“Engineered with our deep understanding of corrugated and display converters’ needs for precision, the Kongsberg Ultimate promises to redefine standards and usher in a new era of productivity and innovation, delivering a fast return on investment for convertors of corrugated board,” said Kongsberg PCS president and CEO Stuart Fox. “Enhancing operations and providing a significant competitive advantage, the platform sets a new industry benchmark and is set to drive the future of corrugated production for years to come.”

The Kongsberg Ultimate offers an acceleration rate of up to 2.74G and a cutting speed of 168 meters per minute.

The Graphic Transfer System consists of multiple components needed to print and transfer graphics, including Roland DGA’s new GTS Print Sheets and GTS Transfer Film, V-BOND UV ink, and LEF2 Series benchtop UV flatbed printers (each sold separately).

“Just because objects are large or unusually shaped doesn’t mean you can’t enhance them with stunning UV-printed designs,” said Roland DGA product manager Kitt Jones. “Our new Graphic Transfer System makes it incredibly simple to decorate items that can’t be direct-printed on, or even those that could but where an alternative is beneficial. With the pre-printed transfer in hand, you can apply colourful, detailed graphics and unique dimensional and textural effects in seconds.”

Tamir Hativa, head of Indigo Secure at HP, points to a Smithers report that found the global market value for security printing is expected to hit US$36 billion this year, up from US$29 billion in 2019.

According to Smithers, the conflict in Ukraine, the energy crisis and high inflation have contributed to a weakening of the global economy and disruption of supply chains. Opportunities to trade in fake goods are being exploited by criminal organizations. The rise of influencer marketing has been accompanied by an increase in counterfeit goods.

“The industry is diversifying to incorporate an ever-wider range of features to serve the needs of different actors and accommodate diverse use cases,” Hativa says.

One of the main applications of security printing is advanced brand protection by using various print features to demonstrate the authenticity of a product. This also helps keep low-quality or even potentially dangerous, counterfeit goods out of the supply chain, explains Hativa. 

Additionally, various security print features on the forms and other documents used by governments, regulators and other bodies are already widely used in some instances for proper document authentication and tracking.

HP Indigo digital printers offer overt security features, such as holograms and colour-shift inks; semi-covert ones like QR codes or microtext to be authenticated with another device; covert features such as invisible inks, which are authenticated by experts or purpose-built devices; and forensic-level features that are detectable only in a lab and authenticated purely by expert inspectors.

Even a decorative foil on its own can inherently offer a low-level security feature in some applications, explains Jeff Peterson, executive director of Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA). For example, a plainly printed item such as an event ticket can easily be copied and printed illegally, but you can’t print one with a decorative foil.

Peterson credits digital inkjet embellishment tech for increasing the use of functional embellishments. The technology has made it easier to put raised features on various types of packaging and/or labels. 

He adds, “Some digital printer companies are now offering a fifth colour on their new models, which allows you to use a metallic or iridescent ink to add a security feature or other types of applications.”

Accessibility

Beyond security, another huge area for functional embellishments is accessibility. At the forefront of this is CyR.U.S. Raised Universal Symbols, the first, and only, modern tactile language designed to give the over 2.2 billion people in the world with some or total vision loss more independence, safety, and enjoyment of life. 

This spring, the company’s Touch Tags, product labelling sheets, will hit the market. Once applied to skin care, self-care and common household products, they enable people with vision loss to quickly identify the item. The visually impaired, explains CyR.U.S. founder and chief visionary officer Victoria Watts, includes those born with impairment, those who have lost vision for any reason, and also the growing number of seniors who progressively lose some vision as they age. She also points out that even those who take their contacts out or remove their glasses to shower would find Touch Tags reassuring.

Security printing helps protect the brand as well keeps counterfeit goods out of the supply chain.

Idea origin

Watts got the idea for Touch Tags about six years ago, when her fourth child, Cyrus, was born blind. 

“It was my introduction to the challenges people with vision impairment face every day,” she says. “It was right in front of me, with my baby, and I started thinking about how he would navigate life once he was older. I realized one night when I was giving him a bath that he wouldn’t ever be able to tell the difference between products without something to aid him. It was terrifying for me to realize he wouldn’t even be able to take a shower by himself without help, if nothing changed.”

Once she started researching, she noted a few companies were using Braille on their packaging, but this wasn’t a good solution. Less than 10 per cent of the visually impaired read Braille (due to the assistive technology now available, and other reasons). Additionally, Braille takes up quite a bit of room on packaging.

Watts did further investigation with the help of the Lighthouse Organization of Collier County for the visually impaired. She realized a raised universal symbol system was needed. She created the CyR.U.S. System and launched as a proof of concept in 2020.

However, in talks with many self-care product manufacturers, she came up against the same barrier each time: the cost of putting these raised symbols on products. 

“Everyone thought the idea was great, but the cost was too much,” says Watts. “About a year ago, I realized I could make symbol labels directly available to those who need them. I looked at digital printing, and saw that using the Scodix method, I could produce ‘Touch Tag’ sheets.”

Each sheet comes with raised (durable, waterproof) symbol product labels, but also several other features to aid the visually impaired. These are the result of feedback Watts gathered from a dozen focus groups across the full range of visual impairment over the last six months. Each label has a raised edge so that it’s easy to find and peel off the sheet. There’s a QR code in the centre that leads to audible directions for use and descriptions of the symbols. There’s also a raised line at the top of the sheet to show which end is up.

“Those with more severe or total visual impairment still need a person to help them apply the decals, but this is a huge step in the right direction to give people the independence that we all deserve,” says Watts. “There are so many barriers to independence for those with disabilities in our society and I am hopeful this universal language that I’ve created can break down some of them. I believe that if the world becomes accessible, anyone can do anything. Universal accessibility design improves everyone’s lives.”

CyR.U.S. Raised Universal Symbols’ Touch Tags are labelling sheets that make products more accessible to the visually impaired. Photo © CyR.U.S.

Roll out

Returning to Touch Tags, Watts notes that over the next 30 years, 55 per cent of the global population will experience some level of vision loss because of natural ageing. She adds CyR.U.S is a universal language that will work in all countries. Consumers can buy Touch Tags directly from the website.

“It feels good to be this far,” she says. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done but the most fulfilling, to make the world better, break down barriers for my son and the visually impaired community. We are about to reach consumers directly with an affordable product that will improve their quality of life. Most of us will have vision loss at some point in our lives and we should work toward a world where we can all be independent, safe and enjoy life as much as possible. I want to have CyR.U.S eventually across all product categories, and we will improve what we offer as printing technology advances.”

These emblems can be produced in small or large quantities and are available in various sizes, metallic effects, materials, and colours. They’re made from durable and flexible polymer and customizable.

“The right flexible packaging finish makes an unforgettable first impression,” said Sharon Beeman, S-OneLP vice-president of global sales. “Our CatPak JetFx solution offers converters an added opportunity to enhance the look and feel of labels, shrink sleeves, and flexible packaging that elevate brands to stand out from competitors.”

Whether it’s farming, house construction, print finishing or anything else, the ‘best of the best’ lead the way in becoming adept at not only using new techniques, but also in combining them in new ways to achieve unprecedented results. In print finishing, these techniques include foil, spot UV, metallic inks and much more.

Among the best of the best in Canada at combining finishes and technologies is Print Panther Direct of Oakville, Ont. 

