Labelexpo Europe 2023 – Press technology | 89PRESS TECHNOLOGYWith both fexo and digital technology reaching a technological peak, the emphasis was on automation and diferent kinds of integration between the two technologies. Andy Thomas-Emans reportst was a fantastic sight to see so much state-of-the-art fexo press technology at Labelexpo Europe 2023 after all the talk about the ‘death of fexo’ after Labelexpo Americas last year.IIt was not only the presses themselves but also the surrounding eco-system of more sustainable plate production, new anilox engravings and screening technologies, quick-change rotary and semi-rotary dies and extended color gamut inking systems, all of which continue to make the fexo process more effcient and sustainable. The most easily visible trend was towards wider presses in the mid-web sweet spot of 26in/670mm. This is wide enough to handle the larger formats required for shrink sleeves, fexible packaging and in-mold labels.Bobst demonstrated its Master M6 with a full automation package. These include on-the-fy exchange of printing cylinders and automated print pressure and registration setting and monitoring through the print run. Combined with Bobst’s oneECG 7-color extended color gamut “THE EMPHASIS WAS ON INCREASING system (more on ECG below), the press was shown changing between jobs in around one minute with a minimum of waste. EFFICIENCY THROUGH AUTOMATION The press also incorporated GEW’s mUVm inline UV measurement system which measures lamp output close to the AND THE INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL web surface continuously throughout the print run. Bobst calls this ‘UV track’, a feature for certifying UV as safe for food packaging. PRINT AND EMBELLISHMENT Bobst has been closely involved with the UVFoodSafe project run by Finat, whose initial results were presented by Sun Chemical’s MODULES TO DEVELOP NEW FORMS Jonathan Sexton at the show. Matteo Cardinotti, head of narrow mid-web printing & OF HYBRID PRESS SYSTEMS”converting and CEO of Bobst Firenze, believes these presses will make an impact, not only in the fexpack market but in shrink sleeve applications rather than PS labels because they allow the commodity label markets where automation is the key converters to innovate in these markets, with most machines going to proftable production, while more bespoke value-added to India or Asia. applications will increasingly migrate to hybrid digital/fexo press systems.NARROW WEB FLEXONilpeter showed for the frst time its FA-26 mid-web press, Turning to the more standard width narrow web fexo presses, selling three at the show and garnering a number of frm leads. The it seems fair to say that fexo technology has reached a FA-26 prints at speeds up to 250m/min and was equipped with technological peak. The emphasis at this show was more on GEW’s LeoLED water-cooled LED-UV lamp systems. increasing effciency through automation and the integration ‘I call this the Swiss Army Knife of short-run added value of various forms of digital print and embellishment modules to fexible packaging,’ says Nilpeter’s Jakob Landberg. ‘It is worth develop new forms of hybrid press systems. We also saw a raft remembering that what is a short run for a fexible packaging of increasingly sophisticated fexo presses from manufacturers converter of 15,000 meters, is a really great longer run for a label located outside Europe and the US.converter.’ Mark Andy introduced its Pro Series fexo press, which is The high levels of automation present on these mid-web feld upgradable to a hybrid with the addition of the 5-color machines cut down on the number of operators required. ‘The only toner module seen on the company’s DPro Max press. The thing that is conventional about these presses is we use plates and press is designed to run both L-R and R-L to allow for this new anilox,’ says Landberg. ‘They are more like robot systems that can confguration. The Pro Series is fully modular, allowing the press to be run from any point of the press by a single operator.’ be broken at any point to insert the digital unit.Lombardi demonstrated a fully automated 11-color Invicta i1 Phil Baldwin, European sales manager for Mark Andy, says mid-web press ftted with cold foil and multi-layer booklet facilities the Pro Series was designed as an entry-level fully servo-driven and a Lynex-S 100 percent inspection camera. alternative to shaft-driven presses. ‘For the smaller guys, it is no The company also previewed its new Invicta i2 and announced longer possible to be competitive on shaft-driven machines. We the sale through distributor Vinsak of an 870mm-wide i2 to are talking here about a 50-70 percent reduction in waste over a Prakash Printers and Coaters in India. A 670mm-wide Invicta i1 mechanically-driven press. At the same time, the Pro Series can press was sold to MGN at the show. give the larger converter more capacity.’Nicola Lombardi, Lombardi’s marketing manager, said the Invicta Nilpeter also showed a 17in FA-17 press alongside its FA-26 with presses were mainly being used for fexible packaging applications a high-build digital varnish unit as a replacement for rotary screen – including aluminum lids and thermal-sensitive materials - and or fexo spot varnish and doming. The unit can be retroftted at any Oct - Dec 2023