At drupa for flexible packaging, there were new presses and laminators on show from Bobst, Cerutti, Comexi, Convertech, DCM, Edale, Heidelberg-Gallus, HP, KBA-Flexotecnica, KYMC, nordmeccanica, Omet, Soma, TKM, Uteco, W&H and others, as well as material developments from a large number of substrate, adhesives and ink suppliers.
Worth noting was Comexi’s presence at drupa, with two central drum (CI) presses shown with robot-driven sleeve changeover, and the water-based Nexus L20000 laminator developed in a collaboration with HP for the latter’s Indigo 20000 flexible packaging digital press which is printing, laminating and converting standup pouches in consecutive production.
Also amongst the innovations at drupa are the digital flexible packaging press from Fujifilm using its Eucon technology for odourless packaging and the Think Laboratory inkjet flexible packaging press using Kao’s unique aqueous dispersion inks that also hold promise for use in gravure printing.
Bobst MW85F
Bobst showed its M6 UV flexo press at drupa for digital FlexoT printing onto folding cartons and flexible packaging. Its CL 750D compact laminator at the show is designed for ultra-short run laminating, and the MW 85F and MW 125F CI flexo presses offer new levels of flexible packaging print productivity. The MW 85F CI flexo press now makes Bobst more competitive especially in the Indian market and other emerging markets in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Demonstrated several times a day, the MW 85F evoked a good response from flexible packaging printers around the world.
At drupa 2016, Bobst also announced the launch of three furtherflexible packaging presses. For gravure printers, the RS 6002 is an eco-friendly press that efficientlyhandlesbothshort and long run production of flexible materials applications. The new RS6003 gravure press launched at drupa is an evolution ofthe highly successful 4003platform,withnewHMI and register control systems,meantformedium-tolong run lengths, while accommodating both shafted and shaftless printing cylinders.Anew member of the BOBST ‘SIX’range of flexoCI presses, the 40SIX was on show during drupa at Bobst Bielefeld in a fully automatic version. This new press delivers premium print quality and on runs of all lengths.
KYMC shows Hybrid 800 flexo + gravure press at drupa
At drupa 2016, KYMCshowed anewconcept presswhichit callsHybrid 800 – an8- color servo-driven flexo + gravure press with a maximum web width of 800 to 820 mm with a maximum print width of 770 to 800mmand amaximumspeed of 300metres aminute.While the press is still a concept andunder development one stations was shown at the KYMC stand, more details were not disclosed.
With more than 2,500 installations in over 90 countries, KYMC has earned worldwide trustfromvaluedclientele inthe flexible packagingindustry said KunalMehta of KYMC India at drupa. “The main advantage of our machines are its quick return
on investment, the quick and personalized service from all levels of management
and the use of the best components available, which helps our customers to be on
the leading edge, ahead of the competition.”
KYMC India has had a good last couple of years in terms of expansion in its installation base as CI flexo technology is gaining traction. KYMC India has been a
clear beneficiary of this evolution with its efforts over the past six years. In 2015,
KYMC India installed five flexo presses and in 2016 it will be installing another six
presses in the country taking its combined installation base to 20. Of late, Gujarat
has also been a growing market for KYMC after South India which has been traditionally KYMC’s dominant market in the past. Out of the total five presses that
KYMC India sold last year, two were in Gujarat and of the six presses that it will install this year, four will again go to the Western Indian state and othertwo to North
and South India. It is likely to be among the top two players in terms of the installation base in India by early 2017.
Atdrupa 2016, KYMC also promoted its range of world-class CI flexo presses comprising the Euroflex-8120 – its flagship servo press, the Neoflex-608MD – its mid web servo press, the FX-812CNC – an advanced gear press with CNC control and the Eco-812S – its entry level geared CI flexo press. Taiwan-based KYMC manufactures CIflexo ,highspeed stack flexo and in-line flexo presses. Ithas awide range of CI flexo models including geared and gearless presses.
Automation at Comexi
Comexi isdemonstratingnewversions ofitsCIflexo andoffsetpresses, eachwith an industrial robot executing the entire changeover of the printing sleeves which aremoved and stored atmotorised trolleysnearthe press.Withaninstalled base of 50 presses worldwide,the F1 isComexi’s 600 meters-per-minute flexo press, which canbe configuredwith8 or 10 colors for printingwidths ofup to 1350mm.Comexi’s CI8, a 7-color CI offset press with printing speeds of up to 300 metres per minute at widths ofup to 1100mm, is being shown in an equally robotized and automated version.Comexi also introduced a newgravure press,the R2,which the company considers an entry-level gravure press forflexible packaging with printingwidths up to 920 mm and speeds up to 400 metres per minute.
Omet
Omet has three presses at drupa, the 850 mm wide Varyflex V2, the 370 mm wide iFlex and the 430mmwide xFlexX6. TheVaryflexV2 forhybrid offset and flexo printing has new sleeve features and an improved electron-beam drying system. The xFlex, like the iFlex, which was introduced a year ago, is a narrow-web label press this time shown at the Landa stand equipped with a Landa metallizing module where a nano metallic ink replaces foil for producing metallic effects.