“Having multiple enhancement options at our fingertips allows us to create a masterpiece with every project,” says president and co-owner Christine Yardley. “Combining finishes is the new normal and our Into The Bright brochure is a perfect example of this. It mixes fluorescent pink, metallic inks, white inks, spot varnish and foils to really make images stand out.”

The Into The Bright brochure was printed on the Xerox Irridesse, and embellished on the Konica Minolta MGI Jetvarnish and iFoil. Photos © Print Panther Direct

The expert mixing of finishes is so good in the Into The Bright brochure that it won the ‘Best Use of Digital Foil (Varnish Adhesive)’ category at the 2022 29^th Annual Gold Leaf Awards of the U.S.-based Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA).

To produce the brochure, Print Panther Direct printed on the Xerox Irridesse, and embellished on the Konica Minolta MGI Jetvarnish and iFoil. The company has had the first machine for about three years and the latter two machines for about five years.

Yardley and her team have experimented in particular with the fluorescent pink ink and it has opened up an entirely new world of print finish possibilities.

“It can run under everything as a brightener,” she says. “In the brochure, you can see we achieved this wonderful skin tone with a little fluorescent pink under it. You can make this amazing rose gold also by putting fluorescent pink underneath. It’s endless. You can literally make millions of new colours.”

Print Panther Direct printed the Extreme Digital Guide III on a Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1e UV LED inkjet press. Photo © Print Panther Direct

More pink, more awards

Besides winning for the Inside the Bright brochure, Print Panther Direct also won the Gold Leaf Award’s ‘Best of Show’ for digitally embellished promotion with its Konica Minolta Print So Real You Can Feel It – Extreme Digital III book and box. It’s another example of many techniques and consummate skill in combining them, with textured stock, metallics, gloss foils, holographic foil, spot varnish and fluorescents, especially pink.

The Extreme Digital Guide III was printed on a Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1e UV LED inkjet press. The AccurioPress also was used throughout the print process. Metallics and fluorescents were added from the Xerox Iridesse, and the foil and varnish effects were created on the MGI Jetvarnish 3DS and iFoils.

The book images were constructed on 130 lb Cougar “and then duplexed,” as described in FSEA’s PostPress Magazine, “with the visual arts spanning both sides for an endless textured impression…The varnish reflects light and enhances the sharpness and saturation of the images. It gives the primary area of print an incredible look. The impact of the…foil and varnish leaves those who see it with a lasting impression.”

The metallics and fluorescents in this image were added using the Xerox Iridesse. Photo © Print Panther Direct

The outer box is aluminum that was printed and etched, with a belly band of 130 lb Cougar that was “delicately printed, laminated, embellished and scored.”

Upon opening the box, a number of striking imageboards are presented, and the picture of the elephant in particular stands out due to the use of fluorescent pink (in combination with lamination, multiple foils, metallics and varnish. 

“From the flysheet to the foil on foil and multiple pass techniques, each piece illustrates the sheer beauty that can be achieved,” says Yardley. “Truly a bespoke approach to the printed page.”

This picture of an elephant stands out due to the use of fluorescent pink. Photos © Print Panther Direct

Digital expertise

Among all types of print finishes, digital embellishments have seen the most growth in recent years, notes Jeff Peterson, FSEA executive director. Since no tooling (dies, plates or screens) is involved with digital processes, it obviously provides the opportunity to apply embellishments for shorter runs that can include direct mail, invitations, stationery, labels and containers.

Stephen Longmire, national sales manager at Sydney Stone in Mississauga, Ont., notes the “tremendous increase in short-run boutique packaging and prototyping” that has overtaken the print industry has also been supported by the advent of the flatbed cutting system.

The Into The Bright brochure mixes fluorescent pink, metallic inks, white inks, spot varnish and foils to make images stand out.

Specifically, Peterson explains the growing use of digital embellishment processes “has opened up further opportunities for foil and spot specialty coatings for a variety of applications.” However, at the same time, he says, “Digital embellishment technology has also helped spark growth in more traditional print embellishment methods such as hot foil stamping cold foil, and UV spot screen coating processes.” Peterson says the limitations relating to the addition of specialty finishes, such as metallic foils or spot specialty coatings, have been removed over the last few years, and “the growth in digital foil and coating technologies along with new efficiencies with hot and cold foil processes has provided extended choices for designers and brand owners.”

Fluorescent pink ink can be used as a brightener.

Indeed, new finishing technologies have fuelled growth in FSEA’s Annual Gold Leaf Awards. This year, there were 39 categories (with a gold, silver, and bronze in each), up from 37 categories in 2021, with the two new categories addressing new technologies for digital as well as conventional methods of print embellishments, finishing and binding.

To help those in print finishing with using the different metallic finishing processes, FSEA has partnered with PaperSpecs to create the ‘Foil Cheat Sheet’ guide. PaperSpecs is a California-based company that offers videos, webinars and more to its members ‘to provide inspiration, insights and access to crucial, hands-on tools and resources to help designers create printed pieces that ‘wow’ their clients.’

Peterson explains the Foil Cheat Sheet “includes decorative samples and the advantages and disadvantages of hot foil stamping, cold foil, digital foil (both polymer-based inkjet and toner-based adhesives) as well as foil board substrates.” The resource also includes guidance on which papers best suit these foiling methods, best options for short print runs and how to create different foil effects in the same print run. Both a pdf and an actual printed/embellished version of the Foil Cheat Sheet can be accessed on the PaperSpecs website or the FSEA website.

The foil and varnish effects on this image were created on the MGI Jetvarnish 3DS and iFoils.

Looking forward

Yardley believes multipurpose machines is where the future of print finishing is heading. “I’m sure they are in the works,” she says. “One footprint, one operator.” 

Indeed, Longmire reports Duplo is developing a machine that can do spot UV, metallic foiling and corona effect in one shot.

However, Yardley points out that reliability is a rather large concern in all-in-one technology. “If you have only one machine and it’s down, you are stuck,” she says, “but if you have multiple machines and one breaks, you can still get work done. So, there are pros and cons to each situation. I am sure more pros, though. It is an exciting time.” 

Yardley also thinks we will see embellished, elevated print become the new expectation in print finishing, going forward. This trend will come into force for the same reason mixing print finishes has now become the norm. “Brands,” she says, “want more to be noticed.” 

The benefits of digital finishing are clear and answer many of the challenges facing both folding carton and corrugated converters around the world today: rapid turnaround of jobs, shorter runs, design and production flexibility and immediate error correction and/or changes according to designer or customer requirements. Web-to-pack, whether printed digitally or conventionally followed by highly automated digital finishing, is a perfect fit for operational flexibility and differentiation opportunities. The demand for the requirements afforded by digital, were present even before the effects of the pandemic, of course. However, they seem to have become more important than ever. There is more pressure to maximize operational efficiency and to overcome supply chain shortages. Today, jobs need to be streamlined and optimize production.

In the age of print 4.0, the web-to-pack business model is surely a great fit for the future, with many businesses already reaping the benefits. We see successful converters selecting the right tool(s) for the job, with many running conventional and digital manufacturing approaches in parallel. A full implemented digital manufacturing strategy will dynamically gang jobs onto a single sheet, reducing the number of set-ups to ensure a healthy set-up: production time ratio. Jobs are then finished digitally without mechanical dies, saving time and money.

