Last week we covered the drupa 2024 announcements related to continuous and cut-sheet inkjet presses in commercial and publication print can be found here. This time we will focus on news in label and packaging print, printbars, inkjet heads, inks, and other supporting technologies that can be found in the many halls of drupa.

Read on for more details of the presses included in the table below.

Summary of launches and first public presentations of label and packaging presses and inkjet integration components

	Launched at drupa	First time shown publicly
Label	Durst Kflex	Canon LabelStream LS2000
	Xeikon PX3300HD
Folding Carton	Bobst “all-in-one”	Koenig & Bauer Durst VariJET 106
	Landa S11
Flex Pack		Fujifilm FP790
		Screen Truepress PAC 830F
Photo print	Kyocera Nixka Belharra

Inkjet for label printing

Despite not being the prime trade show for label printing, drupa 2024 will feature some news on inkjet label printing.

Previewed in Japan in October 2023, Canon will show the LabelStream LS2000 at drupa. The device is a 40 m/min mid-volume inkjet label press. The LS2000 prints in CMYK plus white at a 2400 x 1200 dpi resolution, using Canon’s thermal inkjet heads. The printer is more compact than the previous hybrid press model the LS4000. Planned is to show the device with nearline finishing using GM equipment. An analogue Edale FL3 press will not be present in the booth but samples will be available. We are likely to see more out of the acquisition of Edale, since the LabelStream 4000 is not actively marketed anymore.

Durst is showing the Kflex hybrid print solution, which replaces the Xflex. It features a speed of 100 m/min and up to 510 web width. There is nothing totally new, but the new model is the result of constant improvements and a better integration with the Omet-manufactured press base. Furthermore, Durst is taking over the sales from Omet.

Xeikon launches the latest model in the Panther series, the PX3300HD. Using Xerox inkjet heads the press has a 1200 dpi resolution, a first for Xeikon, and is targeted at high-quality labels. It offers a 330mm printing width and speeds up to 70 m/min, even when printing with high opacity white in addition to CMYK. The Xeikon PX3300HD utilizes a newly developed ink series, the PX-Cure LED HD inks.

[caption id="attachment_7258" align="aligncenter" width="686"] Xeikon Panther PX3300HD[/caption]

Inkjet in packaging

Although drupa is not a packaging show, packaging printing equipment is becoming more prevalent, as suppliers and printers are pivoting to the growing packaging market.

Bobst plans to announce a “All-in-one folding carton machine” for a complete production from reel to blank. However, we must wait until drupa for any details.

Canon is starting to get serious about inkjet packaging print and at drupa 2024 Canon’s roadmap will be presented. The first segment to be targeted is corrugated. Canon showed inkjet-printed samples at the Canon Expo in Japan last year and is disclosing more details now. Proposed is a new device with 1.7 m width and a productivity of up to 8,000 sqm/hr. Print samples, a 3D model, and technology animations will be shown at drupa but the launch will be not before 2026.

[caption id="attachment_7261" align="aligncenter" width="757"] Rendering of the future Canon corrugated printer[/caption]

Comexi will most likely present news on the inkjet flexible packaging press proposed in 2021 but it seems that the press is not exhibited. Instead, a live link to the technology centre in Girona will be established.

Although launched in February and with two installations in the field already, drupa will be the first opportunity for most to see Fujfilm’s flexible packaging FP790 press. The cooperation with Barberan continues with the HS6000 targeted at display and corrugated, as announced at Fespa 2023. The press will not be at the drupa booth, however.

[caption id="attachment_7259" align="aligncenter" width="716"] Fujifilm FP790 flexible packaging press at EcoFlexibles in the UK[/caption]

The Koenig & Bauer Durst Joint venture will be showing the VariJET 106 at drupa 2024, the first opportunity for many to see the press live, although two installations and an additional machine in the Koenig & Bauer demo centre are already operating. The base specs will be unchanged but the latest model will show several improvements. The corrugated presses of the Joint venture did receive some additional upgrades as well, most notably a new water-based white ink, but the presses will not be shown at drupa 2024.

