Protective Coats
Coatings can serve as the umbrella protection in a wealth of package-printing applications.
April 2007 by Tom Polischuk
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Coatings are somewhat unsung heroes in the package-printing world. They provide many important functions, yet most people don’t even know they’re there. These people don’t care either—except that if the coatings weren’t there, they might not like the label or package as much, might even complain about it, or worse yet, might not buy the product.
Whoa, Nellie! “Houston, We’ve got a problem.” “Iceberg dead ahead!” Now, we’ve got somebody’s heart pumpin’.
Coatings to the rescue
No, coatings can’t help much when it comes to world calamities, but if the heart that’s “pumpin’” happens to be a product manager, now we’re playing in the right ballpark.
Coatings are available in several general forms including solvent-based, aqueous, and UV/EB. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and can provide an adequate or even best-suited solution for any particular packaging application.
However, energy-curable (UV and EB) coatings, being relative newcomers to the field, are making their presence felt—UV in particular. Generally, UV coatings provide enhanced gloss and resistance characteristics versus their competing cousins, along with other desirable product and processing features.
“UV coatings have the distinct advantage of providing a high-gloss finish when compared to water-based coatings,” says John Signet, marketing manager for Water Ink Technologies. “It’s the high gloss that is important to many of the consumer products companies.”
Deanna Whelan, marketing manager for XSYS Print Solutions, notes that in addition to the desirable high-gloss finish, additional effects can be achieved with UV coatings, such as matte finishes and tactile properties that provide a look and feel not achievable with other coating technologies. Other enhanced properties she mentions include: optical brighteners for backlight capabilities; glitter and pearlescent enhancements; and different levels of COF (coefficient of friction) to optimize application and storage of packaged products.
The functional attributes that coatings provide include wear and exposure resistance to various environmental factors. Again, UV and EB coatings offer a number of advantages, “generally providing enhanced product resistance versus non-crosslinked systems,” says Mike Sajdak, research chemist for INX International.
“Certain UV formulations offer exceptional flexibility and resistance to detergents, alcohol, and grease,” adds Bob Waddington, general manager, UVitec Printing Ink. He also points out that UV coatings can be formulated to provide excellent bonding to difficult substrates.
A noteworthy advantage that UV systems have versus solvent-based coatings is their lack of VOCs. “It’s a 100 percent solids system, which is environmentally-friendly and easy to use on press,” says Mike Kucharski, market manager, graphic arts for Cytec.
Whoa, Nellie! “Houston, We’ve got a problem.” “Iceberg dead ahead!” Now, we’ve got somebody’s heart pumpin’.
Coatings to the rescue
No, coatings can’t help much when it comes to world calamities, but if the heart that’s “pumpin’” happens to be a product manager, now we’re playing in the right ballpark.
Coatings are available in several general forms including solvent-based, aqueous, and UV/EB. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and can provide an adequate or even best-suited solution for any particular packaging application.
However, energy-curable (UV and EB) coatings, being relative newcomers to the field, are making their presence felt—UV in particular. Generally, UV coatings provide enhanced gloss and resistance characteristics versus their competing cousins, along with other desirable product and processing features.
“UV coatings have the distinct advantage of providing a high-gloss finish when compared to water-based coatings,” says John Signet, marketing manager for Water Ink Technologies. “It’s the high gloss that is important to many of the consumer products companies.”
Deanna Whelan, marketing manager for XSYS Print Solutions, notes that in addition to the desirable high-gloss finish, additional effects can be achieved with UV coatings, such as matte finishes and tactile properties that provide a look and feel not achievable with other coating technologies. Other enhanced properties she mentions include: optical brighteners for backlight capabilities; glitter and pearlescent enhancements; and different levels of COF (coefficient of friction) to optimize application and storage of packaged products.
The functional attributes that coatings provide include wear and exposure resistance to various environmental factors. Again, UV and EB coatings offer a number of advantages, “generally providing enhanced product resistance versus non-crosslinked systems,” says Mike Sajdak, research chemist for INX International.
“Certain UV formulations offer exceptional flexibility and resistance to detergents, alcohol, and grease,” adds Bob Waddington, general manager, UVitec Printing Ink. He also points out that UV coatings can be formulated to provide excellent bonding to difficult substrates.
A noteworthy advantage that UV systems have versus solvent-based coatings is their lack of VOCs. “It’s a 100 percent solids system, which is environmentally-friendly and easy to use on press,” says Mike Kucharski, market manager, graphic arts for Cytec.
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