Showing in Chicago

12 August 2008



A wealth of narrow web converting technology will be displayed at Labelexpo Americas 2008, which runs from September 9-11. Here is a selection of what the exhibitors will be offering


Converting systems

In its own booth and the adjacent HP booth 3223, AB Graphic International will feature the latest developments in its label converting lines. In 2007, the company was named official supplier of label converting systems for the HP digital print engine.

AB will relaunch the newly upgraded Sabre Extreme system for non-stop label cutting and exhibit an Omega SR1300 slitter inspection rewinder with FleyeVision electronic camera print inspection system.

Also on show will be an ECTR 1300 Vectra turret rewinder with hotmelt core and tail gluing, and an STR1300 with automatic take-off conveyor. Both models will be linked to Omega converting lines, one of which will be equipped with a FleyeVision print machine. An Omega Ti 150 for off-line integration of RFID/EAS and a Whirlwind automatic stringing machine for tags and labels complement the exhibits.

Two Omega Digicon Series 2 label converting lines for digitally printed webs will be demonstrated in the HP booth, one of which will be equipped with hotfoil blocking, laminating and screen printing units. Also featuring will be a Flytec 100 with area scan and new colour tile software from HP for security applications.

Bielomatik is to stage the North American launch of its RF-LoopTag – a module that will allow converters to manufacture smart labels without the need for exact positioning of the silicon chip. The chip is placed onto a secondary broadband antenna which can be applied closer to the main antenna than is possible with other systems, says the company.

The main antenna is made of aluminium foil, which is cheaper than the usual copper and acts as a conductor, so the near field range is extended to a five metre read capability.

Delta Industrial will demonstrate new laser technology with the Edge laser module on a Mod-Tech web converting system. The Edge is said to provide flexible manufacturing for complex geometries, precision products and quick changeover, eliminating the need for expensive tooling. Its servo controlled robotic arm allows repositioning of the laser for use in a variety of processes.

Web handling

Martin Automatic will introduce the MLS, a compact splicer designed to mount above narrow web presses, where it automatically unwinds and splices film laminate webs.

Visitors to the Martin booth will be able to watch demonstrations of a variety of non-stop splicers and rewinders running a range of widths and substrates. “This is the most equipment Martin has ever had running at an exhibition, and that includes drupa,” states marketing manager Craig Thompson.

Materials

Visitor to the Avery Dennison booth will learn about the company’s EcoFriendly products, a new liner recycling programme and services such as Fasson Optimum Performance, which can help an operation reduce waste and improve profitability. ‘Custom Engineered Solutions’ for special applications and decoration transfer opportunities will also be highlighted.

Avery Dennison is also sponsoring the September 10 conference seminar about sustainable packaging issues across the value chain (see below).

Breit Technologies is showcasing the Cast and Cure (C2) decorative coating process. Breit says it meets with “the aggressive approach to source ‘Green’ and sustainable alternatives to lamination and foil decorating currently being sought by companies like P&G, Wal-Mart and Target”. The reduced carbon footprint and cost benefit of the process is enhanced by the reuse of the C2 material, it is claimed.

Innovia Films will present its full portfolio of grades for label applications. This will include the latest developments in its Rayoface CZDI and WZDI range of BOPP facestock films – said to be ideal for demanding applications on flexible containers – and Rayofoil MCPA improved metallised, top coated BOPP facestock film.

A recent addition to the range of BOPP films for Variable Information Printing is Rayoface WTR – a white pigmented film said to give optimal processing efficiencies for fast, high speed conversion and printing.

Innovia has expanded its range of biodegradable and compostable facestock films for pressure sensitive applications. NatureFlex NVLW is a white cellulose film based on sustainable wood pulp. It has been certified to both the American (ASTM D6400) and European (EN13432) norms, and can be disposed of in home and industrial composting environments.

Mactac Printing Products is launching Bloom, its new eco-aware range “to help customers ensure that paper products originating from managed forests are handled appropriately throughout the supply chain”. The Bloom range includes eight ‘environmentally friendly facestocks’, ranging from 30 to 100 per cent post-consumer waste as well as two Earthfirst polylactic acid (PLA) prime films. Most Bloom products are customisable.

Mactac will also introduce two film product ranges. New Vivid clear prime liners offer an alternative to traditional polyester while providing an ultra-clear, “un-labelled effect”, it is claimed. New Durable films are said to withstand the toughest environmental conditions for applications that require the label to last the life of the product.

Various release liner and coated products will be showcased by coating and laminating specialist Rayven. The line-up will include a new 48 gauge (ultra-slim) PET release liner available in large diameter rolls; economical pressure sensitive adhesive for films; and inkjet papers and other adhesive coated products for the label market.

