As printers continue to place a premium on faster speeds and quicker turnaround times, inkjet presses – which are improving in print quality – are finding more and more users in a marketplace traditionally dominated by flexographic printing. According to the major suppliers, these digital presses offer flexibility and consistency, especially in the short-to-medium run printing market, and are hastening the shift from analog to digital.

“With the right ink, printhead and web transport system, you can jet onto just about any substrate,” says Michael Barry, product marketing manager, Digital Solutions, Fujifilm North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division. “Quality inkjet devices with high quality heads and high quality ink are going to provide the most reliable and consistent output print to print, day to day, year to year.”

Inkjet features contactless printing, which differs from the toner-based electrophotographic (EP) technology used in presses from HP Indigo and Xeikon. Barry adds that the speed of the market’s top inkjet presses “far exceeds that of EP technology.” EP engines utilize a laser to image the data in the form of charges onto a highly polished surface that has the ability to retain the charges. The charges then attract the right quantity of toner into the right locations. Inkjet, on the other hand, uses multiple inkjet heads, each of which has a series of nozzles. A small droplet of ink is then applied to a specific location. Drop sizes may vary to produce the right color density.  “That droplet travels across a small gap, makes contact with the substrate and then spreads,” explains John Hennessy, product manager, EFI. “It’s jetting across a gap, versus a buildup of toner, and then transferred onto stock.”

Inkjet allows converters to print on more substrates. According to Mark Sullivan, Label Systems manager, Vertical Segments, Allen Datagraph, EP technology struggles to print on certain films and plastics because it is heat-based. There is a challenge associated with inkjet, however. “It’s a double-edged sword,” explains Sullivan. “The advantage of going with inkjet is the wider range of substrates, but those substrates must be treated for inkjet. You have a wider gamut of media that costs a little bit more because they have to go through another manufacturing process, whereas EP doesn’t require that process.”

Like any technology in the printing industry, inkjet has grown and seen improvements in recent years. “Inkjet technology is very advanced with quality output that can exceed traditional print methods,” says Barry. “Along with quality, speeds have greatly improved throughout the years. Each year, inkjet has the ability to go wider, faster and produce better output. This is due to the extensive R&D investment from the major players in the inkjet industry.”

“When I think about it and look back at how inkjet has changed, it’s improved so significantly over the years that it’s hard to say where it hasn’t improved,” says EFI’s Hennessy. “Printhead resolutions and print speeds have both increased by about a factor of four in the last years, but all the other technologies around it have also improved.”

Inkjet inks have become more durable and compatible with new applications. Substrates have also become more “inkjet friendly,” as a growing number of companies are producing materials for this digital option. Prepress is a critical part of the inkjet printing process, though. Due to the automated nature of the presses, the artwork, shaping and formatting contribute to a high-quality end product. As the process has become more automated, operator training has decreased.

“The biggest advantage is having a simple, clean device that can run back-to-back-to-back variable, short run jobs,” explains Bill Brunone, general manager of commercial presses at Memjet. “The skill level of the operator doesn’t have to be incredibly high; you don’t have to have a pressman to run the presses. Once it gets to the press floor, all you need is a conscientious operator who understands what looks good and what doesn’t, which is really good in the print business.”

Afinia Label
Afinia Label, founded in 2009 and based in Chanhassen, MN, USA, has found success in the label market with Memjet technology. The company’s Memjet-powered L801 full color label printer features attractive cost of ownership and a high-impact, full-color output at 60 fpm. It also runs at an 8.5″ width with 1600 dpi resolution.

The L801 has an integrated unwinder, holds 1.25 liters of ink to support large runs, and has easy access doors for fast, simple media and ink replacement. The L801 is suitable for short- to mid-label runs and has three print modes: Roll to Roll, Roll to Cut, and Print & Hold. The ink cost for a 4″ x 5″ label with 75% coverage is about $0.03/each.

Afinia also offers the DLP-2000 digital label press. It features Memjet printing technology inline with a complete finishing solution. This press is able to print, laminate, diecut, slit and roll 7,200 4″ x 6″ labels per hour, all in one process, on one machine.

In addition, the company also provides the DLF-1000 digital label finisher. According to Afinia, the DLF-1000 is a full-feature label finishing solution that can perform all the functions of large, more expensive systems, in a compact, table-top design. The DLF-1000 is designed to digitally finish printed rolls from Afinia Label’s L801 and R635 color label printers. Labels can be cut to any shape or size, without dies.
www.afinialabel.com

Allen Datagraph
Allen Datagraph Systems Inc. (ADSI), a manufacturer and distributor of digital label systems, supplies digital label inkjet and LED toner printing systems to converters, brand owners and packaging printers. Most recently, the company launched three new products from its line of  iTech digital label systems at Labelexpo Europe in Brussels, Belgium. There, Allen Datagraph introduced the ADSI iTech Cypher and the ADSI iTech Spectrum digital label printers, as well as the ADSI iTech AXXIS XL digital label finisher.