In the USA, Digital Room has built their business around the concept of offering customers nearly endless product customization possibilities through a portfolio of e-commerce websites including UPrinting, Packola, and LogoSportswear. Digital Room is leveraging the latest manufacturing and e-commerce technologies to enable this. Chase Cairncross, COO, Digital Room, says, “With the constant increase in e-commerce, customers want to be able to decide the shape, size, colour, and quantity of the items they need – they do not want to be limited to what they are told they can have.”

Heuchemer Verpackungen in Germany is doing something similar at  LAMAXSO.com, a digital packaging platform for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and local manufacturers. They offer customers packaging design templates and a portfolio of customized shipping boxes, bottle packaging, folding boxes, gift boxes, product trays, decorations and more.

The nature of these customized jobs ordered through web-to-pack sites, are short print runs that challenge the conventional manufacturing process. This is where digital manufacturing shines, enabling cost-effective and timely production of such jobs, bringing all the advantages of digital to the post-print part of the packaging manufacturing process.

While the web-to-pack model was accelerated by businesses looking to meet the challenges of the pandemic, the many benefits of digital finishing within it are now starting to be more widely understood. Indeed, you don’t need to go far to see some stunning examples of print and packaging that leverage this technology, achieving stand-out products that wow consumers and increase sales across the value chain.

Simon Lewis is the VP of marketing at Highcon.

Variable data printing is just as it sounds. It’s variable in terms of hyper-personalized, fast, small-batch applications, and it involves data (the more, the better).

“Using information from various databases, sometimes up to 20 pieces of data per individual,” explains Mandarino, “we can personalize direct mail with text and images specific to a person’s interests, change the image depending on the province and so on. The beauty is that nowadays, sourcing of images is very affordable.”

Mandarino also explains that since people are spending a lot of time at home due to the pandemic, “they like opening their mail, and the use of direct mail has increased. People are also computer fatigued. [With VDP], you have to be careful about the data and make sure it’s accurate, but there is huge potential and new opportunities for printers.”

Jeff Zellmer, vice-president of global sales & strategy at Eastman Kodak, echoes this perspective. “Today, variable data printing is a key component of the marketing mix,” he says. “Lately, variable data printing is enhanced by the trend toward ‘programmatic print,’ which combines online and print channels in a way that can substantially improve the marketing ROI.”

However, at this point in time, some in the industry don’t understand the ROI potential of VDP, according to Rob Gradishar, director of production and industrial print (western region) at Konica Minolta Canada. That is, some companies may be reluctant to pay the costs of acquiring a potential customer database. Gradishar reports there is exponential growth in postcard-type VDP marketing materials, and less growth in enveloped pieces.

In terms of who is getting into VDP, he says it could be a marketing company that has acquired printing capabilities or a printer who is getting into marketing. “There’s also the collaboration model with a marketing firm working with a printing company,” Gradishar notes. “They both bring their skill sets to the table and offer things to customers that they could not offer before.”

Eleanor Rafter, Canada Post’s director of Smartmail Marketing Channels, reports her organization has recently seen an increase in VDP interest. Over the last six months or so, she and her team members have had about five or six conversations about variable datat printing with various industry members. They’ve mostly been with U.S. companies looking to connect with Canadian printers who can offer VDP services for their clients. These companies want to harness data gathered from e-commerce transactions and from their customer relationship management systems. Rafter notes that mail, in comparison to other marketing channels, stands out because of its physicality. She adds that “when it’s personally addressed to them, 87 per cent of Canadian consumers open their mail.”

A personalized invitation printed using variable data printing (VDP) capabilities.

Extra effort

Beyond personalization, consumers are also attracted to VDP materials with embellishments—‘fancy’ items that give the impression the sender went above and beyond. “We’re human; we like to touch and feel,” says Mandarino, “so if the piece of mail has a foil stamp or gloss UV or digital gloss foil with emboss, we don’t want to throw it away. If the piece stands out and clearly demonstrates the sender has put some effort and expense into it, we feel like keeping it and giving it a close look.”

From a custom laser die-cut envelope to a multiple foil-stamp, embossed finished, or printing images on the envelope, solid ink on the flap and textured paper, so much is possible. “It’s endless,” he says, “and the costs of these embellishments have come down significantly.”

A perfume box with raised varnish and foil.

Beyond flat mail

VDP is also playing an important role in packaging production, reports Zellmer. “Brands are looking to personalization or versioning to create greater engagement with the consumer,” he says. “With VDP, enabled by innovative digital technology, packaging designers can realize eye-catching creative concepts for improved shelf appeal. VDP makes it easy to add security features, such as serialized codes for supply chain tracking, or regional regulatory content. Similarly, variable design and marketing elements such as variable codes for lottery or gaming campaigns and ‘connected’ or ‘smart’ packaging applications can be integrated into packaging designs.”

These ‘smart’ applications include augmented reality and personal URL (purl) applications. Gradishar gives the example of receiving something in the mail or seeing a poster in a store, “and when you hover your phone in picture mode over the image, a personalized coupon based on your buying history pops up.”

Gradishar adds that package printing can also extend into company promotions or enabling companies to offer fast, on-demand customization of gifts. For example, a box of perfume with raised varnish and foil to display a loved one’s name, the date and an anniversary inscription. To many of us, the package would be as valuable as the gift itself.

VDP enables printers to integrate ‘smart’ packaging applications like QR codes into design. Photo courtesy Kodak

Digital mindset

In looking for printing partners to execute VDP, businesses and advertising agencies need those with a ‘digital’ mindset and who are up-to-date with the latest developments in martech (marketing technology), says Rafter. “We have a Smartmail Marketing program that includes over 200 printers who meet certain criteria,” she says, “and the main objective of the program is to connect them with marketing firms or companies who want to create and execute a direct-mail campaign. We also offer training and research results to our partners.”

Looking at the big picture, Sophie DeLadurantaye, Canada Post’s data lead, explains VDP can be competitive with other marketing channels if companies have the technical and data expertise to meet marketers’ expectations for speed, relevance and effectiveness. This is all about anchoring VDP to the right data signals communicated in real-time between systems.

Indeed, speed to market, has been one of the challenges of direct mail, according to DeLadurantaye. However, she says, “VDP now enables thousands of unique, hyper-personalized pieces to be produced and mailed out at the speed of mass production to reach the right customer, at the right time, with the right message.”

A personalized champagne box. Photo courtesy Konica Minolta Canada

Trigger mail

Kopel in St. Hubert, Que., is a Canada Post SmartMail ‘Expert Partner’ and a past ‘Expert Partner’ award winner. The company exemplifies the digital mindset that’s needed to exploit the potential of VDP. Kopel has a strong focus on ‘trigger mails,’ where the VDP order is completed and mailed a day after client confirmation. They also offer flexible formats in order to meet each customer’s needs.

This next-day mailing (minimum quantity guarantee per day) applies, of course, to variable data printing orders without special die-cut or finishing. In terms of who is ordering trigger mail, Kopel’s business development director Josée Ruest says most of their customers are in the banking, insurance and telecommunications sectors.

“The volume of orders is very high,” she reports. “It seems like since the start of the pandemic, companies aren’t sure where they are going with their marketing, and it seems that there are a lot at the companies doing direct mail at the last minute. However, some have automated their orders because they have done the research and they know what timing is best to reach their customers, whether that’s every day, two weeks or three months.” Of course, content on the printed piece can always be updated.