R/bak SA 3000 Series cushion mounting materials for flexo printing will be prominent in the Rogers booth. These tapes now come with improved handling features: three levels of compressibility to accommodate the full range of flexo applications from process work to combination jobs, line and solid work. Rogers’ field proven open cell urethane cushion technology and specially developed acrylic adhesives are combined in a product construction designed for easy handling while providing excellent printing results. The R/bak SA 3000 Series is available worldwide through an extensive network of distributors. 

3M’s Performance label materials with structured adhesive are aimed at “helping converters escape from bubble trouble caused by entrapment or outgassing”. Microchannels throughout the structured adhesive are said to allow air to flow freely between the label adhesive and substrate. Hand applied labels go on smoothly and remain there permanently without bubbles or wrinkles, it is claimed.

Controlling quality

“The most exciting new development in web inspection in 15 years” is how BST Pro Mark characterises the Super HandyScan 4000 system. “A quantum leap forward in technology and ease of use,” the SHS features a high-resolution digital camera, Virtual Repeat Technology, a graphic user interface, touchscreen image navigation, 100 per cent scan, Combi-Scan, and optional in-line colour monitoring and job recipe save.

Another exhibit is the Shark 4000 LeX 100 per cent inspection system, now available for webs up to 80 inches wide and speeds up to 2,200 ft/min. It features a graphic touchscreen user interface, wizard style job set-up, black and white or colour linescan cameras, defect archiving and reporting, workflow link and in-line inspection of the master PDF file against the actual print.

The CLS Pro 600 device offers new technology for guiding of continuous or broken printed lines, contrast or web edges “with unparalleled ease of use and precision,” the company says. It uses automatic LED lighting and a colour CCD camera that is said to provide laser guided precision. A high resolution colour display and icon controls are said to “bring a whole new level of intuitive operation”.

The new AR4000 register control system for offset and in-line flexo presses offers an ‘ultra compact’ CCD camera package with intelligent image processing for “perfect” control of colour-to-colour register, front-to-back control, and colour-to-cut or perforation and colour-to-lacquer or varnish on flexo presses. “The system requires a minimal number of cameras and uses small 0.5 mm dots, so that an eight-colour job requires only 32 mm of space in machine direction,” says the company.

New from Erhardt + Leimer is the Elscan OMS 4 digital camera web monitoring system, offering a ‘picture in picture’ function. Integrating two cameras enables it to display the complete repeat and to monitor the registration mark, for example.

Elscan navigation is said to be user friendly and simple: the operator uses the repeat overview display to select any area at any desired zoom level. The selected area will be displayed next on the screen. A digital zoom will allow up to a 50x magnification. Another innovation is strobe lighting, especially effective on highly reflective surfaces.

Elscan is available in manual and motorised versions, and features image stabilisation, print screen and display of the last 16 images. Optional colour monitoring can also be added.

Karlville’s Ksi Slit Inspect Machine is a ‘two in one’ system allowing simultaneous slitting and inspecting of self-adhesive labels and film materials. It can reach up to 300 m/min while slitting and inspecting with an optional synchronised stroboscope, and up to 150 m/min with an integrated auto inspection system.

The Ksi comes in widths of 450 and 650 mm, with 800 mm unwind diameter and 700 mm rewind. It uses a close loop tension control system on unwind and rewind to ensure “high quality finished rolls on the most difficult materials,”?Karlville points out.

New from Label Vision Systems is the LVS 7500 in-line print quality inspection system for thermal and thermal transfer printers. It can inspect 100 per cent of the printed label and has the ability to perform ISO verification inspection of bar codes and matrix codes in any logical orientation and multiple codes. It can also verify human readable to the bar code, and check for number sequence integrity and for duplicates as the label is printing.

Label Vision plans to add print defect detection capability, such as missing, broken, and filled-in text or graphics (blemishes).

Visitors to the Doyle Systems booth can view a live demonstration video of Tectonic’s ‘hands-free’ Flexico V5 plate mounting machine. Now available for sleeves, this machine uses a patented design with a rise and fall plate bed onto which the plate is dropped before being pulled forward under the cameras for line-up of the register marks. Once the plate is lined up, a foot switch drops a holding bar gently onto it, to hold it in position. Throughout the mounting process, the printer’s hands are free.

The V5 can be built for plate or sleeve mounting and to suit one or more types of printing press from different manufacturers.

Testing Machines Inc (TMI) will be sharing a booth with RK Print Coat Instruments, featuring the FlexiProof 100, K Printing Proofer, Ink Rub tester, and Lab Master Release and Adhesion tester.

TMI manufactures and distributes physical property testing instruments to evaluate adhesives, pressure sensitive labels, printability, friction, paper, film, foil, ink, and coatings. Its equipment includes peel testers, adhesion testers, probe tack and loop tack testers, ink testing and flexo ink proofing products.

