LED upgrade brightens GEW’s sustainability linked UV strategy

Future-proofing is no longer just a buzzword for GEW. Since 2017, every UV Arc system shipped by the company is designed with built-in compatibility for an LED upgrade. Marcus Greenbrook, director of international sales, describes this as a core GEW principle. “We’re already doing it,” he says, referring to the company’s ArcLED hybrid technology that enables users to switch from arc to LED curing by simply swapping cassettes.

The upgrade pathway is made seamless with a shared control system, fan infrastructure, and ducting across arc and LED variants. The same applies whether the system is air-cooled or water-cooled. GEW’s software automatically detects whether the operator has installed a UV arc or an LED cassette, and adjusts the power supply parameters accordingly.

The company holds a patent for ArcLED, launched in 2015 and commercialised two years later. This innovation ensures converters are not locked into one technology. As regulations shift or client demands evolve, printers can transition incrementally from arc-based to LED curing systems without significant Capex.

Greenbrook explains that the retrofit is operator-friendly. “You just take out the arc cassette as you normally would, and slide in the LED cassette. Nothing else changes.” The same touchscreen interface (HMI), cabling and mechanical layout remain in place, reducing the risk of downtime or training bottlenecks.

This modularity is particularly valuable in geographies like India, where converters often operate with tight margins and cautious capex planning. The flexibility to upgrade only when the business case justifies it adds resilience and scalability to the investment.
The goal is to future-proof print operations, letting converters embrace new technologies at their own pace.

Cloud-based monitoring
GEW has baked cloud connectivity into its systems since 2015. Each UV unit equipped with the Rhino and RLT control platforms transmits live operational data to a cloud server, creating a real-time view of performance across installations.
From lamp voltage and current to temperature and kilowatt-hour consumption, the system captures and logs essential parameters for each unit. “We’re monitoring how the system is working, every day, every month,” Greenbrook explains. Monthly reports are emailed to customers, offering insights into energy usage, uptime, and any anomalies that may indicate wear or faults.

The goal is two-fold: transparency and predictability. Knowing how much energy is being used for each job allows converters to assess the true cost per label or print metre. The data also supports maintenance planning by identifying performance drifts or drops before they result in failure.

This visibility extends beyond just technical health. Greenbrook positions it as a business decision-making tool. With energy prices fluctuating globally and sustainability becoming a procurement requirement, GEW’s customers can use the data to prove compliance and make cost-optimised production choices.

Importantly, the connectivity is not a retrofit. It is native to every GEW system with Rhino controls. As presses across regions go online, GEW’s cloud ecosystem acts like a distributed diagnostic network. The result is better support, smarter servicing and fewer emergency interventions.

By combining machine intelligence with remote insights, GEW’s approach to UV curing moves from reactive to proactive, and from pressroom to boardroom.

Energy efficiency
LED curing’s most tangible benefit is its energy footprint. “We’re saving in excess of 55% in energy,” Greenbrook states, referencing internal data comparing GEW’s own arc systems against their LED variants.

The comparison is conservative. The baseline arc system operates at 140-watts per centimetre, which is already more efficient than many legacy systems running at 160 to 200-watts per centimetre. When customers upgrade from such older configurations, Greenbrook notes, the energy savings often exceed 70%.

The savings are not theoretical. Monthly reports confirm real-world kilowatt-hour reductions across presses. These figures matter when energy pricing is volatile or when sustainability linked contracts require audited reporting.

GEW’s LED units achieve these gains without compromising cure strength. The system’s ability to maintain high throughput at lower energy draw comes from optimised reflectors and cooling systems, coupled with precise power modulation at the HMI level.

Crucially, LEDs use zero energy when idle. Arc systems continue to draw power even when the press is stationary due to lamp warm-up cycles and cooling requirements. GEW’s LED systems, in contrast, shut off instantly with the press stop command, burning neither hours nor electricity.

This efficiency compounds over time. In busy facilities with frequent stoppages or changeovers, the idle-state savings represent a significant cut in total energy consumption. The result is not just lower bills but a cleaner operating footprint.

For converters working in export-facing sectors, Greenbrook believes this feature gives them an edge in meeting client imposed carbon targets.

Maintenance simplified
Traditional UV arc systems come with a mechanical complexity that builds up over time. Greenbrook details the components involved: shutters, solenoids, actuators, switches, reflectors and of course, lamps. “There are a lot of components in there,” he says, “and at some point, all of them will need to be replaced.”

In contrast, GEW’s LED systems have fewer moving parts and longer lifespans. The LED modules themselves can last up to 30,000 hours of print time. Since the units turn off completely when not printing, this number reflects true production hours rather than calendar uptime.

Maintenance on arc systems involves regular cleaning, lamp changes every 1,000 to 1,500 hours, and reflector swaps at 6,000-hour intervals. Even when done diligently, the cleaning process is time-consuming and introduces variability.

Greenbrook walks through the simplified LED maintenance: remove cassette, spray with IPA, wipe the quartz glass, reinstall. “Simple as that,” he says. No consumables, no recalibration, no thermal lag. The net benefit is reduced downtime, lower inventory of spares, and fewer technician interventions.

Over a five to ten-year horizon, this reduced maintenance translates into measurable cost savings. It also frees up operators to focus on production rather than upkeep. For smaller converters, especially in developing regions, this simplicity becomes a force multiplier.

By eliminating the need for lamp alignment, reflector adjustment or shutter calibration, GEW’s LED systems remove key points of mechanical failure.

Process reliability
For Greenbrook, the most underrated benefit of LED curing is consistency. UV arc systems degrade over time in non-linear ways. A lamp change might restore output by seven percent, but a reflector swap could deliver a 20% jump. The result is a print environment where UV dose fluctuates, impacting ink cure and substrate behaviour.

GEW conducted controlled tests with a customer’s ageing arc system. After running the press at 100-metres per minute, the UV dose was measured at 98-millijoules. Replacing the quartz plate alone increased dose by 22%. A new lamp added another seven percent, and new reflectors pushed the gain to 23%. In total, the full overhaul improved output by nearly 62%.

These are not marginal differences. They affect how well inks adhere, how consistent varnishes appear, and how accurately the press can repeat colours over long runs.

LED systems eliminate this fluctuation. Their output curve degrades slowly and predictably, typically just two percent per year. This means a job printed today will have the same cure profile three months later, without needing recalibration.
Customers can log their LED power settings and line speeds, then reissue jobs with identical parameters and be confident of consistency. Greenbrook calls this “process reliability” and suggests it allows converters to move from visual judgment to data-driven printing.

With brands demanding traceability and quality benchmarks, this repeatability is not just nice to have. It is increasingly essential.

Lower ownership costs
The long game for LED curing is economic. GEW tracked two European customers running identical E2C arc systems. One upgraded to LED, the other stayed conventional. When energy prices spiked in 2022, the LED customer saved over EUR 11,500 in operating costs over the period.

The savings stem not just from energy, but also from the reduction in consumables and maintenance. No lamps to change, no reflectors to polish, fewer moving parts to wear out. Greenbrook explains that many converters reach ROI on their LED upgrade within six to eight months.

The company’s LED systems also reduce cost volatility. Arc systems respond sharply to energy price hikes due to constant draw. LED’s lower and more stable demand smooths out these spikes, making cash flow more predictable.

For converters running multiple shifts or chasing high-volume jobs, even a 10% reduction in cost per label can have significant implications on margins. For short-run specialists, the reduction in setup time and energy during idle phases creates hidden efficiencies.

By bundling reliability, energy savings, and simplified maintenance, GEW positions LED curing as more than a technical upgrade. It is a strategic financial move.