ebeam Technologies is working with Uteco Converting and INX Digital International to introduce an inkjet production line with inline ebeam curing for food safe printed packaging and labels at Labelexpo this September.
The developer and manufacturer of electron beam (ebeam or EB) solutions and its partners will unveil what is described as the first industrial end to end digital narrow web solution for the safe mass-personalisation of indirect food contact flexible packaging and labels.
INX Digital ebeam curable inks are photoinitiator-free, which means converters will now be able to target consumers with indirect personalised food packaging.
Inline ebeam curing has a number of important benefits for package printing including a higher degree of cure, durability, a higher gloss finish and the ability to cure all colours. It eliminates the need for solvents, produces virtually no VOCs and requires very little energy. Time to market is also reduced due to the instant curing when using ebeam technology.
The new digital production line combines Uteco web handling, INX Digital customisation and integration of the digital print engine and an ebeam Compact 80/400 curing unit. The four colour press uses recently developed photoinitiator-free inkjet ebeam-curable inks from INX Digital, has a resolution up to 720x360dpi, a throughput speed of up to 25m/m and a small footprint of 4.4×1.5m.
‘In addition to the innovation involved in the creation of this production line, the business model is also new in the digital printing market because, with us, the customer is free to choose their suppliers and there is no click-charge,’ said Mario Gazzani, head of the Uteco digital division.
‘This solution is all about freedom,’ said Elsa Callini, business development manager at ebeam Technologies. ‘From choosing your supplier to producing as many different packages as you like with compliant digital packaging, package designers are now free to let their imaginations go in the world of personalisation and variable printing.’
