The greatest label show

29 October 2009



Labelexpo Europe 2009 was buzzing with activity in September, defying the economic downturn as it welcomed almost as many visitors as the last show, and actually increasing the number of exhibitors and floor space. Maureen Byrne reports from the Brussels showground


The promotional material billed Labelexpo as ‘the greatest label show on earth’, and indeed it lived up to this boast, welcoming 24,169 visitors from 125 countries. This was down by 2% on the previous show, but that’s not bad, considering the difficult economic times we are witnessing. There were more exhibitors, however, and they reported it to be a very successful show, with many making sales on the stand.

What was really positive was the number of true innovations at the show, in such a wide variety of industry categories, from inks and plates to inspection systems and printing presses. There was quite a buzz around how many digital printers there were at the show, and how the technology has improved in leaps and bounds, in some instances arguably to match the quality, if not the speed, of flexo.

Digital

Domino was showing a prototype model of its 4-colour digital label press, which is scheduled for full commercial launch in spring 2010 which, at speeds of 50-75m/min, are almost twice that of any comparable system on the market, according to the company. The resolution is a nominal 1,200 dpi at 50m/min, thanks to variable drop size technology. “Our forte is variable data,” explained Philip Easton, director commercial printing at Domino. “FMCG pharma and healthcare manufacturers in particular are driving the need for on-line digital printing of labels and packaging, and it’s big business: pharma represents about 15% of the labelling business. Another application that is on the increase is on-pack promotions, which require short runs, and this is ideal for digital.”

The other novel benefit of the system is that it has its own automated cleaning system. “Most digital press manufacturers use the Xaar inkjet system, which has an ink circulating system for self-cleaning. Our prototype has a system that puts the printhead into cleaning mode when it is not being used, which means that the nozzles are never left to get blocked,” explained Mr Easton.

“This machine uses water based inks, but we will develop a UV ink based one suitable for plastics labels in due course,” said Mr Easton, adding that he is currently looking for beta trial sites for the prototype.

Durst, manufacturer of industrial strength digital printing equipment, launched its Tau 150 digital UV inkjet label printing press and the new Rotoworx 330 family of finishing systems. The company offers an ‘end to end’ solution for the label printing industry, including prepress workflow software, the new label press with variable printing capability and a matching die cutting and lamination unit for the short run label market.

A run length of 40,000 labels ‘is now a realistic benchmark for cost-effective digital label printing’, according to Durst. The pre-press software is powered by EskoArtwork, with built-in RIP, substrate and calibration and colour management.

With the environment high on the agenda, Labelexpo Europe this year included an area called the Green Park, dedicated to green and sustainable labels and packaging, and Xeikon, part of the Punch Graphix group, supported this by sponsoring the Green Award. The company is very proud of its eco-friendly approach to printing. Lode Deprez, VP toner & developer group at Punch Graphix, commented: “ We aim to meet our eco-objectives by using alternative raw materials or by reducing the amount of raw materials we use; by improving production process efficiency and reducing waste generation; by optimising energy consumption and product lifecycles; and by improving product disposal and recyclability. Some digital printing technologies are more environmentally friendly than others. Recyclability of printed matter is just one of the many benefits dry toner electro photograph has over other technologies.”

Xeikon was promoting its 3300 model, which has five printing stations equipped with CMYK, plus the option of a variety of standard or custom spot colours. It can also apply a special security toner for anti-counterfeiting applications and a ‘one pass’ opaque white to create a ‘no -abel’ look on transparent labels. Labels with variable formats and sizes can be printed in the same run.

Omet invited customers to witness the exceptional quality of the labels produced on its X-Flex machine, which featured the new digitial printing engine, The new digital printing engine, the X-Jet 420. This can be supplied as a stand-alone unit or to work in-line with the X-Flex, where it can be combined with flexo, screen and laminating techniques. Ideally suited to wine, beverage, cosmetics and pharma labels, the inkjet DOD (drop on demand) technology is flexible and fast to make ready. The quality of the wine labels produced on it at the show was indeed remarkable. Its Mono Twin Cut capability means that if the print image is altered, only the die cutting tool needs changing to restart production.

Also on show was the new VaryFlex offset line, which can be combined with flexo, rotogravure, screen, hot and coldfoil and hologram inserting, all in-line. ‘On the fly’ die cutting is also a feature; as it is now with the company’s 8-colour X-Flex press.