Soma
The Soma Optima 2 CI flexographic press allows customers to make a new machine their own by choosing a color and even a name forit. The award-winning design has considered the operator with wide-opening doors to help make sleeve changeovers quick and easy. Five machines were sold before the official launch at drupa, going to Equador, South Korea, Sweden, Portugal and a Russian-speaking country. Company spokes person Stepanka Pospisilova commented that interest in Optima 2 is also coming from India. Existing owners of the small Optima now have a chance to expand, she added.
The Optima 2 is equipped to reduce bouncing, generated by the presence of nonprinted areas across the substrate. Thanks to bounce control, the optimum set speed can be maintained. The speed, which was limited to 400metres a minute during an entertaining live demonstration, can reach 500 metres a minute. Inspection and validation data can be captured and uploaded to the internet so overnight activity can be checked remotely.
Uteco
The Stealth Code concept was developed with Swansea University in Wales and patented in America by Digimarc. It was presented by Goliardo Butti, CEO of Italian company Bee Graphic, a products integrator for the packaging and graphics industries, and displayed by Uteco, the flexographic printing company who produced the samples. The discreet and dynamic substitute for consumer barcodes can include links to the brand owner’s website. Brand communication can be refreshed with new messages and recipe suggestions, Butti explained.
W&H
Several thousand attendees visited W&H and subsidiary Garant at the show and approximately 800 visitors travelled to the in-house expo at companyheadquarters in Lengerich, while order in take reached into the high eight figure range. “At drupa, our fingers were firmly on the pulse with our slogan ‘Packaging 4.0’. We used our new presses, the Miraflex II C and the Dynastar, as a platform to demonstrate how intelligent machines, integrated processes and intuitive handling are already increasing the efficiency of traditional flexographic and gravure printing,” explains
Dr. Jürgen Vutz, Chairman of the Board at W&H. Both the new Miraflex II C flexo press and the Dynastar gravure press were sold before drupa opened. The firstMiraflex IICwillgo to Admiral Packaging in the USA and the first Dynastar will be delivered to Constantia Flexibles in Spain.
“Both machines received positive feedback from our customers. The Dynastar makes the traditional gravure printing process more cost-effective, especially for smaller jobs – we saw a lot of interest in that, particularly from manufacturers for brand products”, says Vutz. Customers were impressed by the innovations integrated into the new Miraflex II C from better ergonomics with a new design to the newTurbocleanAdvancedEinkingunit andwash-up systemto the fully integrated Vision assistance system, there was plenty for customers to get excited about. “At drupa, our customers look for solutions that will increase their productivity and efficiency while still meeting their quality and sustainability requirements. And those are exactly the areas we focus on. The high volume of visitors is testamentto
the interest in our technological developments and the number of orders underscores the quality,” says Peter Steinbeck, Managing Director of W&H.
Therewas substantial interestinthe entire portfolio ofW&HandGarant products from extrusionto converting. Drupa alsoprovedtobe agoodshowforGARANT,the paper bag machine specialist. “There was a lot of interest in the format changing system in the TRIUMPH 2-T8, our new, ultra-modern block bottom bag machine. Format changes can be completedwithin 30minutes, leaving behind the time consuming changes ofthe past,” saysGarant director, DieterSchallenberg. The demo Triumph 2-T8 in the booth was sold at the show.
Atlas demonstrates the Titan SR800 Series
Atlas Converting Equipment showed its range of primary and secondary slitterrewinders aswell as demonstrated the latest generation of the Titan SR800 Series slitting and rewinding technology at drupa 2016.
Philip Nichols, marketing and communication manager of Atlas Titan said, “The response received at drupa 2016 was really encouraging for Atlas. The Titan SR800 Series provides
high performance and improved productivity and is also a more flexible and sustainable solution in slitting and rewinding.Inthedevelopment ofthemachine,Atlas focuseditsproduct development strategy on achieving significantreductions in machine downtime for printers and converters, including reducedset change time, lower operatorinterventionandalso
reduction of costly waste materials – which all add up to outstanding productivity gains.”
The Titan range also includes the ER610, the SR9-DS and SR9-DT. The ER610 is a compact slitter rewinder delivering a cost effective solution with the added benefits of reduced
power consumption and no hydraulics meaning lower energy bills and less risk of contamination.Nichols said, “TheSR9 series of slitterrewinders show the pinnacle of secondary slitter rewinder development delivering the optimum quality of rewound final packages. The SR9-DT builds on the benefits of theSR9-DS, addingthebenefits of dual turretrewindmeaning that the cycle time from stop to restart is typically less than 30
seconds. The Atlas primary slitter rewinder platform introduces the next generation of more compact film slitting solutions operating with web widths from 2.5 to 10.5 metres.”
