2020 print vision

New Océ LabelStream 4000 Series

Canon has announced new print modes and performance upgrades for its highly versatile Océ LabelStream 4000 series. Print resolutions of up to 1080 dpi and print speeds of up to 75 m/min allow label converters to expand their application range while increasing throughput and minimising turnaround times. The new top speed in combination with a 16” digital print width result in an industry leading productivity of up to 1845 m² per hour. The Océ LabelStream 4000 series, an industrial scale four or five colour UV inkjet press (CMYK and white) targeted at the production of self-adhesive labels, now offers two upgraded print modes: Quality, and Performance. Label converters can choose the right combination of quality and efficiency for the profitable production of short to medium runs. The press is available as a digital only reel-to-reel configuration and can expand to a full hybrid configuration with a custom mix of additional flexo, embellishment and finishing units, turning it into a fully integrated single pass label conversion line to meet various demands and budgets. Crit Driessen, VP and Head of Digital Packaging, comments: “Since the launch of the Océ LabelStream 4000 series in 2018, we have been actively driving the quality and performance of the technology to boost productivity and to support customers in addressing a broader range of self-adhesive labels. The latest improvements follow Canon’s philosophy to provide efficient inkjet production solutions for highest net output in all markets served.”

Improved print modes for quality and productivity choices

The newly introduced Quality mode offers a resolution of 720 x 1080 dpi at a print speed of 50 m/min, enabling excellent reproduction of fine details, smooth tones, vibrant colours and solid areas for a wide range of label designs and substrates. A single pass opacity white of >73% matches conventional flexo technologies. For label converters seeking the

white opacity of conventional rotary screen printing, a one pass digital white opacity of up to 80% can be achieved at a slightly reduced speed providing a cost-efficient alternative to lengthy set-up processes and expensive screens. Together with the highly pigmented Océ LabelStream inks and the high ink laydown capabilities of the advanced Xaar 2001 printhead technology, the new print mode can reproduce a Pantone colour gamut of 94% with CMYK. With the improved Performance mode, which attains a top print speed of 75 m/min at a resolution of 720 x 720 dpi, label converters can achieve maximum throughput and production efficiency supported by a white opacity of >65%. In combination with the 16-inch print width, the Océ LabelStream 4000 series delivers industry leading productivity of up to 1,845 m²/ hour – and its high level of integration and automation, short make-ready times and excellent reliability ensure this speed is leveraged when combined with analogue components to form a fully integrated conversion line. The choice of white opacities at different print speeds enables users to balance application costs and quality for the most profitable production.

The Océ LabelStream 4000 series will be on show at LabelExpo Europe in Brussels, Belgium, from September 24 – 27, 2019. ww.oce.com

Durst new fifth generation Alpha Technology

Durst showcased its proven Alpha comprehensive technology platform at ITMA in Fira de Barcelona in June. Headlining with the fifth generation Alpha printing systems with Durst’s new software to meet increased demands of textile digital printing, the new Alpha Series 5 190 and 330 printing systems were unveiled at ITMA featuring improvements in material handling, efficiency and material diversity. The technology platform offers a sustainable, flexible and scaleable solution for every application, even enabling waterless one-step production with the new Durst Advanced Digital Pigment ink. The Alpha Series 5 printers, including dual roll, are all equipped with the new Durst Workflow Print and the monitoring tool Durst Analytics to become a production unit from day one. To integrate e-commerce businesses, Durst offers a scaleable solution with Durst Smart Shop. Backed by consultancy and seamless integration provided through Durst Professional Services, the new workflow software gives users access to key functions in production such as colour management and RIP. Expansion modules are integrated with the printing system to create a production process “from pixel to output”. The new Alpha 190 / 330 Series 5 with SuperMultipass™ provides 30% better performance than comparable systems. This next generation of high performance printing systems integrate new technologies in the printheads, inks, drying units, and in the interaction of software. The Alpha Series 5 can also have a patented SwiftJet Pretreatment System positioned upstream of the Alpha printer. Digital pretreatment is particularly valuable for short-run and fast-turnaround jobs. For the Alpha Series 5, Durst offers environmentally friendly water, acid and reactive based ink systems. Its Advanced Digital Pigment is the world’s first ink system that enables a one step process with soft touch and brilliant colours. Universally used in textile applications, it also has excellent light fastness and wet rub fastness and can be used on all types of fabric. In addition, the ink family includes Durst Disperse HD, which is a first choice for polyester applications and also regularly used in home textiles, apparel, fashion, flags, banners, outdoor signage and other POP applications; and Durst Reactive HD where common applications are home textiles, apparel and fashion. All these inks are Oekotex 100 and GOTS 5.0 compliant. www.durst-group.com/itma.

