As cost pressure continues to rise on printed packaging, converters must look for new technology to improve their profitability.
One approach that succeeds in reducing costs across a range of materials from plastic film to carton board is the ‘one-pass’ technique offered by narrow and mid web printing and converting lines.
To highlight this alternative technology, Omet, the leading Italian manufacturer of narrow web printing technology will be exhibiting one of its new VaryFlex-F1 lines at the Düsseldorf trade fair in May/June.
The VaryFlex-F1 on working demonstration will have a 530mm web width and be fitted with six UV-flexo printing units and sliding cold foil unit on OverHead Rail System, as well ‘Fly Cut’ and a delivery table for sheeted products.
Modular design of all Omet presses allow for complete interchange of units, and the VaryFlex-F1 is available with rotogravure, rotary screen, and both hot and cold foil units.
Omet design also permits the application of holograms in tight register.
This is useful not only for added value decorative purposes but also to support the anti-counterfeit process that is necessary in certain markets.
Principal benefits of the Omet press are its ability to convert an unprinted web of cartonboard to a finished carton blank in one pass at high speed.
With no need to stack down work between processes, and a vastly reduced requirement for staffing levels and floorspace, the Omet style of inline carton production recreates profit margins in areas where offset printing with offline converting cannot compete.
With modern UV-flexo capable of printing a fine dot, print quality is not only comparable with offset, even on flesh tones and vignettes, it offers more colour vibrancy and consistency throughout the print run.
The VaryFlex prints all substrates from thick plastic film to paper and from adhesive-paper to carton, for the production of labels, flexible packaging, folding carton, shrink labels, wrap-around labels, in-mould labels, blister, and tickets.
Omet claims a significant boost in productivity with Fly Cut, with advantages both in quality and production cost savings.
Fly Cut produces a cleanly cut sheet, free of dust, and without any skewed edges.
On shorter formats the machine leaves no rips or tears, while on longer formats, there are none of the blockages typically associated with this type of sheeting.
The cut is always perfectly square without any adjustment to the cutting angle.
The ‘Fly Cut’ facility is a synchronised cutting unit that allows different sized sheets to be cut without changing machine set up.
It is positioned in the converting area of the machine and works by allowing printed material to be sheeted in different sizes, from 6” up to 33” through a single unit.
But unlike traditional sheeting systems, there is no need to change the set up to suit the format.
Also on working display at Drupa 2008 will be the Omet TV 503 machine for the production of printed napkins, embossed with original point to point system, and also capable of producing printed table sets.
The TV 503 will be fitted with a non stop unwind.
In keeping with its pre-eminent position in the field of flexo printing technology, Omet has recently announced its membership of ‘Flexo4All’, an international partnership of 19 independent manufacturers supplying the flexo industry.
The aim of Flexo4All is strategic cooperation rather than a joint commercial venture, and the initiative recognises the growing importance of flexo as the best technology for all of today’s package print requirements.
Recent trends in packaging means that the flexibility of flexo is well matched to: shorter runs, more graphics, more colour consistency, wider substrate capability, and better control of cost and environmental issues.
In fact, flexo as a process is the fastest growing print technique worldwide, and Omet is among the leading innovators in the market.
A full complement of sales and technical personnel will be available on the Omet stand at Drupa to discuss each visitor’s individual production requirements and make informed recommendations on the best solution available.
mkt@omet.it
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