Product Highlights From Labelexpo Americas 2012

Labelexpo Americas 2012 was a very successful show by any account. A steady parade of show attendees were treated to a wide array of new products and technology demonstrations. A major highlight of the show, the Label Industry Global Awards 2012, took place on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.

Steve Lee, vice president of technology at RotoMetrics, was honored with the prestigious R Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award. Over a 35 year career, Lee has been a pioneering force in the design and manufacture of rotary tooling. The judging panel commended Lee for being instrumental in growing RotoMetrics from a small, low-tech die supplier in a fledgling industry into a global, full-service supplier of a broad portfolio of products designed around converter needs.

The Label Industry Award for Continuous Innovation went to Stork Prints for its long-standing record of innovation that adds significant value to its customers' processes and products. The Label Industry Award for New Innovation was presented to Advanced Vision Technology (AVT). AVT took the award for its SpectraLab, a new add-on module to the AVT inspection platforms.

Baumgarten Grafica Ltd took the Converter Award for Sustainability/Environmental Responsibility. A major player in the Brazilian label and package printing market, the company has put sustainability at the heart of its business.

Avery Dennison took the Green Award in recognition of its company-wide drive to make its products and manufacturing process more environmentally friendly. Championing sustainability, the company has introduced a number of initiatives to increase recycling compatibility for the pressure sensitive adhesive market.

The following is a snapshot of just some of the news, products, and technologies that were on display at this year's show.

Advanced Vision Technology (AVT) showcased its SpectraLab, a new add-on module to the Helios II family that features in-line spectral measurements according to the international ISO standards. It provides absolute color measurements, L*a*b*, and density readings to match with brand owner's color standards.

Allen Datagraph Systems Inc. (ADSI) showed its iTech CENTRA HS Digital Label System, a complete digital solution built to efficiently manufacture label runs of 1,000 to 3,000 feet of substrate. It is an LED toner printer that images consumer-quality labels with durable, consistent color at speeds up to 30 fpm.

Anderson & Vreeland showed the new FlexoJet 1712, manufactured by DigiFlex. This technology transforms analog flexo plates into digital plates, eliminating the need for negatives or expensive laser platemaking systems.

Avery Dennison demonstrated a variety of new products and technologies, including: Prime Film Portfolio of clear, white, and metalized facestocks; Avery Dennison TurnLock™ Laminating System, a durable film technology that combines facestock and overlaminate rolls; Wash-Off label that cleanly curls and releases with no adhesive residue from a glass bottle; and MultiCycle™ labels, which allow for more than 30 cycles through the glass returnable system.

Bunting Magnetics Co. featured its magnetic spiral cylinders designed specifically to securely hold magnetic dies. The company also partnered with Xeikon to demonstrate the effectiveness and versatility of magnetic cylinders and dies in digital printing.

Durst launched its new Tau 330 UV inkjet press, which is available in two print widths—7.8˝ and 13˝—with a maximum printing speed of 157 fpm. Its standard color configuration of CMYK can be complemented with optional white and two optional process colors orange and violet. The company also announced the availability of its first solvent-free metallic silver UV ink.

EFI unveiled the new Jetrion® 4900M UV digital inkjet printing system, which offers a modular platform that can provide the flexibility of industrial inline web finishing. EFI is also announcing the 4900M-330, which features a 13˝ print width for increased productivity and an expanded range of applications.

The EPSON® SurePress® L-4033AW from Epson America made its North American debut. It features EPSON SurePress AQ 7-color ink technology with white ink, offering top print quality and accurate color reproduction on a wide variety of substrates without pre-coating or treatment.

Esko demonstrated its PantoneLIVE™ support within its workflows. PantoneLIVE delivers an end-to-end color management and color communication solution that addresses the needs and requirements of every discipline within the packaging supply chain. Esko's Suite 12 was also on display showing enhanced process integration features from design to press.

ETI Converting Equipment demonstrated a Cohesio machine equipped with its new Miniliner technology. Miniliner uses film or paper-based substrates to substantially reduce release liner waste and can be retrofitted to existing Cohesio technology.

