Marabu Showcasing Flexible Solutions, Inks at InPrint 2019

At Inprint 2019, Marabu will be demonstrating its technical know-how with flexible solutions and printing inks that are perfectly tailored to complex manufacturing processes.

Inprint 2019 focuses on industrial printing processes.

Marabu (booth A6-516) supplies screen, digital and pad printing inks for the decoration of packaging, operator control and front panels, automotive parts as well as toys and baby articles.

Inks for food packaging are subject to strict quality audits to verify that they are not susceptible to migration (i.e. the transfer of substances from the packaging material to the foodstuff).

Marabu’s Ultra Pack UVFP range is the first and only officially approved printing ink (by Swiss Quality Testing Services, SQTS, a certified institute) for migration-sensitive PE/PP plastics – the materials most widely used for packaging foodstuffs. The very high reactiveness of Ultra Pack UVFP inks ensures rapid curing and printing speeds of up to 5,000 items per hour. Furthermore, Marabu offers the UV-LED curing ink system Ultra Pack LEDC for a wide range of plastic packaging.

The single-component Mara Tech MGO baking ink is ideal not only for glass but also for screen and pad printing on metal where high resistance to chemicals is crucial. The ink contains silicone and is, therefore, suitable for both first and second surfaces, in particular for container and flat glass. This makes Mara Tech MGO an ideal choice for sensitive goods, such as baby bottles, drinking glasses and medical accessories. The two-component Mara Glass MGLA was specially developed for second surfaces on flat glass items, for example, smartphones, input systems (touch panels) and outdoor user interfaces.

The Ultra Jet DUV-C line is specially developed for direct printing on PET and glass packaging and container using an industrial single-pass method. PET bottles often come into contact with foodstuffs, so low-migration inks must be used. The Ultra Jet DUV-C range has been tested and confirmed to display minimal migration. Moreover, this portfolio of UV products is suitable for de-inking.

Marabu offers the new water-based Maqua Jet DA-FXP inkjet ink for directly printing flexible packaging materials. The formula complies with the requirements of the

“EuPIA Swiss Ordinance on Food Contact Materials” and “Articles and the Nestlé Guidance Note on Packaging Inks”, i.e. confirming its suitability for food packaging. The new ink is also ideal for multi-layer packaging, and lamination and heat sealing. It is available exclusively for machine manufacturers and system integrators.

Maqua Pad MAP is the world’s first commercially available water-based pad printing ink for adding decorative elements for sensitive applications, such as children’s toys. The water-based formulation is odorless, manufactured without the use of BPA or BPS chemicals, and has very low VOC and low PAH levels. Marabu’s water-based inkjet inks offer the benefits of digital printing and are employed, in particular, for the personalization/customization of plastic toy parts. These inks can be deployed with all leading industrial print heads (e.g. Konika Minolta, Kyocera and Dimatix).

Marabu’s Tampa Tex TPX offers very high adhesion and high opacity in conjunction with a flexible ink film. As numerous test prints and quality checks have now demonstrated, this best-selling pad printing ink for textiles is also ideal for other, highly challenging tasks. The extremely carefully sourced, high-purity raw materials not only comply with the strict specifications of clothing manufacturers, such as Adidas A01 und Nike RSL, they also fulfill requirements for baby products, toys and packaging.

Mara Mold MPC can be printed on the reverse of polycarbonate films and then coated with PC or PC/ABS during the FIM (Film Insert Molding) process. Mara Mold MPC offers excellent mouldability and high-temperature resistance in conjunction with very good adhesion to injection-molded substrates. Marabu’s Mara Poly P offering is ideal for aluminum trim, door sill plates and glossy logo badges. It can be combined with Mara Pur PU to ensure high durability on aluminum parts. The dual-cure screen printing varnish Mara Cure HY delivers the desired surface effect – for both matte and high-gloss finishes. The UV-curable Ultra Jet DUV-MF inkjet ink is a highly versatile ink suitable for multiple scenarios, including printing rigid substrates, such as pre-molded automotive components. Ultra Jet DUV-MF is also available in a LED-curable version.

The latest household appliances are equipped with state-of-the-art front panels and integrated touch panels. Marabu’s Mara Panel MPA, a range of specialty decorative inks, features an outstanding opaque white, plus a deep, non-conductive black developed for printing on the back (second surface) of popular PMMA or PC plastics. Mara Panel MPA displays very high electrical resistance to avoid interference with the input system’s functionality. Furthermore, the range has been tested for resistance to water vapor and common cleaning agents from leading manufacturers.

Marabu offers a combined solution for operator control panels, comprising both screen and digital processes. The PET foil material employed to make membrane keyboards is decorated via digital printing. Benefits include shorter printer set-up times, cost-effective production of very small print runs and customized designs for individual membrane keyboards within a single print job. The blocking layer is subsequently screen printed. There is a choice of inks available for this task, such as the solvent-based Mara Switch MSW system with an effective opaque white, black and block-out silver or, where required, the UV-curable Ultra Switch UVSW line.