Digital Digest

Package printers have platefuls of digital printing options to plow through.

by Susan Friedman

Heads up! Digital printing developments are hurtling past from all angles...aiming for the heart of package printing needs. The quickest way to the heart may be through the stomach, but what mix of ingredients will tempt converters to pick up their forks and truly dig into digital printing with gusto?

Here's a look at what's bubbling on the stove in suppliers' test kitchens...as well as what's already served and steaming on packaging's table.

Nilpeter's DL 3300, which runs on Xeikon's electrophotographic simplex print engine, has doubled its speed to run at 24 fpm or 48 fpm. A fifth station for laying down opaque white has been added for printing on clear film or foil.

Indigo has adapted its liquid ink-based Omnius One Shot Color press technology to substrate management systems for labels and flexibles, and added a graphic attachment for plastic cards.

Agfa's packaging-oriented Chromapress 32Si is a single-sided, or simplex, five-color system that uses a Xeikon engine and Agfa IntelliStream front-end to print widths to 12.6" at 50 fpm.

Xeikon's DCP/50 SP for printing on paperboard up to 18 pt. and its DCP/50 SF for printing on flexible films, label stock, and other flexible materials offer a web width of 19.75" and an infinitely variable cutoff.

Chromas Technologies has worked steadily with the Digital Label Alliance, a collective partnership of 16 converters, to commercialize a technology that not will only place digital printing in-line with flexographic printing—eliminating plate changes for variable information or colors—but will also permit a fully digital job to be printed on the fly within a traditional flexo press configuration.

"Combination platter" approaches aimed at providing more complete digital systems include Agfa's collaboration with Mark Andy on an in-line finishing system that will likely be offered to U.S. printers by the end of the year, and Nilpeter's digitally controlled diecutting system for the DL 3300 which features a magnetic cylinder/die assembly with a programmable repeat that reduces tooling costs.

Issues and answers

The latest batch of introductions may be drawing more digitally hungry troops in from the cold, but those still dining most enthusiastically "by far," relates Indigo Marketing Manager Ray Dickinson, are tag and label printers. "Flexible packaging use is limited due to format constraints, but folding cartons are really gaining ground," he adds.

Growth remains tied to embracing the digital mindset. "Digital printing allows printers to focus on service," Dickinson points out. "It takes away most of the limits—no minimum orders, just what you want when you want it. Orders as small as 500 can be provided at an upcharge, but the customer still pays less because he's not buying 5,000 and then throwing away 4,500."

These short runs, perhaps printed digitally for a product rollout, can evolve into repeat jobs of millions of impressions that must be printed traditionally. In this scenario, Nilpeter Product Manager Mike Hite cautions the printed result will change—though traditional offset will match digital most closely.

Don Bence, V.P. of packaging for Xeikon, cites operational and conceptual obstacles to broader digital adoption. First, he notes many packaging plants lack a prepress department. In many cases, installation of computer-to-plate equipment for the existing processes is the beginning of the change to—and the signal of readiness for—full digital, he stresses.

Bence also sees a lack of basic awareness of digital possibilities—such as "the incredible economics" of printing 1,000 sheets (20" x 28") of folding cartons in 90 minutes with zero cost for film, plates, and makeready. In addition, he says, two or three short-run jobs diverted away from flexo or offset presses can free up an entire shift of high speed production.

To package printers put off by digital's slower output rates, Dickinson responds, "Nobody gets a dime for press speed. Digital presses get a huge head start because of no set-up time. A traditional job that might take two weeks to turn around can be done in 24 hours."

Those holding out for wider press widths may have to wait until the clamoring for this capability gets a little louder. Agfa is considering releasing a simplex version of its 18.7" Chromapress 50i if the market opens up. "Wider would be better for certain applications, but we would like to see more penetration," relates Gene Hunt, worldwide marketing communications manager.