (44W / cm²) compared to its predecessor, LeoLED2 is GEW’s next generation UV LED curing system that guarantees the best performance on the market for the most challenging curing applications.

As with the generation 1 model, LeoLED2 is available in both a cassette version and a compact version, depending on the requirements of the customer, their equipment and their application. Both models are designed to interchange with every current arc lamp model in GEW’s range. This patented ArcLED technology gives ultimate flexibility on press, no matter the application.

Like all our UV products, LeoLED2 is powered by GEW’s RHINO power supply for ultimate reliability and controlled by RHINO Control which comes as standard with IoT remote monitoring. This allows our customers the flexibility to go ArcLED without having to invest in a whole new, independent system. For customers with a GEW arc system installed, an upgrade can be as simple as adding a chiller, a UV LED lamphead, and running an upgrade.

LeoLED2 also comes in two power level options, offering ultimate customisability to customers, depending on their application and energy saving needs, whilst providing faster printing speeds alongside GEW’s renowned process reliability.