The ADSI iTech Cypher utilizes HP PageWide inkjet technology and runs at speeds of up 100 fpm. The 1200 x 2400 resolution is designed for high-quality labels that incorporate durable pigment inks for deep blacks and vivid colors. The ADSI iTech Spectrum is a faster toner printer capable of printing pre-cut labels. The narrow web digital label printer can print at 25 fpm at 600 dpi x 1200 dpi. The printer comes with a Wasatch RIP and can run continuous roll substrates, as well.

“At Labelexpo, we introduced new technology with an HP PageWide head and that runs at about 100 fpm, which to my knowledge is the fastest inkjet printer available in the space,” says Sullivan.

He adds that ADSI prides itself in providing finishing capabilities. “We also provide digital finishing with that inkjet engine, so you get an all-in-one package to stay digital,” he explains.

Allen Datagraph’s label applications are “all over the map,” Sullivan says. The company’s equipment is frequently used for food and beverage, industrial, beer, wine and small custom-food labels. Allen Datagraph is located in Derry, NH, USA, conveniently near three microbreweries. According to Sullivan, the company will work with these brewers and provide sample beer labels with custom artwork.

“We distribute all through Europe, have dealerships in South America, and we sell quite a bit in the States, too, which is mostly direct,” says Sullivan. “The feedback has been very positive. We’ve been doing it for a long time, and we were one of the first to get into ultra short-run prime labels because of the finishing technologies that we have.” 
www.allendatagraph.com

Colordyne Technologies
Colordyne Technologies, based in Brookfield, WI, USA, is a manufacturer of high-speed digital color print solutions. Powered by Memjet printing technology, the company offers three classes of digital inkjet printing presses: the Industrial Class 1600 Series for on-demand logistics/carton labeling, the Commercial Class 2600 Series (Mini Press) for short run digital label jobs, and the Production Class 2600 Series for short run prime labeling.

“Not only is the big high-speed product proliferating under their tutelage, but they’re now taking what we call our Serious Print Engine, using the Trojan integration, and creating a really cool Mini Press out of it,” explains Memjet’s Brunone in discussing Colordyne’s products. “It really complements their line very well.”

Colordyne’s offerings are capable of printing at speeds up to 335 fpm and resolutions up to 1600 x 1375 dpi, with each model geared for a different customer. “Ultimately, there is not one digital printing press that does everything – just like there is not one traditional printing method that does everything,” explains Taylor Buckthorpe, director of marketing, Colordyne. “Customers need to fully understand their business, and then work with printer manufacturers to better understand what platform is best for their business today and as it grows.

Colordyne’s printing solutions feature Memjet printhead and ink technology. Memjet provides technologies and components, such as printheads, to OEM partners. The company’s printheads feature “waterfall” technology, which distributes ink to the page via over 70,000 ink nozzles.

“We just discovered that the company Image Test Labs stated that they were very surprised when they tested our prints that 1600 dpi at the kind of speeds we’re running – 275 fpm is unheard of in the inkjet business,” adds Brunone. “We’re very excited about that, and it should perk some ears up out there.”

Memjet promotes value, including an attractive entry point for medium-sized users to get into inkjet. The company’s goal is to provide the highest-quality, highest-resolution products at the lowest cost of capital.

Colordyne has seen successful results with Memjet technology. “Colordyne’s water-based inkjet provides users with unmatched production level speeds and resolution, while also achieving a flexo-like look and feel,” says Buckthorpe. “This allows users to produce labels and packaging to supplement their traditional printing methods.”
www.colordynetech.com

Domino
With over 2,300 employees and customers in more than 120 countries, Domino provides multiple inkjet printing solutions to the market. The company’s N-Series combines what the company says is the best of flexo and digital, intending to reduce costs and drive profits.
The N-Series is comprised of the N600i and the N610i. Each press operates with a 600 dpi native resolution and speeds up to 246 fpm. According to the company, this product range provides consistency and productivity with low maintenance.

The presses also offer ActiFlow, CleanCap and StitchLink. ActiFlow is an ink circulating system that removes dissolved air and keeps the ink at a consistent temperature. CleanCap maintains constant print nozzle performance at minimum downtime, while StitchLink uses micro-motor controller technology for precision and seamless print across the full width of the web.

