By Melissa Donovan
Part 1 of 3
The June issue of Industrial Print magazine includes editorial on how converters and package printers can benefit from single-pass digital printers as well as automated material handling systems when dealing with corrugated board.
As a continuation of this piece, we share some of the printers and finishing products available.
Printers
The EFI Nozomi 14000 LED press and the EFI Nozomi C18000 Plus printer are both ultra-high-speed inkjet solutions for the corrugated market. These advanced direct-to-board digital presses leverage Nozomi single-pass UV LED inkjet technology with improvements that bring enhanced productivity, reliability, value, and flexibility to the industrial packaging segment.
The C18000 Plus is an established technology for corrugated packaging applications but is also an ideal fit for point of sale applications since it offers a print width of 1.8 meters. Due to excellent color quality, these printers are well suited for high graphic printing and applications such as displays and ecommerce boxes. The quality of the printing and the ability to include high-quality graphic content enhance the shopping experience for the smart buyer—be it online or at the retail store.
HP Inc. offers several presses part of its PageWide family for corrugated printing. Of note is the HP PageWide C550 Press, which utilizes water-based ink. The press is designed for production. A top feeder allows for handling thin and micro-flutes. Virtual Belt technology enables precise media motion control and Corrugated Grips hold the edges of warped sheets flat.
Kento Digital Printing offers the Kento Hybrid, which runs a 51×82-inch sheet size matching up to large format flatbed die cutters and also the retail distribution centers within most plants. With this common sheet size, the automated material handling systems being used in many plants today can also be used with the Kento Hybrid.
Koenig & Bauer Durst, the joint venture company set up by Durst and Koenig & Bauer four years ago, has a growing portfolio of single-pass digital production presses that all use water-based inks. The portfolio includes the Delta SPC 130 Series and the CorruJET 170 Series—aimed at corrugated packaging. The most recent addition to the range is the Delta SPC 130 FlexLine Eco+ industrial production press for run lengths from one to millions of square meters. Launched in May last year, this entry-level, compact model offers corrugated converters a new route into digital packaging or enhances current capabilities.
Xeikon’s IDERA corrugated press prints a maximum sheet size of 63×110 inches at speeds of 383 feet per minute. Utilizing Xeikon IDERA AT water-based pigment ink, it also features an inline water-based priming and varnish station. The single-pass printer prints directly to coated or uncoated white and brown corrugated board.
Finishing Devices
The XRI Corrugated Stacker from A.G. Stacker offers an innovative design and heavy-duty construction. It is available in three sizes—with customization also an option—115, 125, and 135 inches. Patented to the A.G. Stacker machines is its Intelligent Safety System or ISS. The system consistently scans, detects, records, and alerts personnel in or near safety zones to ensure operator safety. The corrugated stacker is available with multiple optional features. Of note is the semi-automatic pallet inserter.
Elitron’s digital cutting systems are ready to cut and crease all digitally printed corrugated sheets. This can either be done on a compact cutting system or on a fully automatic, roll-in roll-out, pallet-to-pallet cutting system such as Elitron’s Kombo TAV. Elitron’s systems are open and can be integrated with single-pass printers to create one complete, non-stop workflow.
The new Q-Line with BHS180 board handling system from Zund America, Inc. is an integrated system solution. It is intended for the demands of highly automated, industrial finishing of printed boards for displays and packaging. The individual components—board feeder with UNDERCAM, the new Q-Line cutter generation, and the off-load unit—are optimally coordinated and provide previously unattainable levels of productivity.
Working together, the new machine components generate an impressive speed of more than nine feet per second. The new substructure for Q-Line cutters is made from extremely stable concrete. It ensures smooth operation and optimum cutting precision, even at high speeds. The beams are made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, which makes them very light and strong.
Up Next
With a quick roundup of available options, the next two articles in this series on corrugated take a look at two end users relying on Koenig & Bauer Durst and EFI to meet their corrugated printing needs.
Jun2023, Industrial Print Magazine