Drying and curing

New from Exfo LSI Division, the Excelerate range of UV curing systems is claimed to enable users to achieve superb print quality on their equipment. The Excelerate PIN-100 is promoted as a new approach to inkjet, single-pass UV ink pinning, enhancing print quality at high speeds and for affordable medium to short run digital label printing.

Reducing the carbon footprint is the theme of the GEW booth, where the company will feature its e-System range of UV lampheads with energy saving electronic power supplies said to offer the combined benefits of increased UV output, low running costs and reduced CO2 emissions.

GEW president Brian Wenger comments: “Increasingly our customers are being asked to reduce CO2 emissions and they can do this by simply replacing existing UV systems running on choke power supplies with electronic ones. They will not only save on running costs, but will also serve to make their own manu-facturing operation greener.”

The company will also introduce its e-System Inert atmosphere line for the narrow web market, for curing inks and coatings on filmic substrates such as in-mould, shrink and stretch sleeves for food packaging. The system enables the use of inks and coating chemistry with reduced levels of low molecular components that minimise the risk of taint and odour migration from the packaging.

Inks

Flint Group Narrow Web promises exhibits that will be “pushing the boundaries in decorative, security and quality print“. The company is addressing the need for sustainability in narrow web print by introducing “the first ever water based flexo inks using renewable soy resin technology”. Meeting Soy Seal approval, these inks are said to provide great printability and good colour strength, are stable on press and easy to use.

CombiScreen VOC-free UV rotary screen inks are available in Pantone base colours and are said to be ideal for combination printing with UV flexo inks and can be used on all types of substrate. Described as “extremely durable and with excellent opacity,” they are claimed to be perfect for beverage, health and beauty, and no-label-look applications.

The new Flexocure Ebony high intensity UV flexo ink is said to provide superb blackness, while Flexocure Ivory promises “the whitest white in a UV flexo ink – rivalling UV screen whites”.

Graymills’ new two-piece (pump and remotely mounted control box) peristaltic pump is designed for press builders and users with limited space. The control box can now be mounted in any operator friendly location away from the pump itself, grouped with other press controls or in a cabinet convenient to the operator.

The remote control peristaltic ink pump shares the proven features of existing Graymills pumps, and features a variable speed motor and directional control, and a splash resistant steel housing.

A new range of gravure-specific pumps are said to exceed industry performance demands while providing quick turnaround, lighter weight and high quality. There are three models: the G2000 for mid to wide web presses, while larger presses have the choice of the M3 and G4 pumps. All are made of rugged cast iron and stainless steel, and are Teflon coated for easy wash-up.

All Graymills gravure pumps are available with an optional ‘quick change’ feature allowing tool-less removal of the motor for easier moving and cleaning of the pump. C and ATEX versions are available for the European market.

Presses

Gallus will demonstrate the ‘Gallus Digital Experience’ in its booth, beginning with the RCS 330 that is said to be the world’s only integrated servo press. Jobs can be changed over “with virtually no waste” and without the need to stop the web, thanks to the integration of digital servomotors and an on-board control system.

The digital experience will move from flexo to offset on the TCS 250 press, which will feature for the first time a rotary die cutting offered as an option. The EM 280 will produce a multi-layered brand protection job including Gallus Screeny and will feature for the first time a servo infeed and outfeed system. The press will be located in the Kurz booth (1817) yet digitally connected to the main operations centre in the Gallus booth.

Gidue will show its new Universal Platform on the Xpannd hybrid press, which offers the possibility to interchange the RSI and Flower flexo process head. Other exhibits include the latest hot stamping technology and the Intelligent Register 2.0, which uses cameras on each printing station.

Mark Andy will be exhibiting a range of narrow and mid web printing equipment and technology from its Mark Andy and Comco press ranges, as well as a Mark Andy VSR slitter rewinder and UVT UV curing systems. Features will include cold and hotfoil, embossing, debossing, variable data printing and screen printing.

The new Mark Andy XP5000 shaftless servo press on show will be joined by the newly redesigned 2200 model featuring “end-to-end servo technology”. Both will feature UV curing systems from UVT, and run live demonstrations daily. Comco will be showing its new C1 ProGlide, heralded as the most productive and efficient press for the flexible packaging and high-end label markets. It will be fitted with a UV curing system from UVT and will run live demonstrations daily.

PowerSmart is UVT’s space saving power supply, with a reduced footprint and convenient cassette replacement format. UVT chill technology, featured on Comco and Mark Andy presses, will demonstrate effective curing of unsupported, thin film substrates.

