InfiniStream print unit
Océ has been making steady progress on its InfiniStream digital carton press and is in the process of installing a system at its comprehensive Customer Experience Centre in Poing, close to Munich. Sean Smyth talked with Roland Stasiczek, marketing director for continuous feed printers, who is responsible for the machine.
The company is very pleased with the progress being made to date and announced that the first installation into an unnamed customer was planned for the summer.
The quality of cartons on a range of boards looked very good and the liquid toner can be varnished, foiled and finished in the same way as a standard offset print. Testing the toner for compliance with the key food safety requirements is taking place, while the imaging quality and consistency is being improved. The liquid toner is applied wet-on-wet with electrostatics assisting the transfer at high speeds.
Océ is also looking forward. While Mr Stasiczek is concentrating on bringing the first systems to the market, he noted that the technology is capable of improved performance in time, and such improvements should be offered to any presses installed when the time is right.
Even with the initial specification, the InfiniStream is an impressive device, promising 14,000 x B2 sheets per hour in up to seven colours, or half that number in B1 format. This is the first digital press that offers a similar level of productivity to traditional sheetfed litho aimed at cartons. While the economics have not been finalized, the company suggests the InfiniStream will sell at a similar level to a sheetfed alternative, and be cost effective for runs up to 5,000 x B1 sheets. If it succeeds, there are many carton converters who will find the new technology hugely useful in developing new products and improving levels of service.
