How Low-Cure Ink Cuts Energy Costs and Boosts Profitability
Printers today are squeezed from all sides: energy costs rising year over year, pressure from brands and consumers for greener operations, tighter margins, and the constant drive for productivity. In many print shops, the curing oven is one of the biggest energy consumersand also a source of inefficiencies, rework, and heat stress on garments. Low-cure (or flexible-cure) inks offer a compelling solution: by lowering the required curing temperature and enabling faster throughput, they can reduce energy consumption, shrink rework, and improve bottom-line profitability.
This article will explain what low-cure inks are, how they drive energy savings, the trade-offs to manage, and how a print business can compute ROI on a switch. We’ll also spotlight Avient’s portfolio and real-world benchmarks to ground the benefits in credible data.
What Are Low-Cure Inks?
Definition & core concept
Low-cure inks (also called “flexible cure” or “reduced energy use” plastisols) are formulated to crosslink (i.e. cure) at lower temperatures and/or for shorter dwell times compared to conventional plastisol inks. The goal is to reduce the oven temperature, shorten the cure window, or both while still achieving full chemical cure, wash durability, and ink performance.
How they differ vs standard plastisol inks
Standard plastisol inks often require curing temperatures around 160 °C or more.
Avient’s low-cure formulations can cure as low as 121 °C in many cases.
The “flexible cure” label is often used to indicate a formulation that balances lower temperature with stability under standard press conditions.
Key terms to know
Cure window — time + temperature range required to fully crosslink.
Dwell time / oven exposure — how long the substrate is under heat.
Overcure vs undercure margin — a buffer so that slight deviations in belt speed or temps don’t cause failures.
Additive / catalyst systems — special crosslinkers or catalysts added to help cure at lower energy input.
How Low-Cure Inks Save Energy
Switching from conventional to low-cure inks impacts energy in several interconnected ways:
Lower Temperature Means Less Energy Demand
Because the ink can cure at a significantly lower temperature (e.g. 250 °F vs 320 °F), the oven (thermal) energy required is reduced. That means the heater elements draw less power, and less heat must be maintained.
Shortened Dwell / Faster Takt Time
If cure kinetics are optimized, low-cure inks can reduce required dwell time in the oven. That allows faster belt speeds or shorter curing zones, meaning less cumulative heating per printed unit.
Reduced Heat Losses & Idle Energy
Less heat must be lost via conduction, convection, or exhaust. Shorter cure time means less time for heat to “leak” into surroundings. Also, if the oven spends less idle time running at high temperatures, standby losses drop.
Lower HVAC / Cooling Load
Since less waste heat is emitted, your facility’s cooling, ventilation, and air-conditioning burden may decrease, delivering secondary energy savings.
Carbon and Emissions Reductions
Lower energy draw per run translates into lower CO₂ emissions (if your electricity has carbon intensity). Also, lower operating temperature can reduce volatile emissions or degradation byproducts.
Industry benchmarks / projections
Low-cure inks can reduce energy use by up to 40 % compared to conventional inks.
Avient’s Reduced Energy Use range cures at temperatures as low as 120 °C, versus the typical 160 °C baseline.
In related technologies, LED-UV “cold cure” systems cut power demand by 60–80 % versus traditional UV setups.
Overall, energy savings remain one of the strongest incentives for printers to adopt low-cure systems.
Avient’s Low-Cure / Flexible-Cure Portfolio
To bring the theory to life, here’s how Avient positions its low-cure offerings.
Avient’s “Reduce / Reduced Energy Use” Strategy
Avient segments its specialty inks under a sustainability umbrella, and its Reduce portfolio specifically targets lowered resource use, including energy. Their materials literature states that inks in this portfolio help reduce energy consumption relative to typical alternatives.
Key Product Families & Names
Epic: Avient lists several flexible cure or low-cure white inks such as Epic Single LC White, Epic Shock LC and Epic PolyWhite LC.
Rutland Chill Low Cure Colors: This line is designed for cotton, polyester blends, and tri-blends. It offers vibrant colors, matte finish options, and compatibility with standard manual or automatic presses.
UPLC (Union / Union Plastisol) low cure series: In the Union ink selection guide, Avient includes UPLC Cotton White, UPLC LB Polar White, UPLC Barrier Black / Grey, and more as low cure / reduced energy use inks.
Bio-plastisol and eco-variants: Avient is also pushing inks with bio-derived content (50–59 %) alongside its low cure technology to combine energy and material sustainability.
Performance Positioning
Avient claims their flexible cure inks reduce energy use while still minimizing dye migration, fabric shrinkage, and ensuring print quality on heat-sensitive substrates.
The lower cure range span (250 °F to 320 °F) gives users flexibility depending on substrate demands.
Eco & Quality Benefits Beyond Energy Savings
Switching to low-cure inks delivers more than just energy cost reduction. Here are the quality and environmental upsides:
Reduced Dye Migration / Bleed Risks
Because the ink is exposed to gentler thermal stress (lower temperature, shorter time), there’s less risk of dye bleeding or migration, especially on blended fabrics, heat-sensitive fabrics, or high-dye-content garments. Avient’s communication emphasizes this advantage.
Less Shrinkage / Garment Stress
Higher-temperature cures can cause more shrinkage or distortion especially on delicate fabrics. Low cure inks reduce this risk.
