Agfa Graphics debuts latest package printing technologies

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BELGIUM –

The :Dotrix Modular Digital Inkjet Press, developed in cooperation with flexo press manufacturer Edale, is built specifically for industrial applications, providing packaging print service providers with a solution for short and medium runs where high quality and high productivity are a must.

Because the :Dotrix Modular uses the dimensions and coil width of a medium web press chassis, it can be quickly and easily integrated with all the commonly available units for varnishing, slitting, kiss die-cutting and sheeting. It is easily configured with any combination of tooling units, cold foiling, lamination, etc.

The heart of the system is the single pass inkjet colour engine (SPICE) which houses a high-speed and high-quality UV inkjet system. The inks are low migration, low odour and come in either the standard CMYK 4-colour set, or in a 6-colour configuration with the addition of orange and violet inks for a greater colour gamut.

The :Dotrix is fast, turning out over 1200m² per hour at full speed. Several jobs can be run, one after the other, without ever stopping the press unless a new coil of substrate is needed.

The technology is currently being demonstrated at Interpack 2011 (12-18 May) in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Another packaging solution that Agfa Graphics is debuting at the exhibition is the :Agorix ink technology, for use by the :Dotrix Modular press. These new generation UV inkjet inks were developed specifically for the newest Kyocera KJ4A high speed heads and can print at extreme speeds on any substrate with no compromise in quality.

:Agorix inks are UV cured giving users low odour, solvent-free inks that can be applied in one pass. They are highly sensitive so they are cured instantly and can therefore be used on the widest array of printing substrates: from foils and laminates, coated paper, PET, industrial film, PVC, PE, PP, BOPP, folding carton to very heavy stocks.

:Agorix inks have good jet-ability and accurate dot placement, they have been designed for perfect compatibility with the popular Kyocera KJ4A print heads at speeds of up to 100m/min. They also have rich vivid colours that other printing processes simply cannot match. Extremely tough, :Agorix is the most durable of inks, resistant to scuffs and scratches, making them the ideal choice for packaging applications—especially those that require complex converting processes.

According to Agfa Graphics, :Agorix inks are the only UV inks that are curable by LED light at all available wavelengths and come with a 12-month shelf life from the date of manufacture. The ink pigments have been carefully selected to have good balance for outdoor light fastness with a huge colour gamut.