Page 35 - Packaging News Magazine May-June 2020

May-June 2020 | www.packagingnews.com.au | PACK & LABEL PRINTING
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blueprint for customers to create a digital print factory so they can stay ahead of the curve and deliver a wider range of jobs faster, with less labour, all while keeping the envi- ronment top of mind.”
Bar-Shany cited five key drivers in HP Indigo’s thinking for labels and packaging: the dramatically shrink- ing time from concept to market; the surge of craft food and beverage pro- ducers; the need for higher shelf appeal; the demand for sustainable packaging; and the need for brand protection.
He said, “Colour is critical, work- flows need to be automated, and sus- tainability is a necessity. The new HP Indigo label and packaging presses deliver on all these.”
DRUPA LABEL PRESS LAUNCHES
In label presses, drupa will see the launch of the new HP Indigo 6K and HP Indigo 8K. The HP Indigo 6K Digital Press is the new model in the HP Indigo 6000 series, and will have inline varnishing.
HP says the new press can deliver more applications, using higher opacity white for shrink sleeves, new inks including silver, fluorescents, invisible red and green for brand pro- tection applications, and new var- nishes from leading partners for higher durability.
The HP Indigo 8K offers increased productivity, reduced waste and eas- ier transitioning between media types and jobs.
According to HP, the new HP
Indigo V12 Digital Press is poised to disrupt the label market ecosystem by making significant production volumes a reality for operators. The press will run on a new LEPX technology.
Bar-Shany said, “The V12 is the biggest breakthrough in digital printing since the launch of Indigo in 1993. It will run at 120 metres a minute at 1600dpi with 12 colours in a 340mm web width.”
The V12 has inline priming, with printing coming via six inline imag- ing engines and a central blanket rather than the conventional central impression drum, to offer 120m/min in six-colours on substrates from 12mic film to 450gsm board.
Due for release in two years’ time the V12 is not a concept, Bar-Shany said, “We have built three models, which are currently in beta testing.”
Key benefits to be offered by the HP Indigo V12 Digital Press include printing up to six colours at 120 linear metres per minute, using six inline imaging engines running simultaneously. It will produce up to 130,000 linear metres per day with one operator. A new high-definition imaging system offers native to 1600 dpi resolution. Inks can be changed on the fly to create any combination of colours. It will print on a large range of digital label printing sub- strates, from 12 micron film to 450 micron (18pt) board. It supports pressure-sensitive, sleeves, flexi- ble packaging, tubes, and in-mould
ABOVE: HP’s specialised presses can print on a wide range of substrates.
LEFT: The HP Indigo V12
labels. One-pass, high-speed fin- ishing capabilities will be pro- vided by AB Graphic.
Rennell of the Currie Group said, “With this announcement, HP Indigo has delivered label printers a digital future with new release products and set forward the future direction for digital printing of labels.”
MORE FOR PACKAGING
In flexible printing HP is launching the HP Indigo 25K, which super- sedes the 20000. HP says it provides improved total cost of ownership to help labels and flexible packaging converters grow profitably, deliver- ing on-demand flexible packaging.
He said fibre-based packaging was back in vogue thanks to its recyclabil- ity and pointed to the new carton presses: the HP Indigo 35K and the HP Indigo 90K. The 35K succeeds the 30000, while the new 90K is for B1+ sized carton printing, with a reel to sheet pathway.
HP is also launching a new colour automation solution, Spot Master, which Bar-Shany said will enable converters to reach brand colours within three minutes. It will be available for the HP Indigo 35K, 25K, 6K and 8K presses.
The company said Spot Master enables converters to deliver high colour consistency and uniformity across the print frame using a new patented algorithm for colour match- ing, ensuring every package looks the same no matter when or where it was printed. ■
“The world is full of good news and bad news. Our job is to turn that into opportunity, which the new range of print solutions does.”
— Alon Bar-Shany, HP Indigo