THE DATA FRONT

Labels&Labeling |111
Open House
At a recent Edelmann Graphics open house, sales and administration director Julius Friedrich
showcased an EvoPrint press with eight print stations – six offset and two flexo – which was later
shipped to an undisclosed customer for the production of medium and long run labels.
EvoPrint machines are delivered with 2-cylinder print inserts, and format change is achieved
without breaking the web. The EvoPrint has two servo-motors per offset print station, the first
one driving the print insert and the second the inking train. There is also a separate duct drive.
‘This allows us to prepare the print stations not used with the current job for the next one during
production,’ noted Friedrich. In-line, closed loop ink density measurement is optional.
cassettes for its first UV offset press, the Varyflex-F1 Offset. The press has a top speed
of 200 m/min and is available in 340 and 430 mm web widths, with 520 mm under
development. The range of print repeats is from 12" to 25", achieved by a 2-cylinder
interchangeable cassette.
The print units have a setting speed of 10 m/min to minimize start-up waste while
water-ink balance is achieved, and the print unit is equipped with Omet’s ‘Vision 1’
automatic register system. A comprehensive report on the new press appears on
page 61 of this issue.
Intermittent solutions
Intermittent, or semi-rotary offset presses, already provide an established solution to
shorter run work with variable formats.
Gallus pioneered this market with its TCS250 machine – now available with a rotary
die-cutting option – and other manufacturers have helped evolve the concept.
Rotatek’s Brava press, for example, is able to run in both semi- and full rotary modes
(see L&L 1, 2009 p.63). Speeds in semi-rotary mode are around 50 m/min and 150
m/min in full rotary. The modes are changed by a simple change of printing cassettes.
Codimag’s keyless Aniflo inking system first seen on the Viva 420 (see L&L June/
July 2008 p.26) uses a ‘flexo’ inking system of chambered doctor blade and anilox
sleeve specially engraved to break down the paste ink to a film. The ink film is
delivered to a transferred to the plate by a rubber form roller.
Smooth Machinery is the latest manufacturer to enter the intermittent offset arena.
Developed with Smooth’s Japanese partner Fuji, the SPM-4500R semi-rotary
water-offset press is 450mm (17in) wide, giving a total print area of 430mm x 410 mm.
Print speed is 12,000 impressions an hour and the ‘cool’ UV system will even handle
shrink sleeve labels, according to Smooth. The press comes equipped with a UV flexo
varnishing station and rotary magnetic die cutting as an option. It is driven by multiple
servo drives with fully automatic web tension control and servo-driven segmented
ink fountain rollers. The press has a Fife inspection system integrated into its Touch
Screen control panel. A full range of converting options is available, include hot
stamping, embossing, laminating, silkscreen and sheeting.
Muller Martini PI 1385 Alprinta 74V
The insider
A round-up of the latest
global label stories
Booklet production drives
refurbished R200 market
Graficon Maschinenbau AG has delivered
another two fully refurbished Gallus R 200
presses to customers in Germany. The two
machines are equipped with some all-new
units, including UV, electrical controls and
register control.
The machines are also equipped with the
module developed by Graficon for the inline
production of booklet labels. The base label
is printed in the machine and in some cases
first die-cut and the matrix taken off. The
pre-fabricated leaflets are placed in register
onto the web by a dispenser and are fixed
by means of lamination or gluing and then
die-cut to the final shape. 'The requirement
for labels with a high content of information
is constantly increasing, Booklet-labels meet
these demands and therefore the market
for these products is growing,' explained
Graficon's Martin Erni. The customers for
these machines asked to remain anonymous.
Schober sells
robotized stacker
After successfully demonstrating its RSM
520+ 'S' Stack (Star Wheel) system at drupa,
Schober has announced the sale of a similar
model, but with in-line robotization ('V' Stack),
for product stacking and counting.
The high capacity stacking system has
a third variant, the 'M' Stack, for very short
runs. The 'S' Stack is optimized for long runs
and the 'V' Stack for very large products and
complex product layouts. The new machine
will be ready for shipment by the end of
March 2009.
UV Ray offers low-heat
and power system
Maxwell WA is UV Ray's latest water-cooled,
long-arc reflector with the same features
and sizes of models with forced air cooling.
It is fully extractable, has a low working
temperature with reduced refrigerating power.
The Maxwell WA system uses lowpressure
water recirculation that enables
the use of standard pipes (Ø 10 to 12 mm)
and a compact refrigerating group. The
manufacturer claims 30 percent energy
savings for three every three reflectors
installed compared to comparable systems.
Another feature is 'Smart Start', a lowpower
starter system claimed to reduce initial
power requirements by 50 percent. Maxwell
WA is optimized for both in-line and larger
format central drum machines converting
unsupported film.
may 2009 | L&L