Digital Printing technology and new alternatives in label printing

Mike EnglanderDurst Phototechnik AG

Durst Phototechnik AGThe Industrial Inkjet Specialist

Durst Tau 330 High Speed UV Inkjet Label Press

Digital UV Inkjet - Narrow Web Application

The main alternatives

• Electro-Ink from HP Indigo– Thin film lamination process bonded to the substrate

in ‘one shot’• Powder toner xerography from Xeikon

– Toner particles are melted by heat and fused to the substrate

• Ink jet from a selection of companies including Durst– creates a digital image by propelling droplets of ink

onto the substrate

Needs of the label converter from digital

• Quality - comparable to conventional• Speed - comparable to conventional• Material flexibility - comparable to conventional• Cost – as long a digital run as possible versus

conventional total print cost

Ink Jet

• For high quality print, you need a combined system incorporating the best of:

– Print Head– Ink– Substrate– Web transport– software

Ink Jet – Evolution & InnovationDigital Printing Technologies for Narrow Web

Piezo Inkjet

Grayscale Inkjet

Thermo Inkjet

Electro Photo liquid & dry toner

Continuous Inkjet

Inkjet

DOD Inkjet

Binary

UV WB UV WB

SOL WB

Inkjet 2006300 dpi

Inkjet 2007360 dpi

Inkjet 2011720 x 360 dpi

Original

● Printing Resolution● Stitch Handling● Ink Formulation● Web Transport Design

Ink Jet – Evolution & Innovation

Ink Jet - Head

Ink Jet Print Heads must be:

- scalable for high speeds, - scalable print width, - jet a high opacity white ink - jet new (additional) fluids

Ink Jet - Ink

Must have characteristics such as:- Ink properties to work with surface tension of

most substrates- Cover a wide color gamut to match high % of

Pantone range- Print high opacity white - Have high chemical & scratch resistance- Have high degree of light fastness

Ink Jet - Software

Must have characteristics such as:

- Highly accurate press linearization - Ink limiting function to reduce costs- Accurate substrate profiling- High speed ripping & dithering- Accurate color management

Result – Speed (m/min)

Number of Colours

ElectroInk Toner Durst Ink Jet

CMYK 16 or 32 19 48

CMYKW 11 or 21 19 45

CMYKWOV 8 or 16 n/a 45

Result - Cost

Job details Tau 330 Flexo Press

Print width: 330 mm 400 mmPrinting speed 48 m/min 100 m/minQuantity: 10.000 10.000Size: 95x150 mm 95x150 mmGab: 3 mm 3 mm Colors: 4 Colors 4 Plates Image layout 3 up 4 upPrint repeat

Job run length 509 lm 382 lm

Job Description

15,6

28,8

10,6

3,8

5,0

25,0

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Total Job Time

Printing Time

Press Setup, Fileediting

Printing Time Comparison (in minutes)

Flexo Press

Tau 330

30,8 €

116,1 €

12,9 €

23,9 €

9,0 €

16,7 €

3,0 €10,5 €

5,8 €

65,0 €

- € 20,0 € 40,0 € 60,0 € 80,0 € 100,0 € 120,0 €

Total Costs

Machine hour (50€/h)

Labor costs (35€/h)

Substrate waste

Plate costs, Fileediting costs

Cost Comparison Tau 330 vs. Flexo

Flexo Press

Tau 330

Result - Cost

Calculation base => label size 10x15 cm in CMYK, 69 €/liter Ink, 48 lm/minIncl. machine depreciation + operator costs + Maintenance

Tau 330 cost cross-over: 62,000 labels

or3,150 lin. Meters on

33 cm web width

Result - Quality

See samples

Leaders in imaging solutions since 1936

Thank you !

Any Questions?