Multitec demonstrated its double servo mid-web S2 670 mm 9-color press running on a 12-micron substrate at 200 meters a minute, setting a new standard for Indian-manufactured flexo presses. Shown with full automation for makeready and including autoregister, the press is designed and built for high-value labels and flexible packaging. The press was a show stopper at Labelexpo India as the leading Indian manufacturer demonstrated a step up in the technology that points to further penetration of global markets.
Although Multitec demonstrated the mid-web 9-color five or six times daily during the show, my all-too-brief visit to the stand was between show times and I saw it running only at a moderate speed. Even without an extensive demonstration, it was apparent to me that the machine was running very smoothly and with negligible sound. I later discovered that it’s built on heavy side frames, and its rotational movement even when sequentially transferring ink to the substrate are engineered with great precision.
Apart from the heavy-duty structure, it is completely vibration-free, incorporating a game-changing ‘advanced anti-bounce’ technology. The S2 670mm flexo press is not Multitec’s first mid-web, several installations at customer sites in India precede the more automated press at the show, which included a higher level of options. Aimed squarely at the short-run flexible packaging space, the press enters the market between digital presses and the much bigger CI flexo and gravure presses traditionally used for longer runs.
The demos at the show running on 12-micron and higher thickness films showed that Multitec’s S2 mid-web can print pouches, shrink sleeves, in-mold, and wraparound labels. Its intelligent digital controls for pre-registering changeover job settings and auto-register worked well.
The way the dual servo works is that there are two servo motors on each of the print units – one servo is for the print cylinder and the second drives the chilled impression cylinder so that they are independently driven. The sensor-based electronic pre-register ensures that all print units are set to correct home positions without wasting material.
Shown with LED UV and conventional high-powered UV curing systems, the press contained an extended path in-line solvent drying unit. Soft touch varnishes can be easily run, while a movable turnbar and foiling unit were also demonstrated.
The large 350 square meter stand contained another Multitec double servo S2 450mm 8-color press printing shrink sleeves at the show on 45-micron PET shrink film. This press was shown with hybrid LED UV systems, die cut units, pre-register, autoregister, movable turnbar, delam-relam units, peal and seal kit, and foiling stations. Both the Multitec flexo presses can print film substrates from 10 microns up to 450 microns at 200 meters a minute with high registration and low setup wastage.
Altogether the company signed deals for five presses at the show, several had been in the pipeline before the event. Nevertheless, customers held off the announcements till the show to get the maximum publicity for their buys. Two sales or signings at the show were for the Multitec mid-web S2 press, and three announcements were for S2 450 mm presses.
Multitec has 24/7 remote monitoring, diagnostic and maintenance capability for its presses in the field using the Internet on the AWS cloud. It has 16 service engineers in the field minimizing down times for its customers with an inventory of spare parts that can the critical components of five complete presses in the field.