In conjunction with the commercial print model, Landa is introducing the single-sided Landa S11 for folding carton print. Again, the press is based on the S10 and offers an optional 11K Module to reach 11,200 B1 images/hour. Another option is the PrintAI module that allows for 1,200 x 1,200 dpi imaging. While the press received numerous upgrades since launch, base specs like paper sizes, weights, colours, or coater are unchanged compared to the S10. An upgrade to 11,200 is possible but only for the latest installed S10 with IR drying module. In addition, Landa promised to bring some samples from the W11 flexible packaging press (essentially the same proposed specs as the W10) but will not show the press at the show.

[caption id="attachment_7257" align="aligncenter" width="678"] Landa S11[/caption]

While the Truepress PAC 830F for flexible packaging press from Screen has been announced for a while, drupa 2024 will for the first time to see the product – at least some parts of it. Screen plans to show “integral parts” of the press at the show. Screen’s Truepress PAC 520P for paper-based flexible packaging will be at the booth as well, although the press was shown publicly before.

Printbars

Print head assembles, or printbars, offer an easy upgrade path for analog presses or finishing lines to add variable data print or to construct custom-made inkjet printers for specialty applications.

Fujifilm shows two new integration products for the first time: the DE1024 for digital varnish and the 42X printbars. The DE1024 Digital Embellishment Printbar System integrates directly onto label presses and other narrow-web machines. The 42X Printbar System will be available in monochrome and four-color and in three print widths: 343 mm (13.5”), 686 mm (27 “), and 1016 mm (40 “) and features the Kao Collins’ X-BAR Universal Controller for easy integration.

[caption id="attachment_7260" align="aligncenter" width="372"] Fujifilm 42X printbar[/caption]

Also new at drupa will be a wide-width Kodak Prosper imprinting systems targeted at hybrid packaging and commercial printing. The new printbar overcomes the width limitation of the existing Prosper imprinting heads.

Kyocera Nixka presents the Genix and Lenix printbars at the Kyocera booths in hall 8 and 10. The Genix 1200 print engine (Graphic Engine NIXKA) can address full color or monochrome applications with an all-in-one PrintBox concept. The system can print 1200x1200dpi native with a grayscale mode up to 100m/min or 1200x600dpi up to 200m/min on a 108mm print width. LENIX (Large Engine NIXKA) has the same resolution and speed as the GENIX and is offered in print widths from 216mm to 866mm with a single PrintBar. It is a modular and scalable print engine, targeted at flexible packaging and other industrial applications. Both will be shown as static displays for the first time to a wider audience. The Genix PrintBox is the basis of a new photo printer named Belharra, which is launched at drupa and shown printing in hall 10. It uses a dedicated photo paper and ink combination to mimic silver halide print properties. It targets the photofinishing market to replace silver-halide technology with a duty cycle from 10 million to 40 million photos (10x15) per year. The machine design is compact and is designed for ease of use, being more environmentally friendly as well.

RISO is presenting the RISO Inkjet Printing Unit (IPU) at drupa, being the first foray into providing inkjet components. This follows the announced acquisition in 2023 of the Toshiba Tec Corporation inkjet head manufacturing business. With 2-inch-wide print heads in a staggered array, the IPU can support a top resolution of 300 x 600 dpi and a standard resolution of 300 x300 dpi and can be configured in monochrome or CMYK. It prints on uncoated substrates like corrugated without the need for pre-treatment. The oil-based inks do not need active drying. The IPU can deliver a print width of up to 310 mm (12.2”) and a maximum print speed of 30 m/min (98 fpm). As the heads can jet sideways, decoration of boxes in packaging lines could be a prime application.

In addition, I would recommend visiting the inkjet integrators exhibiting at drupa as well, that put the new (and old) heads to use. Neos is in hall 9, MPrint in hall 3, or Industrial Inkjet is located at the Konica Minolta booth.

Inkjet heads and inks

Without giving any specifications so far Fujifilm will launch a new Dimatix printhead at drupa. The company describes it as the first big printhead announcement in 10 years – without sharing any details yet. Fujifilm will also show new ink developments. The Aquafuze technology for wide-format inkjet is a water-based UV inkjet solution. Photopolymers and pigments are microencapsulated in water. Aquafuze is a new approach after having a try at water-based UV inks already 10 years ago.