As a VDP printer getting lots of orders, Kopel advises those companies who wish to try variable data printing to go ahead and start with a small project. They can add other communications down the road. “This type of marketing works,” Ruest assures. “You don’t want to lose business to your competitors because you don’t feel ready.”

With the technology evolving—faster speeds, better quality, increased consistency etc.—the market has embraced the opportunities digital printing permits. This has been realized in pressrooms the world over through hardware installations, as printers look to respond to 21st century consumer behaviours, the advent of short runs, personalization and brand owner demands for new business models to provide just-in-time delivery and minimize waste in the supply chain. Due to these factors, many digital adopters in labels are operating multiple lines. They are also embracing the different digital printing technologies and the unique characteristics and capabilities of each to further their ability to respond to today’s business environment, and that of tomorrow.

Choosing the right technology

Increasingly, the end-use is driving the choice of technology, be that:

• challenging substrates as often seen in wines and spirits;
• durable labels that are resistant to various types of environmental factors;
• beer and beauty labels, where achieving the correct look and feel is paramount; or food labels, which must be esthetically pleasing whilst meeting stringent regulations for food safety.

For most, digital presses are slotted in alongside flexo and offset machines. There are examples—from the early days—of this approach not providing the most effective route to ROI, with the capabilities and capacities of digital printing undermined by attempts to make the technology work within existing workflows. Today, it is widely acknowledged that to make the most of an investment in digital, the ecosystem around the press is as important as the machine itself. This helps get incoming orders through prepress, onto the print engine, then forward to finishing and converting in the most streamlined and effective way possible.

A web-to-print business model will help increase orders for label printers. Photo © hiv360 / Adobe Stock

Workflow automation

The starting point is invariably the correct MIS/ERP, designed to handle the greater number of orders and jobs, the complexities of such work and the amount of data involved, whilst being able to keep up with the press and keep it filed with saleable work. Web-to-print business models are now springing up at an increasing rate, bringing the convenience of e-commerce as experienced by consumers on a daily basis to the business-to-business world. While this will not work for all, it’s likely that a growing amount of work destined for digital label presses will come from online avenues. This then creates an entirely different structure for label printers who might be more au fait with established workflows that see orders coming through the door and being processed by the prepress department.

The likely deskilling of the prepress process will result in a need for companies to find new roles for staff. This can be a boon for many, as it creates new opportunities for growth, taps up under-utilized resources within a workforce and strengthens the personal development roadmap for staff. This may seem scary to some, but it is an inevitable consequence of digital transformation. It should not be feared, but embraced and made a part of corporate strategies for the future.

Resurgence of flexo

Similarly, there were concerns about the impact of digital transformation on analogue print processes. Driven, in part, by the digital industry’s excellent marketing activities and loud vocal presence permeating the supply chain, the furore reached a fever pitch. There was a brief point in time when the digital printing industry was having to go on record to state, “We’re not here to kill flexo.” In recent years, the flexo industry has staged a ‘fightback’ and gone through a technical resurgence of its own, including efficiency gains, automation of press set-up and better standardisation of the process. It has also got more vocal and better at fighting its corner. Its marketing efforts have improved to highlight the strengths of flexo in the 21^st century.

The look and feel of beauty labels are very important. Photo © artdee2554 / Adobe Stock

Complimentary processes

As a result, the reality on the factory floor today is that digital and analogue are entirely complementary print processes. This is realised through the growing amount of ‘hybrid’ options—full hybrid, true hybrid, integrated hybrid, etc.—that combine the best of both processes, as well as the capacities that have been freed up and created. By taking the burden off a flexo press to print short runs when implementing a digital printing workflow, for example, label printers can increase the amount of volume work they put through their Gallus/Mark Andy/Nilpeter/MPS/Bobst press. Similarly, digital presses are now able to take on longer runs, leaving a flexo press free to produce the highest value jobs, perhaps. This maximizes OEE and hastens the ROI for both digital and analogue hardware. For many label printers, this has now opened up new business opportunities and markets they may have previously been unable to service.

Flexible packaging

One such opportunity has been digitally printed flexible packaging. Flexible packaging is a widely spoken about goal for label printers. Technical challenges remain in this area, given the greater demands placed on primary packaging, and how it relates to established label printing technologies such as UV. However, work is ongoing in the supply chain to mitigate and alleviate such concerns. Further, a growing amount of hardware is now available to permit fast turnaround of digitally printed flexible packaging constructions, printed using either aqueous inkjet or toner technologies and suited to ‘print-for-use’ business models. There remains a need for education amongst label printers, as flexible packaging materials and end uses are entirely different. That being said, it’s likely we’ll see more and more label converters moving into flexible packaging as opportunities present themselves.

Digital finishing

Adding value is another area of opportunity for label printers deploying digital. In the ongoing battle to win at the ‘moment of truth,’ and offer the greatest shelf appeal, more and more systems are being introduced to enhance and embellish digitally printed labels with either post-print analogue processes, or newer digital-native systems that can apply foils, varnishes and other visual effects, as well as haptic elements to appeal to consumers’ desire to touch and feel.

As such, I believe the label industry is well placed to embrace the next iteration of digital transformation by coupling its engrained knowledge of digital printing with a capacity to adapt and change. Rather than being fretful, the label industry is looking forward to how digital can future-proof business, and is ready to embrace all the opportunities this will present.

David Pittman is the editor of Digital Labels & Packaging. This article was originally published as part of the Drupa Essentials of Print series. It also appeared in the July/August 2021 issue of PrintAction. 

The new Kongsberg C20 packs all the professional features of the Kongsberg C Series into a compact size of just 1.6  x 1.4 m.

“We know that industrial manufacturers, as well as small sign shops, require a high-speed cutting table to keep up with the manufacturing process, but floorspace comes at a premium,” said Stuart Fox, president, Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems. “The high cost of owning or renting space is a serious problem for many in the sign and display market. With the new Kongsberg C20, there is no longer any need for those businesses to compromise on production and quality due to a lack of available space.”

The cutting table utilizes aerospace technology, combining an aluminum composite tabletop, a rack and pinion drive system and dynamic table mapping, which together deliver “cutting accuracy and consistency.” Multiple tool combinations are available during production, and the tooling system includes a material thickness probe and an optional camera for registering printed and un-printed material.

AMS is utilizing Rollem’s Mailstream to help produce their application of trifold mailers with a bi-directional “T” perf, folded and glued. The Mailstream operates in-line with the Advantage folder/gluer unit to feed, trim, strike perforate, fold and glue, all in one uninterrupted process in mail sort order. Rollem had AMS’s Advantage folder/gluer built to precise specifications due to the complex folds. The application is produced near-line using a sheet feeder, but can also be fed directly from digital presses, such as Xerox, Ricoh, HP, Canon and KM.

The Mailstream system processes multiple-up mail pieces and performs numerous functions in one pass. Direct mail pieces are two-sided trimmed, gutter cut, scored and perforated, plus pattern (strike) perforating to create tear-off applications in both directions. Remoistenable glue is applied followed by folding, tip-on card inserting and fugitive spot glue closure as the final step. These processes are all completed in one single pass.

Contemporary communication models
The word “haptics” describes the stimulation of the senses, primarily by the perception of physical characteristics. In our increasingly data-driven world and electronic era, we are all confronted daily by the continual and constant communications displayed on computer screens and mobile phones. This visual barrage of data can create a weariness of information fatigue.

