Historically, label production has been driven predominantly by flexography and offset, with gravure picking up some of the longer runs. In the mid 1990s, we started to see the early use of the digital electrophotographic process for label production, with the Xeikon DCP/32S followed by HP Indigo WS4000 in 2002. After that, we saw an increase of electrophotographic and inkjet technologies, from historically flexo press manufacturers like Mark Andy, Gallus, Durst, and others targeting short-run label and, ultimately, flexible packaging print production. The advantage of flexo is that it can be configured to address a full production line from precoat (if needed) through printing, embellishment, finishing, etc. Flexo label converters needed a way to maintain the advantage of cost and speed, and address some of the variability or mass customization requirements by initially turning to adding “after-market”’ digital printing units, like those from Colordyne to their existing flexo presses.

The earliest flexo/digital hybrid press dates back to 2002 when the Dotrix Modular hybrid single-pass UV inkjet system was developed by Edale and Agfa, and while it was a unique design, it was too early for the market. In 2012, FFEI and Edale developed the Graphium modular digital UV inkjet label press, which was launched in 2013 by FFEI. The flexo press manufacturers began to recognize that the shifts in consumer purchasing would continue to have an impact on packaging segmentation and growth providing a perfect storm for a hybrid press requirement, and they weren’t going to sit back and watch digital solutions grow at their expense. That was the beginning of the first wave of hybrid flexo presses from Mark Andy, Gallus, Durst, and others.

At Labelexpo in 2019, there was a smattering of hybrid presses and Bobst showed the Master DM5, their first take at a digital/flexo hybrid, which they identified as an “All in One” press. Since then, they have enhanced the design and interface based on early customer feedback. The result is the just released updated Digital Master 340 and Digital Master 510. The Digital Master 340 is a narrow-web 340mm (13.5-in.), and the 510 is a mid-web 510mm (20-in.) print width. They are built on Bobst’s modular and upgradable M5 flexo platform in combination with their Mouvent Cluster inkjet technology. These presses are designed to produce labels, shrink sleeves, flexible packaging, and other applications. According to Bobst Strategic Marketing Manager Patrick Graber, they are designed to produce “short runs to long runs, which we consider to be about 8,000 to 10,000 meters.” Unlike many of the digital presses which print at 25 meters per minute, if you can print at 85 meters to a hundred meters per minute you can easily print 20,000 meters although it may be a bit more expensive than pure flexo.