42T: Rethinking drying for the printing and coating industry with RF Dielectric Drying Technology for aqueous inks
FuturePrint Partner, 42T has developed an exciting and potentially game changing technology that could greatly assist the ability for digital printing of aqueous inks in order to play a greater role in packaging printing and production.
The printing and coating industry is under increasing pressure to adopt more sustainable practices. As manufacturers transition to water-based (aqueous) inks, conventional drying methods like hot air and infrared struggle to keep up. These methods are energy-intensive and can be unsuitable for heat-sensitive materials like plastic films. The result? Limited flexibility, higher costs, and unnecessary environmental impact.
To address these challenges, 42T set out to explore and demonstrate the potential of radio frequency (RF) dielectric drying – a technology that offers faster, more targeted, and more energy-efficient drying.
Dr Peter Brown, Chief Commercial Officer, 42T, explains, “The drive to aqueous inks is laudable, but too often the elephant in the room is ignored: that drying aqueous inks is difficult. RF drying has the potential to provide a step-change in drying technology for this industry and I am excited to see where it goes from here.”
Recently FuturePrint visited the 42T lab and were able to film a demo by Head of Hardware Development Rowan Beale
Please make sure to check it out in the link below. If you are reading and viewing this and are interested in more information, please email rowan.beale@42t.com.
The demonstrator successfully dries:
Boiling water – showcasing the raw power of RF dielectric heating
Wet paper – proving effectiveness on porous substrates
Ink on acrylic – validating performance on non-porous, heat-sensitive materials
In addition, thin PET and polyimide and thick PET and polypropylene.
These results confirm that RF drying is not only technically feasible but also highly effective. The process is faster, more energy-efficient, and gentler on materials compared to traditional methods.
At FuturePrint Week in April in Valencia, we interviewed Dr Peter Brown about his talk and he shared more insight into this exciting new development in the link below.
Peter goes into more detail as part of his talk at FuturePrint Week in Valencia, you can view this in full by clicking on the image below.
Still Curious about the future of industrial printing?
Discover how RF dielectric drying could revolutionise the way we work with water-based inks — cutting energy use, reducing costs, and unlocking new business opportunities. Read Dr Peter Brown’s article as he explores the game-changing potential of RF drying in the printing and coating industry: Industrial printing advances promise new business opportunities.