SICURA UV Flexo overprint varnish for unique relief effects in one single pass

Siegwerk developed a breakthrough relief OPV that creates an excellent drip-off effect in just one single print run. Jérôme Fumex, Product Manager & Customer Service Manager Sheetfed EMEA at Siegwerk, gives some more insights into the company’s OPV innovation.

Q: How is the drip-off effect generally created?

A: Until now, you needed two successive overprint varnishes (OPV) to create a comparable relief or drip-off effect on printing substrates. Usually, a matt UV OPV is printed on selected areas of the print design, after a first drying cycle a gloss UV OPV is subsequently applied on the full surface of the print followed by a second drying cycle. The relief or drip-off effect becomes visible on the selected areas where both matt and gloss OPV are finally applied. It’s the superimposition of matt and gloss UV varnishes that creates this special effect on substrates due to a kind off rejection reaction of the second varnish layer when getting in contact with the first layer.

Q: What is new about the SICURA UV Flexo OPV (85-601323-0)?

A: The real innovation is that SICURA UV Flexo OPV (85-601323-0) enables the creation of an excellent relief effect in just a single print run. There is no need to have a press with a twin coating system anymore in order to create this special effect resulting in less investment and lower production costs for the printer. In case a double-coating system does already exist, it can be directly used for another application for example to tint the substrate or add pearlescent pigments to further refine the special effect and enhance the final print result. When the new OPV gets for example combined with a matt OPV the contrast effect gets even stronger gradually gaining more depth.

Q: What are the benefits of the new OPV?

A: As said, the biggest benefit of SICURA relief UV Flexo OPV (85-601323-0) is that it creates a wonderful relief effect in only one single pass. Besides, the new OPV offers an excellent adhesion whatever the substrate. Its rub and scratch resistance as well as its reactivity are extraordinary. It provides highest gloss and is especially suited for small-area printouts and texts on luxury packaging. A lot of printers have already successfully trialed this new OPV solution giving us an overwhelmingly positive feedback so far.