Actega EcoLeaf | 63Digital foil challenges traditionActega Metal Print’s recent open house at its Lehrte, Germany, headquarters provided an opportunity to understand the performance and sustainability of its EcoLeaf technology frsthand. Adrian Tippetts reportssustainable technology ecosystem is not only defned by reducing the environmental and social burden, A but it must be economical, and above all, there can be no compromise in quality.This is especially so in the case of metallic effects. Silver or gold embellishments are a proven method of creating visual and sensual appeal that stands out on a crowded retail shelf, particularly in luxury wine, spirits, cosmetics goods, and many other premium sectors. While foiling may be renowned for its brightness, refective color and fne detail, both hot and cold processes incur waste when a signifcant proportion of foil and adhesive is not used in the fnal product.However, specialty coatings and inks manufacturer Actega seeks to challenge Actega’s EcoLeaf unit integrated with an inkjet press was demonstrated at the open house eventfoil’s dominance with EcoLeaf, a metallizing technology that promises equivalent quality – but without waste and with reduced “Ecoleaf is about achieving excellence with operating costs. Actega Metal Print hosted an open house fewer materials, more process simplicity, and event at its Lehrte, Germany headquarters to show that after fve years of R&D fexibility, more effciency, with less waste”development, EcoLeaf is now ready for the label converting market. Eliminating waste 60-degree angle, which for the human eye Only the precise amount of foil needed on Actega claims is acceptable and comparable Only print what you need the package is used in the process, which to the 700 gloss points of foil. EcoLeaf uses ‘liquid foil’ instead of means consumption is kept to a minimum, plastic-backed reels used in conventional and the potential for waste reduction is Rolled for image sharpnesshot and cold foiling. By only placing metal signifcant. The processing of the metal layer in the fakes precisely where they are needed, ‘’There is no other need for the unused unit into a fully dried, fattened surface EcoLeaf avoids the need for PET carrier flm foil and its adhesive. [Traditional foil] only plays an important role in assuring a clean, – and reels altogether. Actega claims the gets used by 10, maybe 20 percent of the sharp image – as does speed. technology reduces the CO2 footprint by whole coverage area of the label. The rest is The metalization unit has a central more than 50 percent compared with hot a waste that often gets either incinerated impression confguration. The donor roller and cold foil. or sent to landfll,’ says Paulo Grasso, sales is a soft, silicone-coated sleeve mounted The application process is similar to director for EcoLeaf at Actega Metal Print. on an air mandrel in the middle of the inks but uses pure metal fakes. These are Initial calculations from the company’s machine. Surrounding this are seven processed and reproduced in a super fat life cycle assessment suggest that 1kg of process positions. The frst process is an monolayer, enabling mirroring and quality EcoLeaf fakes replace 3,000kg of foil waste, application station. Metal fakes, suspended that rivals traditional foiling. eliminating 20 tonnes of CO2 emissions in deionized water, are pumped into a plus 250 liters of dirty, recyclable water. cassette, then applied to the donor roller via Trigger image process counter-rotating rollers. The print result is created by printing a Mirror effect Next is a polishing station with trigger image in a varnish-like material, The fake production method assists chrome-coated rollers to smoothen and applied by fexo, screen or inkjet printing. EcoLeaf’s high quality. Being a PVD fatten the fakes. This application-polish The trigger image is then UV-cured (physical vapor deposition) coating, EcoLeaf sequence is repeated, then a squeegee before passing to the metalization unit, fakes are smaller, while the edges and removes excess water and fakes and is which processes the metallic fakes from orientation are more regular and fatter fed to a tank below for reuse. A hot air or a liquid format to a fully dried, fattened than metallic inks. While metallic inks infrared unit fully dries the metallic layer on surface and transfers it to the trigger are more prone to scattering light and the donor roller. At the nip point, the fakes image with a donor roller. No drying is sparkling, EcoLeaf achieves a shiny, are applied to the trigger image. Bonding needed, and the metalized web may then mirror effect. is instant, as the varnish that forms the be overprinted with a variety of colors In gloss level tests, EcoLeaf achieves 600 trigger image is specially formulated to and coatings. measurable gloss points, measured at a attract the fakes, ‘like a magnet,’ in a way Jul - Sep 2022