Ricoh previewed a new Valvejet inkjet head for industrial applications at Fespa 24 and will officially launch it at drupa. The head is targeted at industrial applications with a very high ink throughput and is now offered to OEM customers.

Seiko Instruments’ printhead division is set to unveil its 600dpi printhead, the RCE2560, tailored for textile and corrugated cardboard markets, at drupa 2024. The head features 2,560 nozzles across four rows and has a printing width of 108.3 mm.

Toshiba Tec, currently being acquired by RISO, is launching two new piezo inkjet printheads: the CF6/R, which is an evolution of the existing CF3/R, and the CX1, with a new design. The CF6/R got faster and can act as a replacement for the CF3. The CX1 is a piezo printhead with a print width of 54 mm. It has 1280 nozzles, arranged in four rows, giving a resolution of 600 npi for a single channel. It’s a greyscale head with four levels, with the smallest drop being 6 pL, going up to a maximum drop size of 16 pL at a frequency of 47kHz. The head is targeted at multi-pass wide format printers.

Other things to check out

The efficiency of an inkjet press is greatly influenced by workflow and finishing. While there are too many workflow and prepress improvements to list them all, a few should be pointed out.

Hybrid Software announced solutions to packaging design software and colour management. More critical for high-performance inkjet presses is the announced Harlequin Direct Inline RIP. Currently, the RIP data is streamed to disk and from there to press. As presses get larger and faster, bigger hard drives, electronics, and cabinets are required, to the point they become oversized to some extent to cover all eventualities. The new concept is to stream the RIP data directly to the printhead, saving the buffering and streaming hardware. According to Hybrid Software, no speed limit is envisaged. Although there is some print file normalisation included, presses might need to go slower in rare cases when processing complex files. Still, the concept saves considerable hardware and electricity. The Fujifilm FP790 is already using it and more users will be announced at drupa.

Inkjet has been slow in folding carton so far, not least because of a lack of short-run finishing options. Highcon is a brand well-known for its short-run creasing and laser cutting solutions. At drupa 2024 the Vulcan is previewed, which takes the technology to the next level with a new speed of up to 7,000 sqm/hr and a larger size of up to 1.4 x 1.7 metre. This makes the Vulcan suitable for corrugated. Unfortunately, only samples will be shown as the Vulcan is still in the lab and a 2028 release is planned.

Kongsberg is showing the Ultimate for the first time at drupa. The Ultimate is a new high-speed platform for cutting tables for corrugated and folding carton up to 25 mm in thickness. New drives allow for high acceleration and a 168 m/min top speed. The Ultimate is driving up the break-even to conventional die cutting from 200-300 to more than 400 pieces.

There will be more

drupa is famous for showcasing future technologies that will hit the market in some years’ time (although that could be said about some of the products presented at past drupas as well). In the end, customers not only want to buy new products, but they also want to be assured that their supplier is investing in new technologies - a prerequisite to remain viable in the future. Not all these technology demos are announced beforehand.

Expect to see more from Canon, probably a follow-up of the B2 inkjet concept the company showed at drupa 2016. Bobst hinted at a corrugated inkjet solution, although this could be some time out. Koenig & Bauer might have news in metal print, although this might wait until a future packaging show. EFI has not made any official announcements yet, but there will surely be some news.

Although Chinese manufacturers make up a considerable share of exhibitors at drupa, there is almost no information available beforehand – even at the show, the insight is likely to be limited. Undoubtedly there will be some interesting inkjet technologies on display. A recent All-in-print China 2023 show coverage listed eight continuous feed inkjet presses with quite some competitive hardware specifications. Some might be seen at drupa. Still, a successful solution is a lot more than nifty hardware and it will be necessary for the vendor to supply you for a considerable time with everything around the printing press for a successful printing operation. Accordingly, I tend to be a bit cautious about the relevance.

Even considering the pre-announcements, only limited insight is available now. Directly after drupa, we will share more details and our opinions on the new technologies at Inkjet Insight, including all announcements that have not been covered yet. Stay tuned.