Heidelberg -- Requests like variable imprints, flexible batch sizes and short term-promotions have made printing on packaging materials an increasingly difficult task. Linoprint, an innovation project by Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, is further expanding its product range to meet such requirements. The first four-color printing systems have been available on the European market since mid-2009. Linoprint will offer modular systems under the name 'DriveLine', which will function as stand-alone solutions and can be employed independent of existing packaging lines, e.g. for web printing with various substrates. DriveLine systems can print on labels, films and board with a high degree of variability and quality. The maximum resolution of 720 dpi makes it possible at the present time to print web widths of up to 340 mm. The maximum print speed is 60 meters per minute. First customer installations of a pilot series of DriveLine printing systems for four-color printing were taken into operation in June 2009.

The one-color integration solutions for installation in existing or new packaging lines – which Linoprint launched in 2008 – are now undergoing further development under the name 'FixedLine'. With a maximum resolution of 720 dpi, the system is ideal for decoration and variable printing in production and packaging lines. The range of substrates stretches from paper and board to aluminum and plastic films.

"The latest additions to our product line make Linoprint even more flexible," explains Karl-Heinz Walther, Head of Linoprint. "Customized top-quality four-color printing is now available for the shortest label and packaging runs. And, depending on motif, ink coverage and type of inks used, Linoprint systems are superior to traditional flexographic printing in terms of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for quantities of up to several 100,000 printed motifs." In other words, it is far more expensive to use flexographic printing rather than integrated Linoprint technology for printing large numbers of motifs or content for industrial packaging and label printing.

DriveLine: Customizing for specific requirements

The DriveLine modular concept makes it possible to adapt the system precisely to individual customer requirements. Printing is possible from reel to reel, reel to production, pile to pile or pile to production. The units for reel to reel printing also feature Heidelberg components, which have been further developed for use in Linoprint solutions.

Linoprint product experts provide customers with know-how about which ink is best suited for a particular substrate, specific requirements or motifs. Depending on the customer's requirements, web printing systems can also be supplied with extra large reels, longitudinal cutters and perforating units. DriveLine is designed for four-color printing but can also be used for one-color printing.

FixedLine: Suitable solutions for (almost) every line

As a compact printing unit, FixedLine can be integrated into a large number of existing production and packaging lines. What's more, it can usually be deployed at the most useful point in the process. The print head works just as effectively on inclined and vertical surfaces as it does on horizontally transported objects, which means that erect and filled packages, molded parts and sealed tablet blister packs can also be printed "at the last minute". If necessary, small batches or individual product packaging can be uniquely identified to ensure their traceability. FixedLine can also be connected to existing ERP and MIS systems.