Xeikon has developed a fuser drum, which has a flexible outer layer to help to produce smooth and consistent print on uneven and textured media.
The new technology means that high quality digital carton printing on a wide range of materials, including recycled board stocks, is now possible.
Named the Alpine 516, the fuser drum is part of the company’s Folding Carton Suite. From June 2013 it will be offered as an option for the two 508 mm wide printing presses in the Xeikon 3000 Series, the Xeikon 3050 and Xeikon 3500. These presses can print B2 and longer formats on board for folding carton. The Alpine 516 fuser drum can be ordered with new machines or retrofitted to existing installations.
Jeroen Van Bauwel, director of product management at Xeikon, explained, ‘The standard fuser drum has a hard surface, so if you have a structured substrate, there is a chance that it only contacts the raised areas, which may result in an uneven gloss level. The Alpine fuser drum has a softer, rubber-like coating, which can adapt to the form of the surface and create a uniform look and feel on challenging substrates.’
Print speeds are unchanged with the new drum, which can be used with conventional smooth surfaced card substrates and papers, as well as with the rougher textured surfaces.
Mr Van Bauwel, added, ‘The Alpine fuser drum really widens the range of carton materials that can be printed within the Xeikon Folding Carton Suite. Deliveries of the first drums will start in June 2013.’