Shrink sleeve design

Distorted images on shrink sleeves could be a thing of the past, now that EskoArtwork plans to introduce Studio Toolkit for Shrink Sleeves, a new application that will allow fast, accurate 3D preparation of shrink sleeves for round and asymmetrical shapes as well as multipacks. Studio Toolkit for Shrink Sleeves will be released as a component of Studio in the second quarter of 2010, said the company.

“The design of shrink sleeve packaging presents a number of challenges,” said Kris Van Bael, EskoArtwork product manager 3D and visualisation. “Artwork designers struggle to express ideas for a curved surface on a flat canvas. The result can be ambiguous artwork that leaves prepress professionals guessing about the designer’s intent.”

Inspection

High performance technology combined with ease of use were kept in mind when BST developed its new digital video web inspection system, the PowerScope 4000. which made its world debut at Labelexpo Europe this year. Although designed mainly for use with narrow web applications, it can also be used for applications on wider webs.

“With webs running faster, inspection needs to be tight and the picture quality excellent,” said Kristian Jünke, sales director of BST. “We started in 2001 with digital systems - digital meaning from image capture, data processing to display - with our high end inspection system Premius, and transferred this superior technology now to the new PS4000. The system’s Image Lock function always produces a steady image by automatically stabilising possible image-offset and together with touch operation and wide web suitability we have a very competitive new product.”

Also completely new are the IDM 4000 (Inline Density Measurement) and ISM 4000 (Inline Spectral Measurement) colour management systems from BST. “The Inline and Closed Loop colour density and the Inline Spectral values of colour were developed to meet market demand,” explained Mr Jünke. “The customers of our customers are demanding proven quality and less production waste. Take for example Coca-Cola: they insist on their exact corporate colours and want their supplier to prove it.

“100% inspection systems for narrow web applications like the Shark 4000 LEX will become more and more standard for narrow web applications and also find their way into adjacent markets. Like using IDM or ISM systems, our customers want repetitive quality assurance for their products and we offer a wide range of these products, including web guides and register control systems.” said Mr Jünke.

Unilux was at the exhibition to show its new line of pulsed LED inspection lights. Volker Schlevoigt, of Unilux, acknowledged that comparing like with like, LED lights can’t give the same output as Xenon lamps, and that they have their limitations (for example, they can’t do UV applications). However, there are also many benefits: “LED’s initial cost is about 15% higher than Xenon,” said Mr Schlevoigt. “However, while they last for only up to two years, LEDs last for up to 11 years. Energy consumption is less than with Xenon, as batteries last longer (and less energy is used if plugged into the mains); and less garbage is created, which is better for the environment. These pulsed LED inspection lights are highly suited for inspecting labels and packaging with highly reflective coatings, foils or metallised substrates, and on high speed lines.

“LED is not just one line of light, it is spread across the surface, which makes it easier on the eye. For converting, this is the future. We are just waiting for the next generation of LEDs with brighter lights,” said Mr Schlevoigt, who added that the company’s strength was in the variety and the power range it offers. It prides itself on being able to guide customers on which light – strobe or pulsed – will best suit their application.

AVT presented a new ‘comprehensive’ solution for on-line verification of barcodes, data-matrix codes and variable data, integrated into its print inspection system - the PrintVision/Helios II. “This is a 100% quality insurance inspection system,” explained Guy Yogev, marketing manager with AVT. “It inspects 1D and 2D barcodes, in parallel with performing 100% print inspection. Most importantly for pharma applications, the system supports the new E-Pedigree FDA regulations to ‘track and trace’ pharmaceuticals from manufacturer to customer to prevent forgery. This is not regulated at present in Europe, but it is certain to follow the FDA’s lead some time in the future.”

In addition, AVT has introduced additional workflow solutions to meet different production configurations and respond to varying workflow needs. The WorkFlow Link solution enables printers to inspect in-line on press fully controlling the printing process, and to use the inspection information to stop the rewinder automatically and clean the web before shipment. “The PrintVision/Helios II is now able to communicate with the MIS systems in the print production environment, receiving relevant job data from production, sending quality information to MIS,” said Mr Yogev. “This sharing of information contributes to shorter set-up times, and increased automation, and eliminates the need to re-enter information, preventing possible data entry errors. This increased accuracy gives better control of raw materials and the production process.”