However, our thoughts and feelings will always be most dramatically impacted by the power of touch. This is the reason why the physical aspect of “haptic printing” offers such an inspirational and hopeful future for consumer marketing professionals.

Creating a deeper reality
Haptic printing involves the elevation of traditional flat, two-dimensional ink and paper to three-dimensional textures, patterns and sculptured special effects. These decorative embellishments are often accompanied by additional eye-catching, sensory enhancements such as metallic foils, chemical coatings and lamination films.

Haptic printing generates a stronger, deeper and more meaningful engagement with the printed piece because it increases the physical nature of the printed communication format.

The value of dimensional design and sensory print
The impact of haptic physical print experiences is far greater than traditional flat 2D impressions. This is because the human eye perceives the layers of special effects and it resonates deeper into the consciousness. A finger that runs over the embellishments generates more neurological activity than mere optical awareness. The skin encounters a sensation of awareness that transmits information to the brain and embeds itself as a more memorable encounter than is possible with regular printed communications.
As a result, haptic prints get more attention and get held longer in the hand. This opens up new possibilities of successful impact for consumer marketing strategies and brand management tactics.

Creative marketing and better brand management
Haptic printing creates true physical touchpoints and “impact moments”. In contemporary marketing, every micro-second counts. Digital printed special effects create a more interactive brand experience. Dimensional messaging creates memories that linger longer in the mind and fuel consumer decision-making processes by creating greater “perceived value” to products with a higher sense of quality.

The consciousness of content
Improved “perceived value” translates into more “perceived ownership” for consumer purchasing processes. This strengthens and accelerates the inclination to associate value with a particular brand and is the core print project goal of every consumer marketing campaign. Ultimately, a more significant and interactive print experience will be interpreted as an aspect of quality for the product and attribute of the brand itself.

Over time, this type of haptic printing can help secure customer relationships and produce far greater sales revenue than average flat colour printing. The greater optical and physical encounters of sensory special effects become magnets of attraction for buyers and brands.

Marketing “consumer quality” as a brand asset
Sensory-based dimensional printing creates a competitive differential in the marketplace. The higher value of the printed communication piece equates to the product to which it refers. Truly successful brands compete on value and, thus, can command premium pricing that offers higher profit margins. Commodity products compete on price and, therefore, can only survive on supply chain models of mass-market distribution and are always vulnerable to erosions of market share by disruptive forces.

Clocks and credit cards
In business, time is money and every brand marketing campaign is designed to attract and keep attention for as long as possible. The target audience of consumers and shoppers is, conversely, racing against the clock in a very busy world and inclined to try and make purchase decisions as quickly as possible.
However, this dynamic of time and money is precisely why haptic printing is such a compelling solution for consumer marketing professionals at brands and agencies. It creates a more engaging, optical, sensory and interactive print experience that encourages long-term product affinity. It also stimulates impulse purchases in the store, a longer mail moment in the mind and even a sense of unboxing excitement for e-commerce packages when they arrive.

In conclusion, new technologies of dimensional design and sensory communications are actively creating future possibilities of “feeling print” and not just viewing or reading it. This can greatly help energize consumer marketing messages and animate brand images via a greater perception of physical reality – with the power of touch in the hand and the sparkle of light in the eye.

Pacific Innovations found themselves in a bind when they couldn’t keep up production due to their chemical packaging process. They decided to overhaul their packaging service and bring their label printing and label finishing in-house.

“Having the ability to print and die cut our own labels gives us the ability to keep up with demand in real time,” says Tom Januszewski. “We were ordering our isopropyl labels online before and the lead times and lack of flexibility for roll labels had us researching how we could do this ourselves. Bringing in equipment to print all of our label designs and a digital label finishing machine like the Anycut III has really helped streamline our packaging process.”

The digital prints from Pacific Innovations label printer are put on the Anycut III to create cut-to-size labels. Having the ability to cut any shape and size is important when there are a wide variety of short runs and custom stickers. The laser finisher is equipped with inline lamination to protect the label materials from hazardous chemicals and allows Pacific Innovations to produce labels as they are needed.

Traditional foil stamping relies on bulky metal dies that can’t handle precision. Digital Sleeking, however, sticks foil to the ink, not paper, so it adheres to even the finest, most complex design details. The end result is a shinier, more vibrant and lustrous foil. (Think 24K gold compared to 10K.)

“The decision to move ahead with Sleeking as our primary foil method was a pretty easy one,” said Smartpress sales director Mike Lewis. “It provides creative flexibility, reduced costs and faster turnaround times to our clients. It also gives us the ability to foil much finer detail but, ironically, is also great for large solid areas.”

“These three releases bolster our legacy segments with new and exciting features to help customers keep their competitive edge,” said Rick Salinas, vice president of Marketing at Duplo USA.

550i Hydraulic Cutter

The 150 Booklet System is ideal for low to mid-volume runs and provides an entry-level solution for providers considering bringing their booklet-making in-house. With production speeds of up to 2,400 booklets per hour, the 150 Booklet System performs saddle and corner/side stapling up to 25 sheets. It can transition from letter-size to CD-size jobs within minutes, with minimal tooling required.

The DP-X850 Digital Duplicator is a digital duplicator that was designed to handle long runs that certain sectors require and at faster speeds. It can print documents at 600 dpi up to 200 sheets per minute.

The programmable DocuCutter HC-550i Hydraulic Cutter comes with operational and safety features not typically found in other cutters of this size, including a rail back gauge system, UL certification and 10-inch touchscreen control panel. The DocuCutter can cut through stacks of paper up to 21.6 inches wide and finishes postcards, direct mail and perfect bound books up to 3.5 inches in height. It also comes barcode-ready to instantly retrieve any pre-programmed job.

“Whatever the application, enhancement, or budget requirement, we have a solution within this series. Print service providers can choose the press that will best support the future growth of their business,” said Eli Grinberg, Scodix CEO, in a press release.

The series includes:

Web-2-Print – The Scodix Ultra 3000 and Ultra 4000 are aimed at the W2P market, incorporating Scodix Studio W2P software. The Ultra 3000 focuses on Web2Print, while the Ultra 4000, which allows larger format substrates and pallet feeders and stackers, is aimed at Web2Pack printers.

Commercial & Specialty – The Scodix Ultra 1000 and 2000 offer the same print areas and range of substrates, but are distinguished by the number of applications available. The Ultra 1000 delivers accessible digital enhancement, while the Ultra 2000 offers all Scodix applications on one platform.

Packaging – The Scodix Ultra 5000 and 6000 both allow thicker substrates used in packaging applications, up to 2 mm. They also incorporate industrial pallet feeders and stackers. The Ultra 6000 offers a larger format, and comes with a simplified range of enhancements.

The six new presses succeed the Ultra 101 and 202, while the Scodix E106 is still available for B1 folding carton applications.

“By launching this segmented product portfolio, we are increasing the number of customers that can employ Scodix, and we are offering Scodix value to more brands, print buyers and consumers of print,” added Grinberg.

With complete digital finishing and embellishment capabilities, Xeikon’s FEU is based on MGI technology and provides UV spot varnish, tactile varnish, foiling, 3D textures and holograms across a wide range of substrates, including clear on clear, common BOPP and paper facestock up to natural structured papers. The Xeikon FEU will be commercially available in Europe and North America starting this month.

