Since 2016 press builder Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H) has been working on a printer for flexible packaging. The project already costs millions.
While printing at regular printing and in the labelling industry has acquired a permanent place, with flexible packaging it is still a challenge; an economic and stable printing process is not there yet, according to W&H, and thus the company picked up the gauntlet itself. The result of the effort so far is a new machine concept, based on piezo inkjet. In the meantime, partners are searched for further development, among which print head builder Xaar.
‘We see a need in the market for flexible packaging to use digital printing alongside the existing printing techniques. This need is driven by the need for a shorter time-to-market and very small orders’, says CEO Jürgen Vutz. ‘But the printing of flexible packaging has very special requirements, for example with regard to the adhesion of the ink to the film.’
Sven Michael, head of the digital team at W&H: ‘We have started with an inventory of practical requirements, evaluating possible techniques and testing new approaches. This has resulted in a new machine concept, which stands out above all existing ideas in terms of quality and speed. High availability and usability are our top priorities. Our goal is to provide the market with a functioning and adult printer, which does justice to the promises that digital printing offers for flexible packaging.’
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