ExxonMobile Chemical launched several new LabelLyte™ film products. Label-Lyte 52LLC210 is a clear, lightweight oriented polyolefin film offering excellent conformability. Label-Lyte 65LT500 thermal transfer (TTR) film is designed for demanding applications such as consumer durables and household chemicals. Label-Lyte 40LL539 is a clear, two-side-coated OPP film that allows down-gauging opportunities with a no-label look.

Flint Group Narrow Web showed new products including: EkoCure™, high-performance Flexo and Rotary Screen inks that use bio-renewable resin technology and specially selected photo initiators for UV LED curing; Flex2Screen™, that can be converted from UV Flexo ink to UV Rotary Screen ink; and Flexocure ANCORA™, a low-migration UV Flexo ink designed specifically for food packaging applications. Flint Group Flexographic Products showed its new nyloflex® ACE NEW printing plates.

Flint Group Narrow Web, Mark Andy, and Phoseon Technology have partnered to advance the use of UV LED curing technology. Systems incorporate Flint's EkoCure™ inks with Phoseon's FirePower™ 16 W/sq. cm. LED units on Mark Andy P5 Performance Series presses.

Around a theme of "success and security for the label printer," Gallus joined forces with Heidelberg to showcase the job-optimized manufacture of labels in a hybrid production environment. Built around the Gallus Print Shop, the demonstration consisted of a Gallus ECS 340 flexographic press, a Heidelberg Linoprint L digital press, and a Gallus ECS C converting system. Three different production paths showed conventional label production, fully digital production, and mixed usage of both technologies within a single print job.

GMG OpenColor can create predictable proofs of offset, flexo, and gravure prints. It allows for color-accurate reproductions of printing processes that use spot colors and multicolor separations with more than the traditional CMYK. GMG OpenColor simulates spot color overprints to create high-quality multicolor profiles predicting the printing behavior of diverse printing technologies, media types, and screenings.

Harper Corp. of America demonstrated its Extreme Digital Imaging (XDI™) technology and its XLT 60° geometry, which is now HD certified by Esko. In addition to the XLT, Harper displayed the XTR and KatRon open cell geometries for printers with specialty applications.

HP showcased its HP Indigo WS6600 Digital Press with the Enhanced Productivity Mode and optional Inline Priming (ILP) unit. HP says that about 70 percent of WS6600s that have been shipped include the ILP unit. New features include an additional primer for the press's ILP Unit and a SecurePack System that help expand the press's range of applications. In addition, HP announced three beta customers for its 30-inch HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press, including Innovative Labeling Solutions (ILS), Belmark, and Shere Print.

Hybrid Software announced partnerships with OKI Data Americas and Xeikon to provide full production management for digital label printers including order management, production ticketing, graphics management, production output, archiving, and reporting. The company also announced the worldwide launch of Pipeline v2.0, an integration application that allows users to share job information from a wide range of otherwise disconnected graphic arts production systems.

INX International Ink Co. introduced the NW140 UV digital narrow web press with inline laser cutting from Spartanics, the new AquaTech ION™ Label ink systems, and the latest in the INXFlex™ line of UV flexographic products, including advances in LED, Low Migration, and High Shrink inks. The NW140 UV press employs an air-cooled UV LED pinning system from Integration Technology Ltd., and Phoseon Technology's FireLine 225 UV-LED curing system.

The Kodak Flexcel NX System and the recently launched Kodak Flexcel Direct System were shown at the Kodak booth. The Flexcel Direct System uses energy-efficient, high-power direct laser engraving to produce press-ready elastomer sleeves and flat plates.

MACtac Printing Products introduced its latest advanced adhesive technology with MACtac PUREtac CL216, an optically clear adhesive specifically designed for applications in health, beauty, food, beverage, and household cleaner products. The company also enhanced its INDIE® line of certified stocks for HP Indigo by expanding its product offerings to include MACtac's patented non-ooze MP910 adhesive.

