Page 49 - Print21 Nov-Dec 2019

Finishing
Tactile features
The leading area of focus is in enhanced embossing and tactile features. There are many ways
that suppliers exploit the physical tactile nature of print. Mechanical embossing to raise parts of a surface is well established, but leveraging inkjet processes is creating new options.
One pioneer in this segment is Israeli company Scodix – supplied in Australia and New Zealand by Currie Group – with its inkjet-based digital embellishment machines. They operate by laying down a variable thickness of UV-curable modified acrylic varnishes with silicone-based additives. Multiple layers can be printed in position, with the Scodix Variable Density platform allowing variable polymer thicknesses in a single pass.
These are marketed as a lower-cost flexible alternative to embossing in commercial print products, often using web-to-print systems, for
book publishing and photobooks; and folding cartons for higher value segments, like cosmetics.
At the start of 2018 Scodix was able to report over 300 installations worldwide. Its latest model is the E106, a B1-format machine offering spot varnishing, dimensional effects, foiling, metallics, 3D-holographic cast and cure effects, crystal effects, glittering and Braille print – all with full-variable data capability.
Other spot varnishing systems
for dimensional and tactile effects are being developed. MGI sells
the JetVarnish 3D Evolution – supplied here by Konica Minolta’s Industrial Print Division – capable of finishing 4,200 B2 sheets per hour. This can give digital and
offset printer operators a scalable upgrade path for a full range of production environments and post- press applications. The machine applies Spot UV coating with the aim of producing vivid and tactile applications with a variety of 2D and 3D effects. It prints onto substrates from 135gsm-450gsm.
At the more entry level investment scale there is the Duplo DuSense DDC-810 Sensory Coater, which is a compact embellishment inkjet used to print clear UV spot varnish, with the option of raised and textured finishes that resemble embossing. It can take sheets up to long B3 format (364x740mm) and register the spot coating to pre-printed images. It is essentially a single-colour, single- pass inkjet printer with 600dpi head arrays. It can produce variable-height effects of 20-80 micron thicknesses
in the same pass. Neopost (soon
to be Quadient) is the supplier for Australia. It is compact and therefore will fit easily into most SRA3 print shops. Maximum sheet size is 364x740mm, so ‘long’ digital sizes can be accommodated, or B2 offset sheets cut in half. It all runs from a Windows PC with an intuitive GUI.
“The leading area of focus is in enhanced embossing and tactile features. There are many ways that suppliers exploit the physical tactile nature of print.”
Sweet spot volumes are between one and 750 copies – more than enough for today’s market. Registration within + or – 0.2mm is achieved by using cameras and register marks. Maximum stock weight is around 450gsm.
Argos, Komfi Spotmatic, Autobond and Steinemann are also providing enhanced spot varnishing machinery.
Metallic effects
A parallel development, which can be combined with tactile print, is digital post-press metallic enhancement. This works as an alternative to established cold foiling processes, with inkjet or toner laying down a programmed pattern with a cold
foil then pressed onto it. Prominent systems in this arena include
the Digital Metal platform from Leonhard Kurz, and the iFoil feature on MGI’s JETvarnish machine.
The Kurz DM-Liner transfers a metal layer, producing a high gloss finish. It comes configured for
SRA3 or B2 paper sizes and can be purchased as sheetfed or roll-to-roll.
“Thanks to the digital technology, variable data such as serial numbering, variable barcodes or personalisation can be combined to
deliver a refined metallic look,” says Kurz Australia managing director Stephen Pratt.
The DM-Liner is designed for applications including labels, flyers and brochures, invitations and direct mail, packaging, greeting cards, photo books, and calendars.
“The process is suitable not only for metallising individual elements on the print product, but can also be combined with colour over-printing to create exclusive designs and works just as well on fine line detail as it does on broad surfaces”, Pratt says. “For example, the finished surface can be overprinted in colour to produce a wide variety of luminous metallic colours. Alternatively, the metal transfer can be performed after the colour printing to add last minute individualised elements to the print product.
“As Kurz Digital Metal foils are fully over printable, you only need to carry a limited number of foils to cover most applications,” Pratt says.
The digital metal foil transferred in the process is currently available in gold, silver, digital diffraction, holographic, and clear.
Digital embossing and hot foil stamping is also available as an option on the MGI JetVarnish 3D with iFoil solution. This means the possibility of the personalisation of embossed hot foil. Through a digital process, the iFoil eliminates the need for films, dies and makeready, allowing the production of hot
foil stamping and embossing jobs from one to thousands of sheets. Applications include magazine covers, books, brochures, labels, invitations, and packaging.
Effects include embossing and debossing, multiple coloured foils applied in one pass (up to three colours, variable data printing (VDP) on hot foil stamping and/or spot
UV coating (text or image) foil on foil, and foil and emboss on plastic including on polypropylene.
For printers the new options in digital finishing are all welcome. 21
Vivid and tactile applications: the digital MGI JetVarnish
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