Inkjet was definitely the star of drupa 2024, according to Peter Scott, Managing Director, Screen GP Australia, and David Reece, Sales Director, Jet Technologies, which markets Screen products in Australia and New Zealand.
In the packaging industry, a wide (and growing) variety of substrates are used in different regions and for different jobs. Compared to other digital methods, UV inkjet printing is more suitable for wide substrates and is more durable, and its popularity has increased based on these advantages.
However, compared to conventional printing with its wide range of ink types, UV inkjet printing may not produce satisfactory results on some special substrates, with the potential for low-dyne synthetics or porous paper stocks to produce unsatisfactory results with regards to adhesion, wettability/ink density or potential bleed.
Enter the Digital Primer Option for the L350UV SAI S
SCREEN, a key player in the industry, has responded to these trends by spearheading the development of the Digital Primer Option for its L350UV SAI S. This innovative solution provides printers with the ability to enhance adhesion, graininess and other characteristics. The option cleverly utilises the extra head space in the L350UV SAI S to install an inline inkjet primer unit, eliminating the need for additional installation space and main UV lamps.
“A significant leap forward was achieved with the release of the inline primer option for the L350UV. This seemingly simple addition was, in fact, a complex development, resulting in a substantial improvement in print quality on a wide range of materials, including uncoated papers and synthetic materials. This retrofit option for all L350UV SAI models is expected to be widely adopted, as it significantly expands the capabilities of inkjet in labels and packaging,” highlighted Peter Scott.
David Reece, Sales Director, Jet Technologies, and the L350UV SAI S which now offers the Digital Primer Option
The primer unit can automatically generate a primer layer based on print data. This ability to use the primer without additional work maximises the superior usability of digital printing. Furthermore, the ink itself can be a near-transparent colour and can be used like varnish in some cases, making it more decorative and a means of adding value. In this way, the inline primer unit can be used to expand the range of materials and applications for digital printing, increase the digital printing processes, and add value. This creates further cost advantages and contributes to the system’s environmental friendliness by reducing waste and power consumption.
This advancement propels the L350UV SAI S to a new level, equipping users with the ability to venture into new markets that were previously beyond the reach of inkjet technology. Particularly in the ANZ market, this will facilitate a strong entry into a range of significant print segments, including wine and spirits, where uncoated papers have historically posed a challenge for inkjet (as they do for flexo).
“For those who did not attend drupa, Jet Technologies will be installing a brand-new L350UV SAI S including the Digital Primer Option in their Sydney Technology centre in June/July,” said David Reece. “At the same time, Jet Technologies will also be installing their much-anticipated Jet IQ finishing solution, complete with Versatex Print Bar. The combination of the L350UV SAI S and the Jet IQ finishing solution will be an exciting proposition for those looking for new ways to innovate in the Wine and Spirit segment, as well as the broader labels and packaging market.”
More packaging options
Screen also showcased a working Truepress PAC 520P complete with Mondi Functional Barrier paper for digitally printing paper-based flexible packaging that is heat-sealable and food-safe for dry, frozen, fresh and other foods. It possesses a 95/5% paper-to-plastic content, is PVDS- and PFAS-free and sourced from a sustainable resource.
“The PAC 520P inkjet press has a 520 mm width and has been developed specifically for paper-based packaging to replace plastic films, although using a material with an aluminium, base makes it possible to print on yoghurt lids, for example. Being roll-to-roll, it’s super easy to print. Once the roll is printed, it can be sent to the food packaging company or the food manufacturer, and they then deal with the packaging converting,” Peter Scott elaborates.
On the drupa stand there was also a mock-up of SCREEN’s PAC830F, which is a continuous feed press, once again using water-based ink on films for flexible packaging pouches and bags. The actual machine is 22 metres long and seven metres wide. It will be released later this year, initially in Japan followed by Europe and the USA. It is expected to be available in Australia within the next few years.
The new 560HDX has its debut
A highlight on the SCREEN stand was the new 560 mm Jet 560HDX. Although this targets commercial printers, it can be used on uncoated and offset-coated stocks in roll form without the need for priming due to our unique water-based inks,” notes Peter Scott. “The colours really pop; it’s difficult to tell the difference between offset printed products inkjet and its continuous feed in line with an inline cut sheet. The efficiencies are very powerful, too! A job that might have taken a sheetfed printer five days or more to produce with a team of 5-10 people can now be done in a matter of a couple of days with only one or two. Everybody’s trying to reduce their costs and automation, less touch points, less human touch points and continuous feed actually will allow you to do that.”
Its little brother, the monochrome, continuous feed, high-speed inkjet Truepress Jet 520 HD mono, which has book printers and publishers as its primary market ink, can also be used for pharmaceutical printing of the leaflets included in packs of tablets. “We have a new denser black ink with better properties in terms of the show-through because a lot of those products are printed on very thin lightweight stocks and you don’t want to see what is printed on the back through the front,” Peter Scott advises.
“The Hunkeler inline finishing equipment automatically cuts the web into sheets. This means every job can be different in terms of the width, length and number of pages enabling a true ‘book-of-one’ solution. We have just released our own unwinder and rewinder designed and built by SCREEN which has a better interface to the machine. It’s able to automatically determine the thickness of the stock in the roll of material that’s being loaded into the machine, and then transfer all of that information to the press, which is something that other manufacturers don’t have. These will be sold as part of a package with our own presses,” he concludes.
Caption:
Peter Scott, Managing Director of Screen GP Australia, and Charlie Williams, Technical Support Engineer, with the SCREEN Pac 520P
Click here for more information on Screen GP Australia and here for more information on Jet Technologies