KANSAS CITY, Kansas, May 20, 2008-xpedx announced today that it will be the exclusive U.S. marketer and distributor of the world's first LED-UV print curing system, an offset printing technology from Ryobi that provides significant environmental, pressroom and financial advantages.
 
A 14"x20" RYOBI 525GX will be the initial platform for the LED-UV curing system, with plans to extend the system to press models such as the 23"x31" RYOBI 750 Series in the future.  The new technology will be demonstrated at drupa 2008 in Düsseldorf, Germany, May 29-June 11.
 
The new RYOBI LED-UV curing system cuts power usage by a minimum of 70%, eliminates ozone emissions, has a lamp life 12 times longer than conventional lamps and uses ink with no volatile organic compound (VOC) solvents.  Printing with UV curing units also greatly reduces drying times.
 
The system combines an LED-UV curing unit and special LED-UV inks manufactured by Tokyo-based Toyo Ink Manufacturing Co. It will be available to U.S. printers in 2009 through xpedx Printing Technologies, the exclusive U.S. distributor of Ryobi-branded offset printing presses and a business of xpedx, the largest North American distributor of printing papers and graphics supplies and equipment.
 
Although UV technology has been available to printers for more than 30 years, Ryobi's new system is the world's first curing unit that replaces conventional UV lamps with long-life UV light-emitting diodes, cutting power consumption 70- to 80%.
 
Light emitting diodes (LED) are extremely efficient.  Instead of using electricity to heat up a metal filament, LEDs produce light by channeling an electric current through a semiconductor material.  The result: close to 100% of the electricity is converted into light, with virtually no waste heat generated.  The average life of LED lights is typically measured in tens of thousands of hours.
 
UV curing units deliver significant productivity gains and cost savings to high-volume commercial and in-plant printers because of greatly reduced drying times.  They are also environmentally friendly because they don't generate carbon dioxide emissions.
 
Features of the RYOBI LED-UV curing system:
 
* Reduction in power consumption by 70- to 80%
 
* Light source lasts 12 times longer than conventional lamps, saving time and money

* Zero ozone emissions eliminate the need for ventilation ducts and blower boxes
 
* No infrared irradiation is produced, minimizing the heat effect on the printing press and media, especially film
 
* Light source can be switched on and off, no waiting for cooling and startup

* Efficient light source operation by controlling the irradiation width to accommodate paper size
 
* Safer for employees to operate because there is no increase in temperature, even directly under the LED light source.  There is also less heat in the pressroom and it is less expensive to operate.
 
* Compact control cabinet requires less floor space