The N600i features piezo drop-on-demand inkjet technology to produce the highest quality output onto a range of coated paper and plastic labelstocks. The technology is based on Kyocera print jetting assemblies. The N600i utilizes UV curable inks and up to four greyscale levels with small drop sizes of 6pl to deliver vibrant color images and fine detail with small point text printing and crisp edge definition. 

The N610i has the ability to produce up to 2,250m of print during a 30-minute flexo make-ready. The press includes UV curable inks designed for a range of industry standard self-adhesive labelstocks, including coated paper, polyethylene and polypropylene, normally without the need to prime.
www.domino-printing.com

Durst
Durst, an inkjet press manufacturer based in Brixen, Italy, with US headquarters in Rochester, NY, offers the Tau line of digital inkjet systems to the global label market. According to the company, the product line is known for its reliability, flexibility and high-print quality.

The Tau 330 in High Definition Print Mode with inline finishing prints up to 720 x 1260 dpi. It comes with 14″ web with for full 13″ image coverage area, and at print speeds up to 157 fpm. The company also offers a line of low migration/low odor inks to complement the press technology. Printers have the ability to integrate third party equipment inline on both the front and back end, as well. The Tau 330 is designed for a range of primary labeling applications, as well as durable labels and unsupported foils such as in-mold, blister packs and seals.

Durst launched the Tau 330 E at Labelexpo Europe in Brussels, Belgium. It is a single pass, UV inkjet label press designed for small- to-medium sized converters with affordable budgets.  The press also prints with high-pigmented UV inks to reduce ink consumption. It comes in either 200 or 330 mm widths and four or five colors. Like the Tau 330, it runs at 157 fpm.

Converters have several options available to them with the Tau line. Optional opaque white and process color addition (orange and violet) is offered. The technology allows converters to print variable data such as sequential numbering, texts, images, bar codes, matrix- and QR codes, as well as print on pre-diecut labels.

The Tau LFS 330 incorporates finishing technology in one pass with an inline laser diecutting system from Spartanics. With inline laser diecutting, this machine enables with a single production step to get from digital file to finished product.      
www.durstus.com

EFI
Fremont, CA-based EFI (Electronics for Imaging) offers a fully modular inkjet press platform for the label market in widths ranging from 8.3″ to 13″.  The presses print at up to 720 dpi resolution.

“When I say modular, I mean a printer can start small with a roll-to-roll printer, and as the business grows, they can add additional features and functionalities like fully integrated inline diecutting or varnishing, lamination or slitting inline with a higher speed turret,” says Hennessy. “Because the platform is modular, it’s meant to grow and add components.”

EFI features a range of Jetrion printers with varying speeds and widths. The EFI Jetrion 4950LX prints at 157 fpm at 720 X 360 dpi, whereas the 4900M line operates at 80 fpm. The presses are designed to eliminate overproduction, reduce unnecessary transportation and decrease inventory.

Hennessy states that users will avoid digital obsolescence. He emphasizes that EFI equipment users will not have to replace existing equipment as newer technology develops. The company also provides inline laser diecutting, providing a digital solution from end-to-end. A converter can go from a PDF artwork file to finished rolls, all digitally-printed and without plates or dies.

“EFI is very strong in durables, where ink durability, colorfastness and lightfastness are very important,” adds Hennessy.
The company’s label printing machinery is suitable to serve the craft beer and beverage segments, as well as pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, due to the ability to print small fonts at high dpi. Outdoor and specialty labels are also in the EFI inkjet sweetspot, as its versatility has led to an enthusiastic response from customers. “I talk to a lot of customers, and there has been a wide range of reactions over the years,” recalls Hennessy. “Some customers attest, and will often repeat, that EFI technology saved their business from closing its doors. A couple small printers weren’t competing with their flexo presses and they give inkjet a chance and bought some of the early EFI technology. Others rave about the inline lasers, and it’s become their flagship product.”
www.efi.com

Epson
Epson manufcatures the SurePress line of digital inkjet label presses. The company attests the press is an ideal fit for varying business demands, including labels for food and beverage, health and beauty, technical goods, chemical, pharmaceutical, graphic, manufacturing, customized labels, personal care products, dome stickers, and self-adhesive prime labels. The company has installed more than 160 SurePress L-4033A/AW digital label presses worldwide. The Epson SurePress L-4033A and L-4033AW models are inkjet digital label presses that are designed for simple operation and high-quality short-run labels. The SurePress L-4033A/AW features a durable, water-based, resin-coated pigment ink, which offers improved adhesion and the ability to reproduce a wide range of colors. According to the company, these presses can print on a range of standard flexo media, including gloss, semi-gloss, matte, film, clear, and metallic substrates.