Inks

Another company seeking to meet present and future legislative trends is Mirage Inks, which showed its ‘world first’ Quartz Artemis, a cationic UV curing ink system ideally suited for food packaging applications. Nothing above 10ppb migrates through the surface, according to the company, or via back transfer, into the food. It complies with regulations set by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health with regard to the selection of components that can be used in inks used for food packaging. This will come into force in April 2010, and a representative on the stand at the show said: “Europe will most likely follow Switzerland’s lead.”

The ink system is a high gloss UV curing ink system for flexo applications that is instantly converted to a solid using an acid catalysed process. It should only be used in applications where the package represents a barrier to migration and a suitable assessment has been conducted, says the company.

Sun Chemical’s sales & marketing director, screen & narrow web, Jonathan Sexton, told me that the company is keen to let customers know that it can offer more than just inks. “Ink makers have been focused on selling inks,” he said. “We need to go beyond that. Working with third parties, as an example, we can offer a consultancy service to do environmental assessments, and help printers make the right decisions in terms of sustainability.”

One recent example is a project where Sun Chemical worked with a leading manufacturer of printed packaging board and paper, conducting an energy audit at one of the its European sites. If the company implements Sun Chemical’s initiatives, it could enjoy savings of 13% in energy costs (u65,000 a year); and a 13% reduction in carbon emissions. The capital cost requirement would be €70,000, with payback of 13 months.

Die cutting

Spartanics announced a new speed benchmark of 125m/min now possible with its Finecut high speed laser die cutting machine, ‘the world’s only laser cutters with the single scan head design and software engineering that avoid defects and quality issues inevitable with multiple scan head laser cutters,’ according to the company.

The new die cutting machine made its debut at the show, and the company unveiled plans for a laser die cutting module designed to integrate with existing converting and printing lines.

Mike Bacon, VP sales and marketing, commented: “Because you eliminate the time and cost for tool production, laser cutting, especially with the advanced software engineering in Spartanics Finecut models, has always provided faster turnaround for short run jobs. Now, with speeds of up to 125m/min, they are the cutting tool of choice, especially for label applications with adhesive layers which literally gum up the works of tool based cutting systems.

“Not having sharp corners has been an issue in the past,” said Mr Bacon. “But now you don’t have to pause, and the laser stops at the exact point without burn-through. We don’t use any dies at all: the file goes into the machine and the software takes over, thus eliminating an expensive step.”

Award winner

EFI was named the winner of the Label Industry Award for New Innovation at a gala dinner during the show. The judging panel praised the company’s pioneering developments in inkjet printing technology and software, which have seen the Jetrion 4000 UV system become a full-colour narrow web alternative to toner based digital printers. With installations around the globe, it has ‘broken down cost barriers to allow brand owners to take advantage of the opportunities offered by digital technology’.

At the show, EFI also announced the launch of its Jetrion 4830 inkjet system. With a wider web width and faster linear speeds, the 4830 increases throughput by over two times compared with the 4000. Powered by the Fiery XF RIP, the new system provides ‘seamless workflow integration’ and is capable of advanced spot colour matching. Its white ink capability enables printing on clear film.


Labels printed with water based nks produced on Domino's prototype model of its 4-colour digital label press Domino Durst launched the Tau 150 digital inkjet label printing press Tau Omet's new X-Jet 430 digital print engine on the X-Flex machine Omet The Xeikon 3300 has a 'one-pass' opaque white to create a 'no-label' look on transparent labels Xeikon Distorted images on shrink sleeves could be a thing of the past, now that EskoArtwork plans to introduce Studio Toolkit for Shrink Sleeves EskoArtwork BST's PowerScope 4000 web inspction system made its world debut at Labelexpo Europe this year BST AVT presented a new 'comprehensive' solution for on-line verification of barcodes AVT Sun Chemical not only supplies a large range of inks, it also offers consultation services to printers Sun Chemical

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Labelexpo Europe
EskoArtwork
Domino
Durst
Xeikon
Omet
BST
Unilux
AVT
Mirage Inks
Sun Chemical
Spartanics
EFI

Domino Domino
Sun Chemical Sun Chemical
Omet Omet
Xeikon Xeikon
EskoArtwork EskoArtwork
Tau Tau
BST BST
AVT AVT


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