“In packaging and retail, there is increasing pressure for creative innovation and higher levels of productivity. To that end, Xeikon is first and foremost addressing the needs of its customers,” said Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s VP marketing. “We continue to adapt to current trends and with the launch of the Xeikon FEU we are offering our customers maximum opportunities. The workflow integration built around our X-800 Vectorizer will ultimately provide our customers with all they need to effectively move towards total digital label print manufacturing.”

The FEU allows label printers with an existing portfolio of wine, premium beer, gourmet food, spirits and health & beauty labels to achieve easy and fast proofing of new designs and faster times to market. The equipment eliminates the need for tooling and allows for reduced setup times, allowing superior levels of creative quality finishing on smaller volumes of labels.

Using inkjet technology, any defined label area can receive spot UV varnish with or without raised 3D texture effects. For foiling applications, the digital label area can receive digitally controlled foil with or without raised 3D effects with limited complexity compared to analogue.

Xeikon’s FEU is a stand-alone solution, which allows it to embellish printed materials originating from different technologies. It is also able to pre-print foil onto substrates. Owners can also optionally equip Xeikon’s FEU with a semi rotational die cut unit so that it will deliver fully embellished and finished labels. Although it was designed for label applications, the FEU has the potential to address other applications over time.

“Xeikon’s long term goal is to offer its customers the broadest range of products which address the digital transformation of print manufacturing. Well established industry partners, like in this case MGI digital technologies, very often have proven products that integrate very well in this digitization process,” added Weymans. “With this latest addition to our portfolio, one of the most important benefits for our customers is the availability of integrated digital technologies – all provided and supported by supplier – which ensure maximum productivity throughout the manufacturing process. The combined provision of digital printing and digital embellishment will enable label printers to run high-end, short to medium sized jobs at substantially reduced costs with a shorter time to market.”

The DF1 is a semi-rotary offline finishing and converting machine designed to meet demand for unique short run labels in a fast, easy and affordable way.

Built with finishing speed up to 750 fpm (228.6 mpm) for full-rotary and 250 fpm (76.2 mpm) for semi-rotary, with accurate semi-rotary die-cutting functionality, the Rotoflex DF1 is an ideal addition for over 80 per cent of label converters worldwide, allowing them to decorate, die-cut, slit and strip labels in a single step.

“The thought process behind the DF1 came from customer needs to quickly enhance labels and ensure high-quality, inspected output in the process,” said Manohar Dhugga, VP of operations at Rotoflex.

The DF1 operates similarly to Rotoflex’s DF3 model, which was launched at Labelexpo Americas 2018, offering high production level speed and 50 per cent faster changeovers than conventional converting systems.

The main differences between the two models are the configuration and price point. The DF3 supports rail mounted converting options and additional print stations, while the DF1 has a single hybrid station that provides cost-effective finishing and converting.

Rotoflex VTI

The VTI Series is an advanced tabletop finishing machine created to ensure conformity with stringent regulations of the pharmaceutical and high-security packaging industries.

With an operator control system for inspection and finishing, the VTI Series detects and corrects missing labels, remaining matrix, splices, flags, spots, fading and missing colour and defects in text and registrations. This allows converters to inspect, rework and re-inspect labels.

“The exclusive URC 2.0 control system offers multilane counting and is the most advanced defect management system available in the market. The URC 2.0 increases operator efficiency by reducing set-up time and waste through its automated functionality. The optional biometric login security feature and online dashboard for data analysis provides for a complete finishing solution,” said Dhugga. “Another important feature of the VTI series is the eDrive 2.0, a system that increases production effectiveness through optimization of acceleration and deceleration while preserving roll quality and characteristics.”

“Customer demand has led us to create a more efficient and compact tabletop rewinder to replace the older, outdated models while delivering the high standard of performance known by the Rotoflex brand,” added Dhugga. “The VTI can be integrated with 100 per cent vision inspection systems and with reverse fault placement functionality allows for pharmaceutical grade inspection.”

In addition to its other features, the VTI Series was designed with a user-friendly interface and ergonomic design for sit down operation.

Priced starting at US$25,000 for the base configuration, the DF1 and VTI machines are available for immediate order, with the first DF1 set to ship to a U.S. customer this month.

“The Ecoline RDF, initially introduced into South Africa back in 2013, has evolved into a globally supported brand with installations now across Australia, Europe, and North America through Rotocon Europe and Rotocontrol,” said Michael Aengenvoort, CEO of Rotocon. “By establishing close partnerships with our customers, we could incorporate their valuable upgrade recommendations to enhance the machine performance for offline label embellishments and finishing.”

One major upgrade to the system is the addition of an automatic sheer knife slitting system that simplifies the normally time-consuming set-up and tweaking needed when manually adjusting blades across more than three lanes. Now, the operator can enter the label sizes, gap sizes and number of slits, and the system will automatically move the blades into the right positions, with the correct gaps.

The second upgrade is a high-speed matrix stripping system, which ensures no web in between the stripping shaft and matrix, preventing waste breakage and machine downtime. This upgrade was highly requested by customers wanting a more affordable and efficient format. Additionally, a servo-driven motor enables ideal stripping tension, even in the presence of matrix coil diameter variations, which prevents any issues arising by special substrates or die-cutting complex label shapes.

The new machine also features a dual-turret slitter rewinder. It has two spindles that save converters time by allowing them to finish a roll of labels directly on the RDF 330 in one pass. The RDF 330 also includes the Ecoline branded UV LED curing system, which facilitates significantly lower operating costs due to energy savings, fewer consumable parts and lower maintenance costs.

Finally, the machine uses the latest servo motor and software enhancements available. The shape of the machine has been modified by rounding off any sharp edges and incorporating a sleek, modern colour palette of grey and red (rather than white and red, on the previous model).

“Exclusively focusing on using the new AWP-DEW plate with this processor allows us to reduce the environmental footprint of the platemaking process by reducing the content of additives in the washout solution. It also allows us to speed-up the time for each plate coming out of the line dramatically,” said Dieter Niederstadt, technical marketing manager at Asahi.

This processor follows up Asahi’s 1116PD processor with new features, including:

• Integrated plate punching system for pin bar
• Integrated air knife after plate rinsing unit to dry the plate
• Higher post-exposure uniformity with inline UVA and UVC light finishing
• Filter unit is located inside the machine with easy roll-out operator access
• New machine maintenance concept including low maintenance pumps and easy pipe layout
• Water safety tray located on the side frame without the need to clean leaked solution
• Asahi remote human machine interface (HMI) access and optional smart glass support system (future option)
• Optimized machine footprint at 6112 x 2070 x 1295 mm (smaller vs. separate units)

The system is designed to be able to use two standard formats at approximately three to five plates per hour, either 1200 x 900 mm (48 x 36 inch) or 1067 x 1524 mm (42 x 60 inch), which provides flexibility. In addition, the product is an automated combination of washer-dryer-light finishing, providing the opportunity for reduction of operator hands-on requirements and any potential associated errors.

For customers with a separate light finisher, the AWP-DEW 4260 PLF processor is available without the light finisher function. This processor combination is the first incremental system of its kind and also includes an improved UVA/UVC inline post exposure uniformity, versus offline systems with light finishing drawer.

