Basic HTML Version
WHAT WILL
THE
FUTURE
BRING
?
FACTORS
TO
CONSIDER
Put together, the key challenge today for any label printer is to
decide what his new label printing press investment will be this
year, next year or the year after. Will it be another conventional
UV flexo analogue press? Or maybe an offset or combination
process press? Some converters are perhaps still deciding
whether to go digital. If so, will the investment be in toner or
inkjet technologies?
In the past, the decision, which press to invest in was perhaps
rather simpler. Today there are even more factors to be
considered – even with conventional analogue press
technology. A press’s environmental footprint and energy
consumption might be an important factor. So might the press
colour gamut and the number of colours or print stations
available on the press.
What added-value finishing options are available? What
inspection or control technology is required on the press?
What kind of output speed is demanded for the type of work
being produced? How long does the press require to
changeover from one job to another? Does the converter want
to print other products as well as labels, such as flexible
packaging, tube laminates, folding cartons, sachets, etc. These
factors may well influence press investment. Each of the main
press manufacturers undoubtedly has their own technology
variations and solutions they wish to promote and offer.
GOING
DIGITAL
:
ADDITIONAL
FACTORS
When it comes to investing in digital there are various other
factors to be considered as well as just investment in a press.
Digital printing is all about new ways of working. It’s about
enhanced colour management. It’s about making decisions
whether to go conventional or digital as late as possible. What
throughput of different jobs can be handled each day without
getting bogged down in administration and paperwork? All
these factors are likely to require more sophisticated
Management Information Systems (MIS). Yet another key
investment decision to be made.
Then there is the additional challenge with digital of what dpi
resolution to go for; does the work produced need a white ink
in one of the printing heads; does the press have an extended
colour gamut. Press running speeds between all the digital
label press technologies also vary quite considerably. How
important is speed with many short-run job changes?
Go digital and the converter also needs to decide whether to
invest in in-line or off-line finishing. If in-line, every job change
may mean a press stop to change cutting dies. If there are
multiple short run jobs to be produced the die-changes can
take up a considerable part of the press day and offer reduced
press running time. That means reduced output and potentially
lower profitability. Off-line finishing can mean that one
finishing line can handle the output of several digital presses, so
maximizing press production time.
Another finishing investment option for the label converter
might be laser die-cutting; a higher-cost investment, but
offering significant benefits where multiple short runs are
required each day. Used with say, inkjet, laser cutting
technology combined with inkjet (or Xeikon) technology
where there is no fixed repeat length, offers the exciting
potential of batching jobs across or along the web for
maximum economics and performance.
ACCELERATING
CHANGES
IN
TECHNOLOGY
:
WHAT
IS
THERE
TO
SEE
AT
LABELEXPO
EUROPE
2013
?
Looking back, it seems that
more changes in printing
technology particularly for
self-adhesive label printing
processes and technologies have occurred over the past 50
years than at any other period in the last 400 years. Even today,
change in label printing and converting technology is still
continuing to take place. This will become evident at
Labelexpo Europe this year, where new makes and models of
label presses will be launched, including ever more printing
machinery emanating from Asia and the world of digital
printing technology.
Currently there are in excess of 500 exhibitors scheduled for
Labelexpo in September. All the major conventional press
manufacturers will of course be there, from Gallus, Nilpeter
and Mark Andy, to Edale, MPS, Omet, Rotatek, Gidue, and a
60
FINAT YEARBOOK
2013
|