The continuing trend toward short run, highly specialized marketing of products for specific holidays, seasons or demographics shows no sign of abating. Consumers are fueling this growth for small, short run, niche products, such as habanero jelly beans, specialty coffees and teas, chili chicken fingers, and other artisanal goods, just to name a few. To allow manufacturers to efficiently package and sell these products, the flexographic market has made advancements in its presses, fulfilling the need to be efficient and fast.
Other trending forces are at work, too. Consumers might notice tuna is being sold in pouches rather than tins, or highly concentrated detergent is being packaged in a flexible bag rather than a traditional container. Brand managers are recognizing the economical and efficient potential of flexo printing to shorten supply chains, control stocks, streamline logistics and reduce or eliminate warehousing, while maintaining print quality and brand identity standards.
Market Response
Flexo printers are reacting to the ongoing trend of customization by demanding small compact presses for shorter run lengths, multiple versions of products, and, in general, the ability to do more in less space. They want a press with a design that can accommodate a wide variety of jobs and offer an impressive return on investment.
This fast growing movement has created a need for new, highly profitable, compact central impression (CI) presses ranging from 23-in. to 63-in., making them ideal short run, quick changeover machines. These CI presses are aimed at printers already in possession of medium sized machines, but who at the same time need to respond to the ever increasing number of short and non recurring jobs where larger machines gradually lose their profitability. They are designed with an emphasis on minimum production print costs.
Rather than taking several hours for setup, these new CI presses can be prepped in a greatly reduced amount of time. New CI flexo presses for high end, short run printing have expanded the product range by being targeted specifically at smaller packaging, short runs, quick changeovers, minimal ink and substrate waste, and lowered plate costs. What else makes them highly profitable? They are entry level, low cost machines with a reduced installation time and decreased energy consumption. Flexo printers are requiring their presses be delivered—and be up and running—faster than ever before, to meet the pressure applied by the marketplace.
Plus, flexo printers are finding these CI presses offer the flexibility and capability to print on a variety of substrates that can be environmentally friendly. The presses guarantee the highest level of versatility for a raft of flexible packaging applications on such substrates as plastic, film, paper, lightweight board and laminates, just to name a few.
Specs, Features, Benefits
KBA-Flexotecnica recognized this trend for a compact flexo press. The firm is known for the production of its EVO XD and EVO XG 8-, 10- and 12-color gearless, automated sleeve system, and CI presses available in line speeds of 1,132 fpm, 1,640 fpm and 1,969 fpm. The EVO XD has a width range up to 65-in., while the EVO XG has a width range up to 73-in. The new XDs or XDn can go up to 47-in. with its compact design.
The design platform employs a mono block building design concept. These machines come in three building blocks:
- Mono block 1 encompasses the unwind turreted 32-in., corona treater, a chill roll assembly, a video inspection system and 32- in. rewind
- The second mono block features the CI drum as well as all eight printing decks
- The third assembly is the overhead bridge, which contains a post overhead dryer, as well as two supply and two exhaust fans, and “L” recirculation system
The benefits of these three mono block assemblies are numerous. The machine takes up a very small compact footprint, has a very low ceiling height requirement, and all of its electronics are contained on the back or drive side of the machine. Being built in three pieces also facilitates a much shorter installation time compared to a standard 8- or 10-color wide web machine arriving in as many as seven different subassembly parts.
Mono block and compact design CI presses allow printers and packaging converters to achieve the highest quality performance of large machines, while keeping production costs to an absolute minimum. These sleeve presses assure maximum productivity with minimized running costs, thus achieving a shorter return on investment. Newly designed modular safety covers and protective doors create a more user friendly operator environment, one that’s safer, quieter, easier to maintain and speedy through job changeover.
The machine layout uses a universal configuration in order to enable the application of any print technology, be it solvent or water based, UV or even EB, thus protecting the machine investment from any future technological obsolescence. Unique solutions aimed at drastic reduction of waste, both at print setup and during production, assure extreme efficiency and, consequently, higher profit margins. New design software for engineering and industrialization of the product line allow for machine layout optimization by choosing the most cost effective and economically remunerative format.
Print quality is also enhanced by state of the art video register and defect detection systems. KBA-Flexotecnica works with several camera system sub suppliers to provide the same high level of technology of any printing press manufacturer, regardless of web width. Whether it sets a target dot on the printed image or dedicated register targets, the press can employ a true 100 percent defect detection system monitoring 100 percent of the web all the time.
Due to its compact modular design, use of floor space is kept to a minimum. The design also provides an easy, ergonomic man/machine interface, affording ease and safety to many of the tasks left to operators:
- Printing sleeve change
- Anilox sleeve change
- Access to doctor blade chamber and blades
- Access to ink sumps and filters
- Ground floor operation
- Efficient floor sweeps
A number of optional devices, such as pneumatic ejectors for print and anilox sleeves, as well as the Safe Sleeve Change (SSC), allow the preparation of idle printing decks while the machine is running in the safest and most comfortable way, having been engineered to improve efficiency and flexibility. In addition, the print deck can be further enhanced by a new pipeless doctor chamber design that removes all ink tubing from the operating area to outside the machine’s substantial side frames.
Big On Quality, Low On Price
These new CI presses, which were launched only a few years ago, are currently the most installed variety. They deliver the highest quality printing on any substrate, thus allowing printers to take on a wide range of large and small jobs. They also meet the requirements of the most demanding customers at a reasonable cost. Short run jobs can be easily completed without unnecessary time and economic losses.
Flexible printing using new CI presses is environmentally friendly and economical for small and medium sized jobs. These presses offer high print quality, ease of use and versatility. As the trend toward short run flexible packaging continues to grow, these presses offer printers an exceptional prospect for the future.