Printing plants face the challenges of ever shorter runs, quicker job changes and greater product variations for targeted communications. Thanks to combinable printing technologies and extensive inline finishing options, web printing presses from Muller Martini provide innovative opportunities in this environment.
It is well known that web offset benefits from substantially cheaper paper prices than in sheet-fed offset and significantly lower pre-press costs than in rotogravure printing.
Today, however, this printing method also has the advantages of the diverse printing technologies that can be combined, size variability and extensive inline finishing options. That opens up opportunities for the cost-effective production of innovative product ideas.
Combined Printing Technologies
The printing units of the web printing presses from Muller Martini have a long tradition of providing first-class printing quality. They boast high-performance ink fountains, which ensure optimal ink distribution across the whole speed range. Web offset, however, is flexible above all because of its combined systems, which bring together various printing technologies. Screen printing units, several printing units for process inks and special inks, flexo and/or rotogravure printing units for opaque white, lacquer or metallic inks can be integrated. Digital printing units can also be integrated into the process. "Thanks to the modular design, our customers can configure machines from Muller to suit their needs," explains Bernd Sauter, Managing Director of Muller Martini Printing Presses GmbH. "They can then extend them in the future if, for instance, they want to expand their product range and enter new business segments."
Inline Finishing
The finishing options are just as diverse as the printing technologies that can be used. Perforations with die cuts and punch cuts are used chiefly for paper applications. Foils can be added inline using a laminating station in order to protect or enhance print products such as labels. Cross cutting and folding modules for delivery for roll, signature and fold are a benefit of web offset for paper applications in particular. Sophisticated products can be produced inline in a single machine, with no need for interim storage. Web offset requires three times fewer steps and half as many operators than sheet-fed offset depending on the product application.
Handy Cylinder Replacement
Infinitely variable web offset technology, which is offered by the Alprinta V and the VSOP, provides countless new product ideas for labels and packaging. There is no need to exchange the entire printing insert at these machines since it is sufficient to exchange the handy carbon-fiber cylinders. That has great advantages when it comes to short runs, which are increasingly in demand owing to special offers and larger product ranges. "Not only are the initial costs lower, but we can also react much quicker to the wishes of our customers and new market requirements such as different printing substrates," says Javier Marian, Commercial Director at CPM Internacional S.A., Spain's market leader in label printing.
A Range of Drying Methods
Yet another advantage of web printing presses from Muller Martini is that they provide the appropriate drying method for all types of applications. Electron beam (EB) hardening, for instance, is increasingly used for printing food packaging. This method of drying lends itself to food packaging, Sauter explains. "EB is optimally suited to foodstuff packaging, as the ink film is immediately hardened all the way through." The result is a high-quality, low-odor and low-migration print product, produced with a high degree of production reliability and without the use of photoinitiators or the discharge of environmentally harmful solvents."
Traditional UV drying is the most commonly used drying method for labels, standard UV inks and low-migration inks. It is usually sufficient if labels do not come into direct contact with the content of the packaging. Inert UV drying, by contrast, takes place in a nitrogen environment. It results in significantly less odor, and no ozone is produced.
Application Types for Web Printing Presses from Muller Martini
Paper
Web offset is highly cost-effective for paper applications, because rolls are 10 to 15 percent cheaper than signatures. Rolls also require less space, so handling, storage and logistics are simpler. The Concepta and Alprinta printing presses can be used for the following applications: pharmaceutical inserts (packing slips and booklets), security products (lottery tickets, checks, vouchers, entry tickets), forms (for banks, insurance companies and the healthcare sector), mail shots (added value in direct marketing) and commercial work (insert finishing).
Labels
Web offset lends itself to the trend in label printing for increasingly thin materials. The following applications can be printed using the Alprinta V and the VSOP: shrink sleeves (360-degree advertising space), wrap-arounds (inexpensive mass labels), in-mold labels (where the label is an integral part of the container), cut & stack labels (traditional labels) and self-adhesive labels (with varying degrees of finishing).
Flexible Packaging
The VSOP and the Alprinta V from Muller Martini can be used to print a wide variety of substrates with a large range of materials. That is important with regard to the diversity of flexible packaging. The printing presses can be used to print both primary packaging, which comes into direct contact with food (soup sachets and pet food bags, butter wrappers and cheese packaging), and secondary packaging, which is not in contact with food (packaging around a bag, tin or bottle, medicine boxes and seeds).
Cardboard
An extremely wide range of cardboard products can be printed using an individually configured VSOP CB (Cardboard). It can be used for the following applications: liquids packaging for milk, fruit juices and vegetable juices, food packaging (frozen products, muesli, chocolates, pasta) and non-food packaging (washing agents, games boxes)
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