Softer Hand Feel & Better Printability
Reduced heat exposure helps preserve fabric softness and fiber integrity. In many cases, prints feel softer, with less “overbaking” effect.
Lower Emissions, Less Waste, and Eco Credibility
By using less energy and reducing failed runs or rework, total waste is reduced. Also, Avient positions its eco-conscious inks (water-based, silicone, non-PVC) in parallel, enhancing environmental credentials.
Branding & Market Differentiation
A printer using low-cure inks can market itself as more sustainable, potentially gaining preference from eco-conscious brands or retail customers.
Challenges, Risks & Mitigation
No switch is free of risk. Here are key issues and how to manage them.
Risk: Under-curing (Poor Durability)
If you don’t achieve full crosslinking, prints may wash out, crack, or “frost.”
Mitigation:
Use crosshatch/tape test, wash tests.
Maintain margin in cure window (i.e. do not operate at the absolute minimum).
Use proper catalysts or activators recommended by the supplier.
Substrate / Additive Compatibility
Certain fabrics, pre-treatment chemicals, or additives may behave differently under lower heat.
Mitigation:
Run side-by-side trials.
Work closely with ink supplier to test compatibilities.
Use bleed-blocking underbases or tailored additives as needed.
Equipment & Process Limits
Older ovens, belt speeds, or zone control systems may struggle to maintain stable lower ranges or uniform heat.
Mitigation:
Assess your oven’s responsiveness and uniformity.
If needed, retrofit or zone control enhancements.
Monitor with thermocouples, IR sensors, or data logging.
Supplier / Training Dependency
Switching to low cure requires more close collaboration and sometimes subtle process shifts.
Mitigation:
Choose an ink supplier with good technical support (like Avient).
Request in-press support, training, or audits.
Document your process, control charts, and standard operating procedures.
Implementation Best Practices
When you’re ready to pilot low-cure inks, here’s a practical road map.
Baseline audit
Measure current oven energy use, throughput, reject rates, cycle times.
Log thermal profiles, belt speeds, temperature differentials.
Trial runs & side-by-side tests
Run the same job with standard ink and low-cure ink.
Compare cure quality, washout, hand feel, defect rate.
Monitor & instrument
Use data logging thermocouples, IR sensors, belt speed meters.
Record actual oven temperatures, dwell times, and deviations.
Tune cure parameters
Adjust belt speed, zone temps, dwell margins.
Use recommended additives or catalysts.
Validate quality metrics
Wash tests, abrasion tests, flexibility/frost tests over cycles.
Crosshatch, tape test, durability assessments.
Document and compare
Track energy savings, reject reduction, throughput change.
Translate to cost savings and margin uplift.
Scale & roll out
Once proven, migrate additional presses.
Embed new SOPs and maintenance routines.
8. Real-World Case Studies / Examples
Concrete stories validate the argument. While public case studies around Avient’s low-cure lines are rarer, the broader energy-curable market and Avient’s literature provide useful reference.
Avient’s sustainable inks bulletin notes that low/flexible-cure inks are part of their Reduce portfolio and can reduce energy consumption relative to standard counterparts.
Avient confirmed at trade shows that their innovative bio-derived and low-temperature cure inks (250 °F–320 °F range) are part of their sustainability strategy.
In the broader printing/ink world: the energy-curable ink market is growing, driven by its environmental and energy-saving advantages.
In low temperature inks research, it is reported that low temperature inks can reduce energy use by up to 40 % compared to conventional options.
In UV LED systems (a comparable domain), some case data show 60–80 % direct power reduction over traditional UV mercury systems.
While more printer-specific stories would strengthen this section, you might partner with Avient or printing clients to showcase exact shop metrics for your audience.
Future Trends & Innovations
To stay ahead, here are trends shaping the next frontier in curing and ink tech:
Further Lower Cure / Catalysis Advances
Chemistries will continue evolving to reduce cure requirements further, while keeping durability.
Dual-Cure & Hybrid Systems
In energy-curable sectors, dual-cure inks (e.g. UV + thermal) are gaining traction, allowing more flexibility across different curing platforms.
LED / Energy-Curable Crossover
While low-cure plastisols work within thermal systems, the rapid growth of UV/LED and EB inks points toward hybrid printing platforms.
Smart & Sensor-Driven Curing
Automatic feedback systems, IoT sensors, thermal mapping, and closed-loop control may dynamically adjust belt speed/zone temps for optimal cure and energy efficiency.
Bio-Derived & Circular Inks
Expect stronger focus on inks made from bio-based monomers, biodegradable elements, and formulations designed for recyclability. Avient already signals bio plastisol plus low cure in its pipeline.
Regulatory & Carbon Pricing Pressure
As emissions regulations and carbon pricing expand globally, low-energy ink systems may gain extra fiscal incentives or penalties for alternatives.
Low-cure inks are a strategic lever for lowering energy consumption, reducing defects, speeding production, and improving margin performance. For printing shops facing volatile energy costs and sustainability mandates, the business case is compelling.
If you’re considering a switch, start with a careful energy audit, pilot tests, and use data tracking. Partner with a technical ink provider like Avient to ensure you maximize both print quality and savings.
