HP claims it can cut costs for 80% flexo printing
The commercial launch of the Indigo WS6000 makes digital printing more economically viable for medium sized runs, with the system being designed to be more cost-effective than flexographic processes at scales up to 4,000 linear metres.
By moving digital printing into larger scale runs HP believes that it can make the benefits over analogue, such as reduced time to market and waste, available to manufacturers performing 80 per cent of jobs currently done on flexographic presses.
Michael Ferrari, associate director, corporate R&D, Procter & Gamble, said: “The HP Indigo WS6000 is a real ‘game changing’ technology. With frequent artwork changes and high stock-keeping unit (SKU) complexity, this digital technology can dramatically reduce the speed to market for labels and other printed packaging materials.
“As more label and packaging converting work goes digital, companies like P&G can enhance the consumer experience by efficiently bringing a greater variety of designs to store shelves, ensuring that more consumers are aware of a given product’s benefits and qualities.”
The printer runs at 30 metres per minute in four colour mode and is compatible with an array of media including thinner flexible packaging substrates, label and shrink sleeves and folding cartons.
In addition digital presses’ ability to print a different image with each impression allows manufacturers to use them for track-and-trace serialisation, which represents a potential area of growth for packaging companies.
