Here, we report on the digital corrugated printing technologies that have been and continue to be developed for the next stage of digital package printing and converting.

In corrugated, the partnership between Koenig & Bauer and Durst sees CorruJET 170 developed as a system for digital post-printing on corrugated board. CorruJET can print at 5500sph, using an aqueous CMYK inkset, and at a resolution of 1200 x 600dpi. It can handle corrugated board up to a thickness of 8mm. The Delta SPC 130 FlexLine is available in up to six colors, printing maximum board sizes of 2.8 x 1.3m and handling a maximum material thickness of 8mm (B/C flute). 800 x 600dpi and 600 x 600dpi resolutions allow maximum printing speeds of 80m/min and 120m/min.

Using Durst Water Technology, it is certified for primary and secondary food packaging applications.

‘Inkjet technology is quite new for the corrugated industry,’ notes EFI, which helped innovate the market for direct-to-board digital corrugated printing with the Nozomi C18000.

This platform has evolved since its introduction and will continue to do so to better fit all market segments. For example, three modes now exist to optimise print quality and ink consumption – Photo, POP and Eco –, while rumours persist of a broadened range of applications, including folding cartons and flexibles.

While EFI (Nozomi), Barberan (Jetmaster), Fujifilm (Onset) and others are already active and established in digital corrugated printing, a number of others are set to enter the market.

Inkjet label printing specialist Screen has been working with BHS Corrugated since 2016 to develop a water-based inkjet printing option capable of delivering high-speed throughput of 300m/min at widths of up to 2.8m. The partners are creating the system in response to growing demand in the shelf-ready packaging and full-colour corrugated board markets.

Domino’s corrugated machine, X630i, prints at 70m/min using an aqueous CMYK inkset. It offers a 600 x 600dpi native resolution. Spain’s Macarbox is also developing its DPM press, while Xeikon’s entry into the sector is an inkjet-based system, now confirmed as Idera, building on its existing footprint in inkjet digital printing of labels.

AstroNova’s T3-OPX is a next-generation overprinting system for high-quality, full-colour printing directly onto materials with ink-receptive surfaces such as cardboard, postcards, boxes, paper bags, wooden planks, filled blister envelopes, and folded boxes ready for shipment. Featuring pigmented inks, T3-OPX is another Memjet-based system.

HP is also active in the corrugated printing market, with its PageWide industrial presses, C500, T1100 Series and T400S, for digital pre- and post-print applications

Read about the latest technological developments in digital folding carton printing here

Read about the latest technological developments in digital flexible package printing here

Read about the latest technological developments in digital label printing here

Read about the latest technological developments in finishing and converting here

 

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