The new digital corrugated press from Bobst
Digital press manufacturers are gearing up for the battle of the corrugated market, in both the pre- and post-print sectors. As more news emerges on some of the bigger players, we take a look at what’s on offer and what’s on the horizon. By Neel Madsen.
One clear signal that digital print for corrugated is now regarded as a viable technology could be observed last month in Barcelona when the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers (FEFCO) met for its biannual technical seminar. Under the title, ‘Corrugated 4.0: Smart factories for flexibility and efficiency’ 958 attendees (up by 23% from 2013) and 76 exhibitors gathered to debate technology, sustainability and efficiency. Digital featured high on the agenda alongside conventional technologies with Bobst, Durst and HP giving presentations on their latest developments which are pushing the boundaries in this market.
President Roberto Villaquiran urged the industry to think about how new technologies could help create better, more sustainable products, at a lower cost. He said, ‘Our production and processes will aim at highest quality as we serve our customers and respond to their demand for zero defects. We and our suppliers need to focus on a safe environment for our employees, for the benefit of all. However, we can’t manage our future without suppliers that understand and support a need for change. Let’s use Corrugated 4.0 to step up our technology base so that we can meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.’
Gold for water
Bobst used the seminar to share more details on its corrugated digital press for post-print. Jakob Bovin, marketing director digital printing, corrugated board, gave a presentation, ‘The digital print revolution’ during which he explained how the technology will impact the converting processes. This convinced FEFCO to award gold in the Best Innovation category.
Incorporating by Kodak’s Stream inkjet technology, the press is a stack to stack machine that can be integrated into corrugated plants’ existing logistics systems. It has a pre-coating unit to widen the types of printable substrates.
Mr Bovin explained, ‘By using Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology utilising aqueos based inks, our press can continuously deliver over 50 billion ink drops per second from its four, CMYK, print units. We can match a very broad range of the Pantone gamut and print at speeds of up to 200 meters per minute. The press delivers very high print quality, with a print resolution of 600 x 900 dpi. We have designed a brand new vacuum belt sheet transport system in order to guarantee the registration accuracy needed when printing at such high resolutions and high speeds. The press also incorporates our Bobst iQ400 quality control system and an ejection process for any non-conforming products.’
The press is currently being beta tested at two European corrugated box plants, Model AG in Switzerland and Schumacher Packaging in Germany. The company said that two more beta installation will take place in 2016.
More water
Durst was also present at the seminar and won the bronze award for Best Innovation. Wolfram Verwüster, global segment manager corrugated packaging & displays, spoke about how digital has already changed industrial markets during his presentation, where he introduced the new Durst Water Technology digital press for corrugated.
First seen at Fespa earlier this year, new Water Technology is described as ‘a long-term strategy designed to offer digital printing systems with water-based inks as an alternative to solely UV and solvent-based printing systems.’ The new press is due to go into testing at a leading corrugated plant at the beginning of next year. This will be followed by the official launch at drupa 2016.
‘We are extremely excited about the positive feedback from the corrugated board industry and the award from the expert FEFCO judges,’ said Mr Verwüster. ‘Durst Water Technology has already been implemented in various areas of the Durst Group. We have the expertise needed in single-pass technology, which we have been using successfully since 2005 in our ceramic printing systems. Our development teams combine all of the techniques here to offer a sustainable and powerful solution for the corrugated cardboard industry too, delivering a product that is odour-neutral, environmentally compatible and offers high printing quality.’
Sun Automation CorrStream press
Wider and wider
HP also explained its strategy for corrugated at the seminar. It has recently focused on implementing its scalable PageWide technology in the corrugated sector, launching the T series of web presses for pre-print liner.
The HP WideWeb Press T400S and T1100s are both simplex colour presses running at 183 m/min. A T400S was installed earlier this year at DS Smith Belper, which was chosen as a test site and also as a digital pre-print R&D centre for HP.
The larger 2.8 metre wide T1100s has been developed together with KBA and is due to be shown at an exclusive event in Germany in December where Digital Labels & Packaging will be present. A report will follow in the first issue of 2016.
The company also has the Scitex 15500 corrugated press for printing displays, retail-ready packaging and other short run corrugated applications. This was introduced in spring and features a new media handling system – the HP Scitex Corrugated Grip – and new low-odour inks.
The sun still shines
Sun Automation Group was also present at the FEFCO seminar, showing its CorrStream range of digital presses for post-print corrugated applications.
The company has just announced that its first beta installation of the CorrStream66 press is about to go into a UK facility. The wide series 66 machine is the company’s flagship model. Printing at widths of up to 1345 mm and capable of 1600 mm width sheet (3000 length), the machines is designed to offer the complete solution to corrugated convertors at conventional sheet per hour speeds.
Sean Moloney, global product manager for the CorrStream range, said, ‘We are only at the foothills of what is about to hit the corrugated industry in coming months and years in everything from the devices themselves, through the supply chain all the way to added value merchandising and online promotions.’
He continued, ‘It is fantastic to see industrial inkjet take to the stage in the corrugated packaging space. We look forward to demonstrating not only the printing capabilities of CorrStream but also the business opportunities that exist as corrugated enters a new era in how it is used in the supply chain and on shelf.’