Mark Andy launched its newest product, the Mark Andy SRL 4.0 digital label printer, which is positioned for converters seeking an economical option for short-run, high-quality labels. It is a roll-fed, full-color (CMYK) toner-based printing machine that accommodates 8.5˝ to 12.6˝ web widths and can print on a variety of qualified materials with no pre-coated substrate requirements. The company also unveiled its latest diecutting innovation, QCDC - Quick Change Die Cut converting platform. It allows for dies to be quickly loaded and automatically registered with servo technology.

Meech International launched its CyClean™, a compact, non-contact web-cleaning system with a clam shell design that is ideal for coating, labeling, and laminating applications. A double-sided blow and vacuum-based system that flows contaminants into an inline filter unit, it delivers a very high cleaning levels, while requiring practically no maintenance.

Muller Martini's Variable Sleeve Offset Printing press (VSOP) provides a one-stop solution for a variety of packaging needs. The VSOP features sleeve technology that allows print sizes to be changed without having to remove entire inserts.

Nilpeter introduced two new printing presses and added features for the CASLON Inkjet color printing module. FB-3 handles both short and long runs of high-quality self-adhesive labels at top speeds of 750 fpm. The maximum web width is 13.75˝ offering flexo repeat lengths of 7.5 to 25 inches. The newly designed FA-4* has a maximum web width of 16.5˝, an extra short web path, and a top speed of 574 fpm. The CASLON InkJet module, developed jointly with FFEI, now offers an optional spot-color unit that enhances the module's printing capabilities.

Omet launched the XFlex X6 all-in-one-pass multi-process press in 20˝ width. It is an all-substrate press that provides reduced waste, minimized set-up times, and quick job changeovers, plus advanced register controls, top-technology waste stripping, and diecutting.

With the theme of "take the label to the limit," UPM Raflatac debuted several new products and services. New offerings include thin-film labelstocks that reduce waste and increase efficiency; print-on-demand paper and film products that dry instantly on presses after inks are applied; and new Specials labeling solutions for pharmaceutical, security, durables, and tire applications.

Rotoflex offered its re-designed VSI and VLI inspection rewinder models at Labelexpo. The VSI is an economical system that has been upgraded with new tension controls. The VLI has a new drive control system and incorporates a wide format for challenging film, flexible packaging, and specialty substrate applications.

Stork Prints showed its DSI® UV inkjet printer, which features a modular concept for short- and medium-run digital label printing. It comes with four print heads as standard, although an additional six can be added to enable options like digital white, digital primer, and an extended color gamut. Printing widths range from 5.3˝ to the standard 13.0˝ or as wide as 20.8 inches.

Sun Chemical featured its full range of solutions for the narrow-web tag and label market, from inks and coatings to brand protection, high-definition digital plate technology, and a dispenser program that can lower ink spend by up to 45 percent. A GFI Mx12 Hybrid Dispenser demonstrated how the Sun Chemical Dispenser Program allows printers to mix the exact amount of inks they need to reduce their inventory and waste. Security ink solutions included an infrared coding solution called Verigard™, a security system that adds a small quantity of taggants to inks, varnishes, or coatings for use in any print process on any substrate.

Unilux introduced its LED-Series 2000 family of LED strobes. According to Mike Simonis, president of Unilux, the new lights are five times brighter than its first generation of LED strobes, which gives them the same lighting performance as xenon-based lights with only 25 to 35 percent of the power consumption. The new LED-Series 2000 strobes are also about one-third the size of the traditional equivalent.

Xeikon introduced Xeikon Vectorizor, a new software add-on to the Xeikon X-800 digital front-end that provides communication with laser diecutting devices. The integration of Xeikon digital press technology and laser diecutting devices creates new opportunities to further automate label production. Xeikon and Hybrid Software demonstrated a Web2Label Production set up for short-run labels.

xpedx® exhibited its flexography capabilities featuring both MacDermid Lava and Kodak Flexcel NX flexo plate technologies. Supporting the plate technology, xpedx provided label and packaging proofs with an Epson WT 7900 inkjet proofer and performed prototype finishing on Esko's Kongsberg iCut table. pP

(Editor's Note: In the August issue of packagePRINTING on pages 58 and 60, the pictures for Stork Prints's DSI printer and ADSI's iTech Centra HS were inadvertently switched. The correct pictures are shown in this review.)