New DM-Liner UV Ink for digital metallization

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Press release from the issuing company

Leonhard Kurz adds a transfer unit with inkjet technology to its product line for digital print finishing

Fürth/Germany - Leonhard Kurz, developer of the Digital Metal creative metal transfer process, will be presenting its new DM-Liner UV Ink transfer unit at Drupa 2016. This new machine transfers Digital Metal foil onto paper and plastic substrates using the inkjet method. The Digital Metal decoration step can be performed either before or after digital or offset color printing. The transfer station therefore offers unique design possibilities and opens up new market segments for providers of printing services.

Choice of upstream/downstream color printing enables wide variety of applications

When the digital metallization is performed as the first processing step, the overprinting produces luminous and vibrant metallic colors. Through the interplay of metallized, non-metallized, overprinted and unprinted surfaces, it is possible to create designs with distinctive color and light effects. This finishing method helps give a unique appearance to advertising materials, packaging or labels and guarantees a striking look for these products.

Downstream metal transfer opens up further applications. The DM-Liner UV Ink is equipped with a registration system that allows the Digital Metal foil to be transferred in precise registration with the color printing. This process is therefore excellently suited for late stage customization. It enables preprinted mailouts, brochures, calendars, labels or packaging to be digitally finished in the final work operation and personalized in an attractive manner.

“Both individualization and the finishing of print products are a megatrend in the graphics industry,” explains Stefanie Schmidt, Digital Metal Product Manager. “Using our Digital Metal process, print shops can satisfy both of these trends. And using the new DM-Liner UV Ink, offset printers can also profit from the growing market in individualized print products, while at the same time employing a cost-effective digital technology to implement true metallic effects,” reports Schmidt.

Toner-based DM-Liner for the B2 format

The Digital Metal product range also includes a DM-Liner that serves as a foil transfer station for Digital Metal printers that operate with either liquid or dry toner. Kurz will be releasing at Drupa a new model of this DM-Liner which is capable of processing B2 format sheets. “That makes our toner-based Digital Metal technology interesting for the packaging sector as well,” explains Schmidt. “The DM-Liner for toner systems is already being successfully employed for business cards, mailouts, photo calendars, seasonal greeting cards and magazine cover titles. It provides an ideal entry point to metallization finishing, especially for small to medium digital printing companies.”

Schmidt summarizes: “Our comprehensive Digital Metal technology, for which we are a member of the HP Partner Program amongst other things, enables a wide variety of print shops to offer an attractive and varied range of finishing options: high-gloss metallic effects in razor sharp images, individualization such as customized packaging or customized labeling, creative color overprinting and, let’s not forget, a wide variety of holographic effects. Thanks to our know-how in the optical security area, we are also able to produce Digital Metal foil in fascinating holographic designs. The toner-based DM-Liner and the DM-Liner UV Ink make all these finishing options available to both digital and offset printers.”

Four DM-Liners in action at Drupa

Visitors to the Kurz booth D60 in hall 3 can see a live demonstration of the new DM-Liner UV Ink being used to apply variable data to pharmaceutical packaging. The toner-based DM-Liner can be seen in action in three places: At the Kurz booth D60, SRA3 sheets for greeting cards will be printed with toner on a HP Indigo 7800 digital printer and then coated with Digital Metal foil in the DM-Liner. At the HP booth in hall 17, B2 sheets will be decorated. At the Ricoh booth B46 in hall 8a, a DM-Liner supporting the SRA3 format will be decorating packaging live.