Graphium Enhances Linerless Label Production and Extends Gamut

FFEI has announced several new media handling and digital finishing enhancements, available for all new and existing Graphium hybrid digital inkjet label presses. In addition, FFEI has announced the addition of a new orange ink.
 
Extending the range of applications possible with Graphium, FFEI has launched a thin film modification kit for Graphium, making it capable of handling film as thin as 0.5 mil (12µm). For converters of linerless labels, they can now take advantage of the many benefits hybrid label production can bring.
 
“For food and beverage, personal care, household and wine and spirit brands, this opens up promotional print opportunities that simply weren’t cost effective or even possible before, such as medium to long run product variants and promotional packaging with full color VDP,” explained Andy Cook, managing director of FFEI.
 
With Graphium’s new closed loop tension control, advanced encoder and rollers for thin film production, the handling of 12-250um films is now practical. This new capability means that packaging weight and waste can be reduced while maintaining exceptional print quality, ensuring fit-for-purpose products are produced. In addition, Graphium’s inline closed loop lamination enables the precise application of a functional barrier to provide enhanced rewind without curling.  As a hybrid system Graphium is capable of printing both flexo and digital elements in a single pass. To ensure perfect fit and alignment between the digital and flexo printed images, converters can take advantage of Graphium’s “Dynamic Sync Technology,” which synchronizes digital to flexo using standard sync marks but also dynamically tracks trends within the print run and compensates the digital image for web stretch fluctuations on the fly.
 
Graphium configurations, with a number of flexo units, will benefit from Edale’s Automated Inking, Impression and Registration (AIIR) control system, developed in conjunction with AVT for its FL5 and FL3 flexo presses. The system receives data from marks read by the AVT Helios camera and then automatically sets up each flexo station correcting pressure and registration within a single press length.
 
Graphium’s CMYK ink provides a 4-color gamut for UV ink, exceeding the gamut of many 6-7 color systems. Graphium’s design, including full inter-color pinning system, combined with Fujifilm ink technology, enables wide gamut and excellent adhesion and scratch resistance on almost any media. The Graphium ink set is being extended further with the introduction of Fujifilm’s new orange ink, which will be provided as an option.
 
A range of eye catching finishing techniques can now be applied to enhance the look and feel of labels, digitally and inline, including – back printing, digital varnish, rotary screen emulation, tactile effects and textures, digital cold foiling, plus a range of diecutting and converting options.
 
“Finishing and embellishment can provide the added value for converters that separates labels from printed graphics,” said Cook. “Being able to offer new creative enhancements, imaged digitally cannot only help them win new business but also improve margins”.
 
Graphium is the third generation inkjet label press to come out of FFEI’s 10 year’s of Inkjet innovation. Built from market leading technologies and engineering expertise, Graphium is a hybrid digital inkjet press designed specifically for labels, packaging and specialty print. With up to six digital ink channels, Graphium is a high-speed UV inkjet press that is positioned to offer high quality printing, designed specifically to meet the challenging demands of the industrial label market.