At Packaging Innovations 2016 to be held at Stand H36 in Birmingham on 24 and 25 February Fujifilm will be showcasing a range of technologies and so-lutions for packaging and corrugated production. Taking centre stage at this year’s exhibition will be the Acuity LED 1600 II hybrid printer, printing prototype packaging and labels. Launched in the autumn of 2015, the Acuity’s 8-color ink set (CMYK, Lc, Lm, White and Clear) and its ability to simultaneously print two or three layers in a single pass makes it the perfect machine for printing the highest quality creative packaging prototypes and samples
Acuity LED 1600 II is a versatile printer suitable for a wide range of creative applications on roll and rigid materials. Perfect for packaging prototypes it delivers smooth, near-photographic prints at speeds of 33 square metres an hour enabling rapid job turnarounds at lower output costs for sample production as well as display graphics, signage, decals or environmental graphics. The latest generation of this hybrid LED UV printer is now even faster and more versatile, with simultaneous two or three layer of color, white and clear printing.
Uvijet KV inks
Thermoforming applications will also be demonstrated, showing the extensive range of materials capable of being printed on the Acuity Select with Uvijet KV inks. Fujifilm’s Uvijet KV ink jets exactly like a normal UV ink but during the forming process becomes thermoplastic, elongating before finally cooling to its original properties. The ink’s elongation is exceptional – right up to the usable limit of the substrate – even on 90 degree corners. As well as being able to reproduce strong, vibrant, endurable colors, Uvijet KV ink offers excellent flexibility, even after curing. Able to heat, deform and then cool without cracking or flaking, it elongates up to 1,000%; making it ideal for mass production.
UV-curing inkjet printing opens up many creative design and customization opportunities for thermoformed products. These dry instantly, producing strong colors and adhere well meaning a one-off print can be produced in a matter of minutes and thermoformed straight away. A long run of prints, each with a slight variation in the design can be generated at a consistently high quality. The creative possibilities with this process are limited only by a designer’s imagination, with near-photographic image quality and a wide gamut of vibrant colors at their disposal. Thermoforming is most common with a design on the outside of the substrate and away from the mould but since inside forming – with the print between the mould and the sustrate – is also in demand, Uvijet KV has been formulated to cope with both techniques.
Fujifilm’s Uvivid JD UV-curing ink systems provide label printers with a wide color gamut and, as they are highly pigmented, allow lower ink film weight to be used, saving ink usage and production cost. Fujifilms Uvivid Flexo JD Supernova White rivals the opacity of rotary screen whites whilst being flexo printed, saving screen costs and increasing production speed for the printer.
Flenex FW water-washable flexo plates
As brands strive to improve their product visibility and shelf appeal in a cost-effective manner, uniformity of image reproduction to the highest level is a key requirement of flexo printed packaging. Flenex is a water-wash flexo plate system which provides high quality print, consistently and at a low cost in use. Flenex FW’s rubber-based composition makes it water washable and durable, eliminating the need for solvents in the platemaking process and minimizing the number of replacement plate sets required on longer running or repeat jobs. Fujifilm’s new Flenex water-wash flexo plate, launched in Europe in September last year will also feature on the stand along with samples of labels and decals printed with Fujifilm’s UV flexo ink. The new Flenex FW flexo plates rubber-based composition makes it water washable and durable, eliminating the need for solvents in the platemaking process and minimizing the number of replacement plate sets required on longer running or repeat jobs.
Packaging South Asia is the cooperating media partner for drupa 2016 which is scheduled to be held from 31 May to 10 June at Dusseldorf, Germany.