BOBST and Mouvent at Labelexpo 2019

BOBST, along with its digital printing competence centre Mouvent, are set to reveal a portfolio of world leading innovations at the world’s largest label event, Labelexpo Europe. Visitors at the event, which takes place 24 to 27 September 2019 in Brussels, will be able to see four complete digitalised production processes across a digital native press, equipped with water based inks, a new world premiere UV/Flexo hybrid printing machine and a DigiFlexo press. “We have recently revealed several truly ground-breaking innovations that will set new standards helping converters and brand owners improve time to market, guarantee colour consistency and food packaging safety,” said Federico D’Annunzio, BOBST Programme Manager Hybrid Printing. “It’s really exciting to bring these latest innovations together in one place, so attendees will be able to see for themselves the difference these innovations make, and the impact they could have on their own businesses.”

Latest innovations pave way for world premiere

The latest innovations include Ink-on-Demand (IoD), Highly Automated Liquid (HAL) and DigiColor — game-changing solutions that will set a new course for the industry’s future. The IoD inking system replaces conventional inking reservoirs with a single rubber pipe that dispenses 30 grams of ink to the print unit. The system eliminates ink trays and chambered doctor blades and performs fully automated washing of the print unit in less than one minute. To complement the IoD system, HAL is an off-line ink mixing station for producing Pantone colours from 14 basic inks, and contains only one pump performing a pipette-style action to measure out the very small amounts of colour needed. DigiColor is the first ever inline “closed loop” colour system that enables digital colour adjustment to the target Delta E values during printing, at any speed, on any substrate, with any operator. It is a major step towards full colour digitisation. These innovations have paved the way for a new hybrid Flexo with “Mouvent™ Digital Technology Inside”, which is the best combination of digital and DigiFlexo printing, and will be unveiled for the first time at Labelexpo. The hybrid is associated with total flexibility in high added value labels, with extremely short job setup and fast return on investment. It will be the most digitally automated press in the labels market, with the highest print quality and productivity. It opens a new era in the production of self-adhesive labels with totally new standards of productivity and profitability. Other machines on display include:

• M5 IoD/DigiColor, which transforms flexo printing into a fully digitised process. Color matching is simplified both in the REVO ECG and in spot colours environment. Changing inks in any press configuration takes a matter of seconds with no ink contact with the hands of the operator. Closed loop colour control delivers perfect colour matching on any substrate worldwide.

• LB702-WB digital label printer from Mouvent, a remarkable advance in digital label production, using only 100% water-based Mouvent™ Inks, making it 100% free of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and 100% food safe. The machine can run with up to 100 m/min on a broad range of substrates, from self-adhesive to wet-glue labelstock especially targeting applications where migration could be an issue, such as in the food industry. The LB702-WB’s high print quality of 1,200 dpi leads to exceptional results on complex substrates such as textured natural wine label papers and many others. Being configured with six colours, the Mouvent water-based press allows for excellent ECG printing and Pantone matching. Paired with the in-house developed Mouvent™ DFE, customers benefit from easy file preparation, perfect colour consistency and variable data printing for real-time customisation. It all results in a combination of both technical and aesthetic excellence that attendees will be able to see in real time at the event.

• M1X inline UV flexo press, which delivers high performance at a competitive cost. It is a partially fixed configuration machine, 370mm in web-width, developed with automation and connectivity in mind that can print and convert a wide variety of applications in one pass. Meanwhile, the BOBST M6 press will be the star of the Flexible Packaging Arena in Hall 11. M6 press is a combination of in-line UV Flexo, REVO Digital Flexo and the new revolutionary V-Flower print unit, allowing for job changeovers in one minute, “on-the-fly” without stopping the press, and with up to 95% press up-time. It is the most productive press to economically produce short to mid-size runs. The M6 will feature the DigiMount™ fully automated flexo plate mounting system, which features advanced electronics for improved speed and accuracy of plate mounting. www.bobst.com