The water-based, resin-coated pigment inks has have success with uncoated media, especially textured materials and textile labels, such as mattress tags and specialty IML labels. The SurePress L-4033AW runs up to 16 fpm at 720 x 720 dpi on paper. Epson’s press can handle a wide variety of substrates and prints at 1440 x 720 dpi for film. Epson MicroPiezo inkjet technology with variable-size droplets can run as small as three picoliters.

Epson also offers the SurePress L-6034VW and L-6034V. These are the company’s first single-pass industrial presses using PrecisionCore technology in a linehead configuration, and the first to offer Epson’s new LED-cured UV ink with inline digital varnish technology.

“The SurePress L-6034V/VW are designed for label converters investing in a digital label press for the first time or looking to expand their production facilities with a reliable, easy-to-use press that will produce high quality, durable labels all day, every day with minimal downtime,” adds Pruitt.

Pruitt believes that Epson’s proprietary technology gives his company an advantage in this market. “In the last five years, there are many new entrants in the market, primarily using inkjet,” he says. “And these new entrants all use inkjet heads from a third party. Epson is the only company to use its own inkjet technology in the SurePress digital label press, including the ink, printheads and control systems.”
www.epson.com

Fujifilm
Fujifilm, along with technology partners FFEI, Xaar and Edale, offers the Graphium UV inkjet hybrid press for the label, packaging and specialty print markets. According to the company, the Graphium offers profitable short-to-medium runs, a streamlined workflow, less setup material and reduced waste. It also has the ability to integrate flexo and finishing stations for hybrid production and conversion in a single pass.

The press can produce up to 13,240 square feet per hour while operating with a resolution of up to 1080 dpi with eight-level grayscale capability. The press’ flexibility extends to various substrates, including coated, uncoated, high-gloss, cast-coated and thermal papers, as well as PVC, PE, PET, PP, OPP and metalized films.

“The Graphium has many competitive features that have allowed converters to transition more to digital,” explains Barry. “First, Graphium inks are very durable, not having to be post-treated for many applications. Graphium also offers one of the highest opacity single pass white inks on the market, which can be applied before or after CMYK print. Being that Graphium is a hybrid device, this opens the door for converters to combine flexo and digital inks where suited, varnish, foil, laminate and diecut in an inline process.”
www.fujifilm.com

inx international
INX International Ink Co. markets the NW210 digital inkjet press, designed to produce vivid colors, with easy separation of labels on any stock at a maximum printing width of 210 mm. It does so using the latest Xaar patented technology that includes 15 Xaar 1002 print heads with seven drop sizes, five color ink channels – CMYK plus white – and three additional channels that provide an option. The press supports media up to 5 mm thick on 3″ cores up to two feet in diameter.

The NW210 is a key addition to the company’s Evolve Advanced Digital Solutions. It delivers fast UV-LED cured single pass output at up to 80 fpm, powered by the JetINX Printhead Drive & Ink Recirculation System. One version is available with a Spartanics X210 laser diecutting station. “The NW210 is hard to match with its technology and efficiency,” says Rick Clendenning, president and CEO. “The automated and accurate cutting paths make for extremely fast job changeovers and more work getting done every day. It also is 50% wider than our NW140 press.”
www.inxdigital.com

NeuraLabel
NeuraLabel, based in Stafford, TX, USA, manufactures the NeuraLabel 300x high-speed, high-resolution printer for in-house, digital on-demand color label printing. The printer features run speeds of up to 20″ per second and resolutions up to 2400 x 1200 dpi. It can print labels at 100 fpm, with water-resistant pigment inks. These inks are designed for resistance to abrasion, saltwater immersion and UV exposure.

The 300x utilizes stationary thermal inkjet technology and can handle a variety of substrates for prime labeling, including plain paper, gloss, satin, matte, as well as inkjet coated synthetic films like BOPP, vinyl and PET. In addition, the variable width ranges from 3″ to 8.5″, making it suitable for container labels and product packaging.

The 300x is equipped with HP PageWide technology, which has similar printhead technology to that found in high-end digital press operations. This functionality provides easy media loading and operation, quick turnaround times and software integration that eliminates the need for pre-printed label inventories.“We’re very pleased that HP chose us to be their partner and bringing this new, changing technology to the label market,” says Ken Land, president and CTO. “The technology is very flexible. You can configure it for a web press or replace a really big flexo machine. Really, it’s a complement.”

