Wide format printing in packaging; inkjet printing is a growing technology

By Reed Hecht

Enhancing Beauty Products

Thomas Wink, owner of Virtuoso Graphics, tells his story on print/cut labels.

We created labels for well-known Houston facialist and beauty product developer Brian Champagne. Brian has been our client for several years and comes to Virtuoso Graphics for all of his labels and advertising needs.

The labels were printed on our Roland VersaCAMM VS-640 64-inch wide-format printer/cutter. We used a clear substrate and the VersaCAMM’s white ink capability, which allows the label edges to blend into the packaging and creates a sophisticated look. As customers have told us, labels printed using white ink often look like we printed directly on the package. Brian wasn’t able to achieve this look using other printing companies and came to us for our unique printing capabilities.

We print labels of all sizes for Brian and other clients. In fact, labels have become such a large part of our business that I thought about purchasing a web printer, but the available dpi is not what I want for my customers. Many of our clients are in the personal care and cosmetics industry and need really tiny, easy-to-read labels. We produce labels for bottles, jars, and boxes in sizes that range from ¼ inch to 5 inches square. The Roland printers have very good ink spreads, and their inks are durable.

We typically run labels on either clear or glossy vinyl. We frequently use the VersaCAMM’s white ink for labels, and will use metallic silver ink to give the design extra flash. When the labels are printed we use the VersaCAMM’s integrated contour cutting to ensure a clean edge.

Labels are a huge part of creating attractive packaging and they represent an increasing share of our business. I’m delighted to be able to quickly and easily create labels that meet my clients’ high standards for beautiful presentation.

Browsing store shelves and online shopping, we see product packaging that is far beyond humdrum packaging of the past. Brilliantly wrapped containers and printed packaging now capture the consumer's attention, full of dazzling effects, white and metallic inks, photorealistic quality, and vibrant colors.

While companies continue to use conventional processes, the industry cannot ignore the growing impact of wide-format printing in the label, plastic, corrugated, and folding carton markets. Some are boldly taking the leap into a new digital workflow, while others are making the transition by augmenting their existing processes.

Short-run and market-specific

With the advent of white and silver metallic inks and specialty media materials, package printing is starting to open its doors toward wide-format digital printing. Although analog presses still lead in package production printing, a growing number of shops also incorporate a wide-format inkjet printer for proofing and some small-run production jobs. Many have their eyes on cost-effective alternatives to their conventional presses for a variety of print jobs, especially for shorter runs and targeted markets. Digital label printing has taken hold, and there is the potential to expand into other applications for more profitability.

One print shop in particular recently recognized the value proposition of digital inkjet, and was ready to add more wide-format printers after only two months of use. The company had been using a relatively costly screen-printing process to produce white and metallic effects, and a wide-format printer helped to improve upon that process. In a world where brand managers increasingly want shorter runs to target markets, the shop was finding it difficult to justify the total cost of operation of using only conventional presses.

With digital printing, shops can now quickly produce package proofing, prototyping, or the final package at a fraction of the cost, whether a one-off mockup, 20 versions for the client to review, or limited production of a shrink-wrap to test market a specific region. Today, they are able to print packaging more easily and accurately, creating variations for short-term runs and test markets before taking the design to the big presses to produce higher volumes.

New solvent inks and media

The wide format trend is growing, especially with the development of solvent inkjet technology. With white and silver metallic inks, a new generation of 64-inch solvent printers has the capability to produce today's eye-catching package proofing, prototyping, and packaging. Shops can efficiently produce short-run labels using the printer, a laminator, and cutter. Now that solvent printers can do short-run production in this market, it's possible to create custom labels and packaging at high speeds for less cost.

The success of wide-format printing in packaging greatly depends on the availability of media for these packaging applications. Specialty media for inkjet packaging is opening the door even wider for wide-format applications, such as materials for use with solvent or UV inkjet printers with white ink capability. For packages that need a flexible white film, white poly film is treated to accept solvent inkjet inks and mounted to a temporary support.

Users can print and peel specialty media for flexible packaging, or print and laminate for foil snack food bags or cartons. The solvent printer can also print directly onto a specialty shrink film for packaging prototyping and short-run printing. After printing, the film is removed from its temporary support, cut and shrunk to fit the package.

Worth the investment

Wide-format digital prints will become essential to package printing as shops begin to better understand the value proposition. For many companies, the investment in a wide-format printer as a first step toward digital is well worth the money. As shorter runs switch from conventional presses to wide format, companies will see a return on their investment.

The wide-format printer's ease-of-use also brings a reduction in labor costs. Part of the payoff for a $25,000 printer comes from less operator attention needed versus conventional press technology. Operators can simply create or prep the file, select print on the inkjet printer, walk away, and pick up the proof later.

As more companies add the digital component to supplement the analog process, they are ready to learn the digital process, understand the prepress workflow, use RIP software, and learn how to work with metallic and white inks and specialty media. As wide-format printers become standard in package printing, companies that use only analog processes will find themselves at a disadvantage.

Color accuracy and customization

For wide-format printers to succeed in the packaging market, they must meet the industry's high standards for color accuracy. The new generation of solvent inkjet inks has up to 10 colors (a technology first for solvent printers), including an optional white and silver metallic, and light black for a color gamut previously unattainable in a solvent printer.

Today, nearly everything in consumer packaging is about custom, boutique-type products. To succeed in this market, wide-format printers must have a flexible, problem-solving approach. Vendors must continue to listen and help the package-printing market resolve challenges like the increase in costly short runs, the need for more target marketing, higher costs of operation, press reliability, and color accuracy. With more cost-effective, quality solutions leading to better profits, the industry is recognizing the advantages of bringing wide-format printers into its fold.

About the author—Reed Hecht is responsible for product management and marketing in Epson America's Professional Imaging Division. pP