Labelexpo Europe 2023 - Finishing and converting | 107“EMBELLISHMENT IS A KEY TREND: IT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE FOR BRAND OWNERS”systems including rotary die-cutting, fatbed die-cutting, screen printing, fexo printing, digital die-cutting, varnish, laminating, hot stamping and cold foil.Grafsk Maskinfabrik (GM) demonstrated nine machines, including the DC350Flex+ wine line for foiling and embossing, screen colors, and fexo varnish effects. With 130m/min rotary die-cutting (80m/min semi-rotary) and a 50-ton pressure hot stamping module, the DC350Flex+ series is fully customizable and can work either standalone or in line with a digital press. The new HF350 hot foil machine adds embossing and foiling effects in a compact footprint. The company also showed the DC350Mini compact label fnisher – the most compact in-line fnishing system available on the market, according to GM – and the DC350Nano. The SR350 slitter inspection rewinder and the LR250+ inspection rewinder were also on display. The machine can be confgured for pharma labels and even turned into a mini-inkjet digital press. Also shown were the CC160S semi-automatic core cutter, and the and can handle up to 350mm media width. The machines offer CS350 high-speed sheeter.UV fexo varnish, lamination, die-cutting, slitting and dual shaft CEO Uffe Nielsen reported particular interest from visitors in rewind functionality in a single pass. DPR also introduces the Virgo GM’s compact fnishing lines. ‘Space is at a premium in factories,’ and Scorpio X2 series, powered by cutting knife technology and he explains. ‘We have also seen many more private label visitors featuring two in-line plotters with two separate and independent than usual.’cutting heads. Grafotronic showed 10 machines, eight of which featured DYM Machinery showed its nonstop roll-changing new technology. The company showed Revolver, a hot stamping technology for narrow and mid-web applications. Its portfolio machine with rotating head; new modules for full in-register includes automatic butt splicer unwinder, nonstop cold lamination, crossover and printing on the glue side; and the DCL2 stamping flm systems, nonstop waste matrix collector and in fve different confgurations. Grafotronic demonstrated fve automatic turret rewinder. machines equipped with the AI-based computer vision system Eclipse Label Equipment showcased its latest ‘print and Grafotronic IQ – described by business development director fnish’ systems designed for in-line label production from blank Morten Toksværd as a ‘virtual operator – which allows autonomous labelstock. It also presented a new in-line laser label fnishing job changes, handling all job settings automatically. machine, the Eclipse LF220-LAS. This is designed to operate either In the Automation Arena, Grafotronic was the exclusive fnishing with a pre-printed roll of media or in line with any digital label partner. Together with Xeikon, Esko and Cerm, Grafotronic showed press or fnishing system. how the converting processes can be automated, showing an Ecosystem Costruzioni showcased its new single pass IQ-equipped DCL integrated into a fully automated end-to-end roll-to-roll fnishing line. It handles reels up to a diameter of workfow. 1,000mm with speeds up to 90m/min. The base system can be Also on display was the new Haptic series, with two new screen expanded to a double bar version for simultaneous metal transfer modules, a new hot stamping machine and the latest digital and high-build varnish application. embellishment system powered by Kurz. Errepi showed an updated Leonardo automatic rewinder Grafotronic also showed its SCI-FI laser for the digital converting and featured products from its portfolio including the Volta of printed labels and stickers. The company also presented and Archimede winders, Galileo fexo printing machine, Giotto its Boon-Tech auxiliary machines including slitter/rewinder, inspection machines, and die-cutting machines such as the Dante fan-folding equipment, core cutter and label cutter.and the Vittoria and Vittorino core cutters. ‘It has been a fantastic show,’ says Toksværd. ‘We have sold ETI Converting promoted its Cohesio converting, printing and numerous machines and seen lots of new companies as well as coating machine for in-line pressure-sensitive label manufacturing, existing customers. It was important to be part of the Automation launching a new nitrogen curing chamber for UV silicone and a new Arena – it helped us to demonstrate our automation capabilities.’modular coating station. ‘There is a clear trend towards in-house HCI Converting Equipment launched its latest FSL-TR1300 coating, and we make it easy,’ says president Maxime Bayzelon. turret rewinder designed for slitting labelstock, wraparound labels, ‘After the Covid material shortages, companies want to remove shrink sleeve label flms and fexible packaging flms. It features uncertainty from the supply chain. Sustainability is another driver.’ automatic splicing and roll changing, stand-by paper cores with Gietz showed its ROFO 450 web-fed fatbed hot foil stamping auto-positioning, fnished roll eject and an unloading device. system for narrow web embellishment processes. The ROFO 450 Hontec promoted the MPX series fnishing system based on Eco processes PS materials, paper, cardboard, flm and composite the company’s Digifni platform. It combines a variety of process substrates. The machine achieves speeds of up to 120m/min with modules, such as fatbed hot stamping, intermittent fexo printing, a dynamic foil web transport with a 90-degree rotating foiling unit. fatbed silkscreen printing, rotary die-cutting, fatbed die-cutting, Gietz also introduced a wider version, ROFO 570 Eco, with a larger laser die-cutting, buffer and turret rewinding, and sheet cutting. stamping surface. Inglese exhibited with its partners Toray Industries, DuPont Golden Laser launched a new sheet-fed laser die-cutting Cyrel, Esko, Refne Finishing, Breit Technologies and Azul Sistemi. system. It also showed a laser die-cutting machine designed for the It demonstrated the Refne 17in-wide Compact 2 fnishing roll-to-roll or roll-to-sheet fnishing of package printing. Golden system, with features such as a semi-rotary fexo unit, UV LED Laser’s laser die-cutters work with all pre-press and post-press curing system, cold foil lamination, semi-rotary die-cutting and Oct - Dec 2023