Featuring Domino, Durst, EFI and Epson, the challenge is simple – they each use the same design and origination for food, personal care and industrial labels, each using the same paper, film and foil substrates provided by Avery Dennison, FLEXcon and UPM Raflatac. Visitors can compare results for themselves.
On entry to the show, visitors receive a folder detailing the Inkjet Trail schedule along with information on print specifications and presses and processes. But those who miss the scheduled Inkjet Trail sessions can also collect label samples from participating manufacturers’ stands at any time during the show.
Comments event director, Tasha Ventimiglia, ‘The Inkjet Trail is a really valuable feature for printers considering investing in inkjet presses. The four press manufacturers are on an equal footing – using the same labelstock and artwork designs – so the results will provide useful insights into how finished results compare on matters such as ink migration and print quality.’
Mark Andy goes digital
Talking of digital printing, Mark Andy is using Labelexpo to launch its latest Digital Series to the North American market.
Described by the company as ‘the first true production-level digital solution of its kind’, the Mark Andy Digital Series is designed to run high-quality jobs at full production speeds of 76m/min, producing even the most demanding jobs with complete confidence. Featuring high-resolution six-colour UV inkjet printing (CMYKOV + W) with top-coating and integrated inline modules (including flexographic printing and a number of converting options, cold foil, screen and more), this hybrid system architecture is billed as delivering the best total cost of operation of any digital solution available on the market.
‘Although this Digital Series is being launched on the North American market at this stage,’ explains local agent Paul Bouwer of SArepco, ‘European and South African launches will follow at the end of the year.’
Also being introduced to the North American market is Mark Andy’s newest division, Mark Andy Print Products.
The division maintains an extensive inventory and supplier network offering a full line of flexo and offset supplies. From plate mounting tapes to tint sleeves to doctor blades, and now an authorised distributor of Esko CDI equipment and DuPont Cyrel FAST flexographic platemaking systems, Mark Andy Print Products offers solutions to keep the pressroom optimised and operating profitably.
Digital inspection and control leadership
Advanced Vision Technology (AVT) is another company that’s emerging as a strategic partner in the provision of next-generation systems for digital printing.
One system provides automated inspection and verification throughout the entire digital printing process. This combination product includes the aptly-named ZeroSet Automated Inspection Workflow – to be demonstrated at Labelexpo Americas – and addresses market needs for inspection on shorter runs and better support for digital printing presses.
ZeroSet allows universal inspection – meaning even very short runs can be automatically inspected – leading to a direct improvement in overall quality control for jobs that, previously, may have been left uninspected.
In developing its digital print process control and quality assurance solutions, AVT has partnered with several other print industry leaders, including Esko and MIS providers. AVT also collaborated with HP to integrate its Apollo 20000 into the new HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press designed specifically for packaging printing.
AVT’s position as a market leader is backed by impressive statistics – 90% of the top 20 label and narrow-web print groups use AVT as their standard quality management systems provider and more the half the worldwide installations of automatic inspection/quality solutions are said to include AVT technologies.
Being introduced at the Chicago is PrintFlow ll, a set of three recently-enhanced systems:
• PrintFlow Central serves as central storage for AVT’s PrintFlow database. It allows users to store, backup and monitor all aspects of print quality from one access point, regardless of site structure and location.
• PrintFlow Manager ll is the successor of AVT’s unsurpassed quality data management system that enables production managers remote access to all AVT PrintFlow databases installed on the company’s 100% inspection platforms. Using its quality statistics features, managers can monitor, analyse and control the quality of the production process from their desktop computers.
• PrintFlow Online ll is a data editing tool designed to optimise editing time and provide the operator with accurate live quality status and production numbers, via live display or MIS communication.
AVT is also introducing the ground-breaking Helios ll S to inspect print applications that incorporate holographic foils and other special effects for brand image and supply chain security. Also premiering are two exclusive narrow-web flexo press control solutions currently utilised by Nilpeter and Gidue to provide automatic pressure and register control without human intervention.
AVT is among Rotocon’s several principals at the show. Others are MPS and Pantec.
Corona treatment on show
Corona treatment pioneer, Vetaphone, is exhibiting examples of its latest technology. Claiming an 80% share of the narrow-web market worldwide, the Danish company brings more than 60 years of surface treatment expertise to the label and flexible packaging markets.
On static display on its own stand is an iCorona generator and two VE1A corona treaters with ceramic electrodes (UL approved), while the company also has units working on the stands of the following manufacturers: ABG International, Domino, ETI, Gidue, HP Indigo, Nilpeter, Omet, Screen, SPGPrints and Werosys.
Vetaphone’s CSO Jan Eisby comments: ‘We have ambitious plans to grow our business and see opportunities with the new high-speed presses that are being installed, and with converters who are moving into working with filmic materials for the first time.’