“The difference this functionality makes is unbelievable; pictures can explain so much more than words. A typical support interaction with a customer which took me hours of travel time in the past can now pin point the detailed problem in no time, allowing us to either fix the problem immediately or at least send the exact needed spare part to the customer, said Alex Downes, Asahi service engineer. “If we didn’t have the appropriate part with us on a traditional service call, that often required an additional visit, leading to more cost and potentially a longer down time. Now everything can be done quickly and in one step, often eliminating the need for any travel at all and getting the customer up and running quickly.”

The product also has a modem communication link on all machines to the processor’s human machine interface (HMI), allowing Asahi’s technical support team to connect with the machine from any location to provide maintenance support. Asahi has also introduced a remote smart glass support concept as a future option on all systems.

Niederstadt added that following the announcement of the AWP-DEW 4260 PLF at Labelexpo Europe in 2019, the first prototype machine was installed at a flexible packaging printer/converter. This provided the company with nine months of testing to bring the product to market, alongside the AWP-DEW plate.

AWP-DEW digital flexo plates can be used with UV, EB, water-based and solvent-based inks and help ease the transition to Fixed Colour Palette printing. Asahi says they also deliver improved plate lifetime on press

With Highcon Euclid and Beam digital cutting and creasing machines installed worldwide, digital finishing is gradually becoming truly accepted in the marketplace, Highcon explains. Several Highcon customers have already acquired second machines to cope with supply chain challenges when utilizing conventional die cutting, increased demand by brand owners for rapid turnaround for campaigns and promotions and reduced working capital requirements that only digital finishing enables.

Customer feedback has resulted in significant advancements in the technology, in terms of efficiency, reliability, quality and predictability. Highcon also continues to invest in its Euclid product platform. One of the most visible developments of the new series of Euclid machines is the User Interface adopted from the Beam machines.

After seven years in the field, the company explains Highcon technology has gone through “substantial improvements” as reflected in the increase in the number of jobs per machine by 35 percent year over year from 2016 to 2019. On the drupa 2020 show floor in Hall 9, Booth C50, visitors will be able to see Highcon machines working at full production capacity, as well as witness firsthand testimonials from customers around the world.

The press was first unveiled last October during Printing United, alongside four other new products including a high-volume, toner-based production press, digital label press, desktop multi-purpose embellishment solution and a corrugated box printer.

“Decorative embellishment continues to be a major area of differentiation among commercial printers,” said Norm Bussolaro, Sr. Director of Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada). “Digital embellishment capabilities allow printers to produce both creative and highly personalized material which adds value and results in higher margins than traditional pieces. Numerous studies have demonstrated consumers are willing to pay up to 40 percent more for embellished pieces, and the JETvarnish 3D One is an affordable solution for printers to begin offering these services immediately and expand into new niche markets.”

The MGI JETvarnish 3D One digital print embellishment press utilizes key components of JETvarnish technology, including the intelligent and adaptive AIS SmartScanner registration system.

As the company explains, the small operational footprint of the JETvarnish 3D One is designed to allow printers, finishers and converters to have an in-house full production and prototyping print embellishment system without screens, dies or plates. The patented varnish formula allows both flat 2D Spot UV highlighting and sculptured 3D raised special effects on a range of substrate stocks and up to 450 gsm, from offset and digital inks to lamination films and aqueous coatings. Sheet sizes range from 14 x 29.5 inches and the LED 2D/3D effects reach 116 microns in a single pass.

Offering “significant” enhancements over its predecessor DC-616 Pro, the DC-618 is said to deliver output at a faster speed and on heavier stock. Duplo explains it also gave the PC Controller software and LCD control panel interfaces a facelift to make them more intuitive and user-friendly for in-plants and commercial printers looking to automate their short-run finishing.

With the ability to perform up to six slits, 30 cuts and 20 creases in a single pass, the DC-618 produces applications such as business cards, postcards, brochures and book covers with a full-bleed finish. Processing speed has been boosted from 10 to 23 sheets per minute and paper weight specifications have increased from 350 to 400 gsm. It comes loaded with standard features including an automatic barcode and registration mark scanner, ultrasonic double feed detection and long paper tray. The workflow integration between EFI’s Fiery Impose and the slitter/cutter/creasers has been carried over as well to streamline the job preparation process in Fiery Driven print environments by applying imposition, barcodes and registration marks for accurate finishing.

“Duplo has made our best-selling machine even better and more versatile. The DC-618 is the most advanced solution Duplo has created and will truly be a game changer in this segment of the market,” says Rick Salinas, Vice President of Marketing at Duplo USA. “For over 20 years, Duplo has set the bar for automated cut sheet finishing and we’re proud to present the latest entry in our industry-leading lineup.”

“At MPI, we continuously strive to find ways to lower print costs. We have invested heavily in automation, bulk paper purchasing and converting, and we bring those savings to our trade clients,” it says. With capabilities in offset sheetfed, high-volume web, full bindery and bookbinding, digital and large-format as well as specialty finishing on a Scodix Ultra Pro 2, the trade printer goes by the motto: “From 100 business cards to 1 million magazines, all under one roof — now two.”

A small-format die-cutter and foil stamper, the Digimatrix 60 FC is designed for digital run lengths. It runs up to 5,500 sheets/hour and can process sheets up to 23.6 x 17.7 inches for finishing various short-run or small-format jobs.The foiling version of the machine (FC) allows for hot-foiling on a range of substrates. The machine can be equipped with Masterset, which registers each sheet individually via print marks for print-to-cut registration. At less than 33 feet in length, the Diana Go 85 folder gluer can produce cartons at speeds up to 250 m/min and widths up to 33.4 inches, handling different carton styles, such as straight-line and lock-bottom cartons, as well as special styles with attachments, such as envelopes and presentation folders.

This expansion of MGI’s JETvarnish 3D Series of print enhancement technologies offers a spectrum of 2D/3D spot coating and dimensional textures for commercial and in-plant printers of every size. The price point and automatic inkjet head cleaning technology – along with the onboard Image Editor and Job Cost Calculator software programs – boast a simple path for developing new digital finishing applications and diverse new application-based revenue streams.
 
The new press utilizes key components of the JETvarnish 3D Press Series – including the intelligent and adaptive AIS SmartScanner registration system – and is designed to be a compact, cost-effective print enhancement solution for all printers in every market segment.

The small operational footprint of the JETvarnish 3D One allows printers, finishers and converters to have an in-house full production and prototyping print embellishment system without screens, dies or plates. The all-purpose patented varnish formula allows both flat 2D Spot UV highlighting and sculptured 3D raised special effects on a range of substrates and media, such as paper, synthetics and plastics. Sheet sizes range up to 14 x 29 inches and the 2D/3D effects reach 116 microns in a single pass.
 
Special MGI substrate management processes are designed to deliver eye-catching, tactile sensory print treatments to be produced on stocks from 135 to 600gsm – on various of printed materials, from offset and digital inks to lamination films and aqueous coatings. It is suitable for different commercial and in-plant applications, such as booklets, brochures, business cards, mail pieces, book covers, sheet-fed labels, small folding cartons, retail display signs and posters.

First launched at the Sakurai Factory Open House in Gifu, Japan, the LQM 105 was also featured in the Sakurai Graphic Systems Corporation exhibit at FESPA last Spring.

