Afinia Label has debuted what it is claiming as the world’s first desktop flexible packaging press, with FP-230 building on technology introduced last year.
The Afinia FP-230 is a desktop system with a maximum media width of 230mm. Based on the Afinia L901 Plus inkjet printer, the system utilises Memjet’s Versapass DN technology to produce vibrant full colour prints at 1600dpi, with a maximum speed of 18m/min. The water-based CMYK inks are approved for food packaging when combined with inline cold lamination. The system has been designed for use with Sihl’s Artysio packaging films.
Printed, laminated and rewound rolls are then able to be fed into a VFFS/HFFS machine, such as the Multipak Rapid 190 VFFS bagging machine from Iris Packaging, to create on-demand flexible packaging. Multipak Rapid 190 can produce bag widths up to 190mm, bag lengths up to 230mm, and produce up to 100 bags per minute. On the HD Labels stand at Packaging Innovations this week (26-27 February), the full system was being demonstrated to converters and end users. The latter group is seen as a particular target area for the technology for in-house production, prototyping, test marketing, etc..
Afinia Label and Sihl have previously partnered to introduce digital flexible package printing technology for the short run narrow web market. As shown at Labelexpo Europe 2019 in Brussels, an Afinia L901 printed a 230mm-wide roll of Sihl Artysio packaging film at 9m/min and 1600dpi, followed by inline cold lamination. It was then shown running on a VFFS system.
The latest generation of the system has been streamlined and simplified to provide an upgraded option to produce short runs of on-demand, narrow web flexible packaging, as Joe Collins, responsible for technical sales at Afinia Label, explained. ‘As companies have focused on things like reducing waste, smaller production runs, and increasing personalisation in recent years, the need for an on-demand flexible packaging solution has grown significantly.’
He continued, ‘Our ground-breaking solution is low investment and empowers the user with full control of their own production, putting an end to minimum order restrictions and long lead times. Users can take a roll of blank Artysio film and go from print to pack in minutes, opening the door to endless opportunities.’
