EB's Bright Future

Of the three areas, tag and label is the least affected by EB inks. Some labels are printed EB now, but Duncan explains this is mainly seen where EB inks' high chemical resistance is needed. "A few printers are running UV flexo, using just enough inter-station UV curing to prevent set-off, and then running the web through an EB unit at the end of the press to punch up the degree of cure," he explains. "This is an effective process to increase cure and reduce residual odorous materials when flexo printing is required, kind of a back door into EB flexo. However, photoinitiators still are required, and their fragments remain in the ink film."