At Printing United, Sakurai will conduct live demonstrations of a Maestro MS-102AX cylinder screen press equipped with a Natgraph UV dryer, stacker and new LQM 105 in-line hot foil stamper. The ScreenFoil LQM 105 aims to bring a “new level of flexibility, quality and performance” when combined with any size or vintage Sakurai screen press, the company explains, and is designed for PSP, folders, leaflets, business cards, loyalty cards, magazines, book covers, packaging, promotional items, labels, roll-to-roll, greeting card, automotive, appliance and plastic card applications.

The featured Sakurai Maestro MS-102AX is a suitable screen press for a myriad of specialty finishing applications such as specialty effects foil, glitter, soft touch, flood, soft spot coating and more, it adds. The 29 5/8” x 41 1/2” MS-102AX operates at speeds up to 4,000 IPH and accepts stock from .003” to .032” thick. The Maestro is capable of printing on a range of substrates, such as plastic film for electronic applications, membrane switches, and display panels, touch screens as well as paper, board and foil.

Sakurai experts from the United States and Japan will be on hand at Printing United to assist booth visitors with designing a fully automated screen printing, drying and curing system, including LED-UV and now ScreenFoil hot foil finishing for their specific requirements.

The newly launched Dual Heavy Duty Unit means operators no longer need to manually intervene in tool changes on Kongsberg digital cutting tables for those jobs that require creasing, cutting and perforation, Esko says. The machine is designed to automatically switch and use the right tool throughout the job, thus ramping-up production efficiency. As well, it combines, for the first time, two independent wheels in one heavy-duty unit.

The uniquely engineered design of a Kongsberg table makes it possible to exercise 50 kg of downforce on corrugated materials from single to triple wall, without compromising speed or quality, Esko says. The Dual Heavy Duty Unit boasts better crease quality, even on materials with a high recycled material content. When combined with the Esko CorruSpeed Tool, converters can cut and perforate corrugated substrates at full machine speeds of up to 100m/min.

The CorruSpeed Tool is designed specifically for high-speed digital finishing of corrugated board and is unique in that it uses a static knife in combination with a patented knife foot design to simulate the effects of ejection rubbers in conventional die tooling, Esko explains. The design, it says, results in cleaner, more accurate cuts without burrs, adding that it produces a crisp edge finish even at the highest speeds, smoothly cutting a variety of corrugated board types up to 7 mm double wall BC flutes.

The Scodix family of presses, including the Scodix Ultra 101 and the Scodix Ultra 202, was designed to meet the increased demand for business-generating digital enhancement and allow print service providers to target new revenue opportunities.

Boasting seamless integration, the Scodix Ultra 101 is described as being fully compatible with offset and HP Indigo presses. It offers six Scodix enhancements including Scodix Sense, Scodix Foil, Scodix Metallic, Scodix VDE, Scodix Glitter and Scodix Cast&Cure, plus combinations of all of the above. The Scodix Ultra 101 solution made its worldwide debut at the HP Indigo Global VIP customer event on February 12. The full capabilities of the Scodix Ultra 101 will be demonstrated with HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital press.

The Scodix Ultra 202 ‘full feature’ Digital enhancement press aims to provide customers with the largest array of enhancement capabilities in the industry today. The press boasts “unmatched quality” – users can choose to print enhancements on paper, lamination, a variety of water-based coatings, PVC and carton.

All nine of the Scodix applications run on the Scodix Ultra 202 press, replacing the need for separate systems on the production floor and preserving a small footprint, the company explains. By incorporating digital enhancement, print providers can expand their service offering with “attention-grabbing applications,” including business/greeting cards, folders, book covers, brochures, labels and packaging.

The ColorFlares are compact dual laminator and foil flaring solutions designed to offer commercial printers, marketers and designers in-house decorative effects. Primarily designed for short run, on-demand digital applications as well as lamination for traditional litho output, the company explains the ColorFlares can open up new opportunities for the production of greetings cards, vouchers, security print, packaging, book jackets and labels. The CF350 offers the flexibility of laminating and foiling, and boasts softer feed rollers for foiling trickier items such as envelopes without any detrimental effects from the pressure required to achieve a foil finish. The CF750 offers three different set-up options: As a desktop solution, with a stand and with the new dual feed roller assembly so lamination and foil rolls can be loaded together for exact material alignment and quicker production set. Coupled with the ColorSplash colour digital printer, the ColorFlare can foil flare directly onto printed toner and also onto lamination films to create special effects, the company explains.

Canadian printing companies can purchase Intec solutions from its U.S. distribution centre in Florida.

Manohar Dhugga, VP of Operations, Rotoflex says the system is a “smart replacement” for legacy digital converting systems due to its configurability. “The DF3 comes with a rail option that opens a lot of doors when you add it to your configuration.” The rail enables lamination, foil decoration, rotary screen (both conventional or UV digital alternatives), advanced waste removal features and turnbars.

Suitable for businesses that currently operate roll-to-roll digital label presses, the DF3 delivers capabilities of both full and semi-rotary diecutting and can accommodate a range of repeat sizes and existing investments in tooling. Die changeovers can be achieved in 30 seconds or less, Rotoflex says. Additional, the DF3 boasts a converting and finishing speed of 1000 fpm.

“There was a significant gap in the market for an offline solution to support brand requirements. This machine hits all the key needs: value-add finishes, high speeds, and options for any business challenge,” says Kevin Gourlay, Senior Vice President, Rotoflex.

The Rotoflex DF3 is available for demonstrations at the company’s headquarters in Mississauga, Ont.

JobFlow aims to reduce the number of clicks required to prepare the CMYK and spot layer files for printing and finishing by streamlining the process through imposition, barcodes and registration marks for Duplo’s finishing devices. Fiery Impose will also be featured in DC-746 Slitter/Cutter/Creaser demonstrations to show how operators can use templates and create custom layouts for automating future jobs.

The DDC-810 Raised Spot UV Coater, a design-driven solution that utilizes 600 x 600 dpi inkjet technology, UV lamp curing and camera image registration to deliver production output with texture and depth. The new Variable Coating Barcode Kit adds variable capabilities for images and text. With this option, the DDC-810 can read 1D or 2D barcodes on each sheet and automatically load the pre-ripped spot UV layer file, Duplo explains.

Suitable for high production printers, the DC-746 Integrating Folding System is an all-in-one digital colour finisher that slits, cuts, creases and folds applications up to 14” x 26” in a single pass. It also offers optional rotary tool and cross perforation modules, with strike perforating capabilities, for increased versatility. Meanwhile, ideal for higher production environments with fixed jobs, the DC-516 Pro Multi-Finisher features a feed capacity of 14” and delivers at speeds up to 100 sheets per minute. It performs up to 20 creases in a single pass and comes with a dual creasing tool for positive and negative patterns.

The 600i Booklet System is Duplo’s flagship solution designed for high quality saddle, side, or corner-stitched booklets as well as letter landscape applications. See it in its Duetto configuration with both the DSC-10/60i Collator and the DSF-6000 Sheet Feeder. Additionally on the floor will be the iSaddle System, the 350i Digital Booklet System, and the 150C Booklet System.

Other solutions on display include the 486P Electric Cutter; the Ultra 200 Pro UV Coater; the DF-1200, DF-980 and DF-970 Tabletop Folders; and the CF375 Touchline high-speed creaser/folder and CP375 DUO Touchline creaser/perforator.