According to Land, companies seeking short runs will find success with the NeuraLabel press. “With this new web press, now you can take jobs as small as 100 labels since there’s zero setup,” he explains. “All you have to do is start printing with the short run digital web press.”

This equipment has the capability of printing on pre-diecut labels, and users can print and then apply directly to the product.  Discussing Neuralabel customers, Land says, “They love the speed, they love the quality, and also it’s at a new price point,” says Land. “Since more people can participate, our customers are thrilled.”
www.neuralabel.com

Primera
Primera, headquartered in Plymouth, MN, USA, offers a wide range of  digtal label printers and presses, including the LX900, which uses high-resolution inkjet technology. The LX900 prints brilliant, colorful labels for a variety of applications. Ink cartridges for each color let users replace only the colors that need replacing, resulting in time and money savings. The LX900 incorporates Primera Imaging Perfection, designed to deliver razor-sharp text, graphics and photo-realistic printing. Color droplet size on the LX900 is just 4 pL and black is 5.5 pL. Print resolution is 4800 dpi.

In addition, Primera recently introduced the LX2000 Color Label Printer. It produces labels at speeds of up to 6″ per second, which is about 25% faster than the LX900. Features include pigment-based ink for stronger resistance to UV light, chemicals and water, a built in “pizza-wheel” cutter, a viewing window to see labelstock levels and wired Ethernet or USB 2.0 and wireless connection options. “LX2000 represents an entirely new product class in desktop label printing,” says Mark Strobel, Primera’s vice president of sales and marketing. “With large ink tanks we can offer an extremely competitive cost per label. Our print speeds rival printers that cost up to three times more.”
www.primeralabel.com

SPGPrints
The SPGPrints modular DSI digital UV inkjet printer offers a productive solution for short-run, variable data and personalized labels with its high specification, low ownership cost and high-definition reproduction.

It runs at production speeds of up to 700m²/hour and is available in widths from 135 mm to 530 mm. The system is a competitive alternative to flexo for production runs of up to 5,000 linear meters and beyond, if needed. The printing platform, with CMYK as standard, can be built or extended with up to six more printheads. Options include orange and violet to make 90% of the color gamut achievable, digital white with “screen-look” opacity and digital primer to maximize substrate compatibility while minimizing waste.

The company attributes its photo quality to proprietary scratch/chemical-resistant UV inks, designed specially for the DSI press. They offer BWS-7 lightfastness, high gloss and 1% tonal values.  An ink highlight is a new range of low-migration inks.

Intermediate inline LED pinning stations ensure crisp text, fine lines and maximize color definition. A water-cooled chill drum enables processing of heat-sensitive substrates. The system can be specified as a standalone printer or a custom-built single-pass printing, finishing and converting line.            
www.spgprints.com



ETI adds inkjet to one-pass label converting with unsupported stock
ETI Converting Equipment offers the Mini-Cohesio for small to long production runs of pressure sensitive labels. The machine consists of servo driven inline coating and printing technology, which is designed for label printers seeking compact and affordable equipment.

The Mini-Cohesio has what the company says is an easy-to-operate 13” coating and laminating machine with a cantilever design. It can also be equipped with an optional digital inkjet printing station.

The equipment is capable of producing finished PS labels in one pass, starting with unsupported film or paper, which is then printed and passed through the silicone and adhesive stations, laminated together and diecut.

The Mini-Cohesio can run up to 500 fpm (150 mpm) and 275 fpm (84 mpm) when equipped with a digital unit. The press can produce high-quality images with 14 micron dots at 1600 x 1375 dpi. It can also come equipped with Pellicut technology, which enables diecutting down to 18 micron release liners.

The machine’s specifications include five printheads with CMYK and an optional custom spot color. The nozzle architecture features 774 million drops per second, as well.

The maintenance tray comes with a fully automated, fully integrated cleaning system, with independent rollers for cleaning each printhead. A motorized unit retracts and advances automatically before and after printing, and there are three different cleaning levels. The pre-print and post-print cleaning cycles run every 45 seconds, and they automatically run every four hours while the machine is idle.

The Mini-Cohesio allows for the use of different printing processes like flexo, digital and gravure, while providing savings on raw material costs. If the printing is done in flexo, ETI features servo drives on each printhead, providing automatic register control. The anilox roll, the sleeve cylinder and the impression cylinder are independently  servo-driven to obtain automatic registration without changing the web tension.

The process also results in savings by avoiding overlamination and offering printing before coating. Additionally, there are possibilities for silicone and adhesive pattern coating.