Muller Martini will display two static printing units from its Alprinta-V continuous size variable web press. One unit will be offset, the other flexo, to demonstrate the hybrid printing capabilities of the machine. The offset version features a quick change cylinder and the flexo version has a quick change sleeve.

Muller Martini claims its Alprinta-V technology allows a complete press size change to be performed “in a matter of minutes, which can make package production more profitable by reducing labour costs, makeready times and start-up waste”.

Omet will exhibit two presses. The FTA Innovation Award 2008 winning X-Flex is being given its overseas debut in Chicago. The eight-colour version on show has a 430 mm web width and is said to feature reduced set-up times and very low waste levels. The new Vision-1 automatic inspection system promises tight register control and guaranteed print quality at 200 m/min.

The new 10-colour VaryFlex F1 press also on show has a 530 mm web width and is optimised for flexo, gravure, screen, and offset printing, with hot and coldfoil, and holograms – all produced in-line on any material from thin film to cartonboard. Interchangeable units, sleeve technology and gearless drive are claimed to make the Varyflex-F1 the most flexible production system on the market.

Digital printing

Supplier of industrial inkjet printheads Xaar will feature its 1001 head on innovative systems printing high quality colour labels in the booths of four leading label specialists. Following their launch at drupa and Interpack, respectively, the Stork DSI and the JF Machines narrow web press will make their American debut. In addition, EFI is showing the award winning Jetrion 4000, while Nilpeter/FFEI is to display its new Caslon digital print module.

The EFI Jetrion 4000 UV Inkjet System (booth 6423) offers an affordable, full colour narrow web alternative to toner based digital printers for label runs of up to 50,000. JF’s PicoColour range of narrow web presses (Xaar booth 6446) prints on a wide variety of materials up to 160 mm web widths. The Nilpeter/FFEI Caslon (booth 3105) integrates into the Nilpeter “Dream Line” and, running at up to 50 m/min, is said to combine high quality digital printing with conventional printing and converting

Stork’s DSI Digital System Integration narrow web inkjet module (booth 529) boasts an ‘open platform’ for easy integration into a range of printing presses. With top speeds of 35 m/min, it offers fast changeover times and handles all main paper and filmic label substrates.

The ‘industrial strength’ Xaar 1001 is a variable drop (greyscale) printhead featuring the patented Hybrid Side-Shooter platform with TF Technology. Its design is said to ensure high reliability and productivity.

The ixPressia Print Engine Colour Label software with its greyscale screening capabilities and variable data will also be showcased in the Xaar booth, demonstrated on a JF press.

Conference

Sponsored by Avery Dennison, the Labelexpo Americas 2008 Conference (running alongside the show) will offer an extensive three-day programme covering topics ranging from digital printing and flexible packaging to sustainability and brand protection/security.

The conference programme, produced by TLMI, will have strong emphasis on managing in the current economic climate, as well as new technology and opportunities. Session highlights include: Opportunities and challenges in the North America label markets; Maximising your potential in the current climate; Digital printing: what’s next?; Sustainability: cradle-to-cradle packaging for value and profit; and a case study: Putting sustainability into practice at Wal-Mart.

The final day will be dedicated to brand protection and security, including: case studies from Underwriters Laboratories and HP; New solutions in substrates and prepress; Conventional and digital printing/converting: different options; and a panel discussion by top label converters.

Sessions can be booked individually and cost US$150 in advance (US$350 for three sessions) or US$175 each at the show. The price includes free entry to Labelexpo Americas.


Labelexpo Americas Martin's MLS splicer Upgraded system from AB Elscan: E+L's latest system New from Label Vision Karlville's Ksi Split Inspect Machine Graymills space saving pump GEW tackling energy issues Muller Martini's Alprinta-V Omet's award winning press

External weblinks
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Labelexpo Americas
AB Graphic International
Avery Dennison
Briet Technologies
BST Pro Mark
Delta Industrial
Erhardt+Leimer
Exfo
Flint Group
GEW
Graymills
Innovia Films
Label Vision
Karlville
Mactac
Mark Andy
Martin Automatic
Muller Martini
Omet
Rayven
Rogers Corporation
R K Print Coat
TMI
Tectonic
Xaar

Graymills space saving pump Graymills space saving pump
Karlville's Ksi Split Inspect Machine Karlville's Ksi Split Inspect Machine
Martin's MLS splicer Martin's MLS splicer
GEW tackling energy issues GEW tackling energy issues
New from Label Vision New from Label Vision
Muller Martini's Alprinta-V Muller Martini's Alprinta-V
Labelexpo Americas Labelexpo Americas
Elscan: E+L's latest system Elscan: E+L's latest system
Upgraded system from AB Upgraded system from AB
Omet's award winning press Omet's award winning press


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