TRESU presents expanded ancillary programme for automated flexo ink supply at PRINT4ALL 2018

At the show, there will also be information about TRESU’s Flexo Innovator printing line, a mid-web press that has proven to offer high quality, fast setup times, ergonomic operation and industry-leading speeds of up to 800m/min for paperboard packaging applications.
 

Chamber doctor blades for all flexo print widths

Operational products featured on the stand are the latest chamber doctor blade solutions to ensure optimum performance, ink use, and ink preservation. The range includes the light weight CFC chamber with carbon fibre ink-repellent surface for high corrosion resistance; the Ceraflex chamber with ceramic surfaces; the new SAVEink chamber for narrow web applications, and FlexiPrint Easy chambers, for flexible packaging. Each of these solutions has been designed for specific applications and challenges.
 

The SAVEink chamber, making its global debut at PRINT4ALL, is light for fast and frequent job or ink changes. The SAVEink chamber has a preset doctor blade and offers precise application control for press widths up to 800mm.The chamber easily locks into place and is sealed so there is no risk of spilling, or ink contamination.
 

Also on show for the first time will be the MaxiPrint Concept for wide format applications. Available in widths of 1600mm to 6000mm, the chamber features an integrated cleaning nozzle with a robustly designed water-shot mechanism to ensure efficient cleaning of the chamber and anilox roll in a short time. The low pressure shot mechanism ensures minimal water loss during cleaning. Featuring TRESU’s patented seal system MaxiPrint prevents leakage and interaction of the chamber contents with the atmosphere. The enclosed environment, resulting from the seal and precise blade positioning, ensures pressure and flow rate are maintained at desired levels without manual intervention. Air contamination is prevented, and the foam-free transfer of ink / coating directly to the anilox cells is enabled at fast speeds. The TRESU P-Line pneumatic clamping system also ensures fast, safe blade exchange within two minutes.
 

F10 iCon automatically regulates ink supply

The F10 iCon is a lean, innovative solution for safe, stable and controlled ink circulation. Using the patented TRESU ViscoFlow, the F10 iCon automatically adjusts flow, ink pressure and viscosity, providing complete ink process control and outstanding print quality. Eliminating the labour-intensive, time-consuming task of monitoring ink flow, the F10 iCon offers a high degree of automation and precision.
 

The F10 iCon is also energy-efficient, and cuts waste and reduces downtime. Ideal for common impression (CI) printing machines with TRESU chambers, stack presses and other press configurations, the F10 iCon is retrofittable as an upgrade of your existing equipment. The F10 iCon can be used with numerous substrates, including plastic, foil, film, carton board and paper.  
 

Flexo Innovator printing line for high print quality, fast job changes and sustainability

Information and animations of TRESU’s complete printing lines and coating systems will also be presented on the stand. A highlight will be the Flexo Innovator press, for high-value packaging applications, combining outstanding print quality, high speed, fast job changes, sustainable printing and ergonomic design. Available in several widths between 670mm and 1700mm, the Flexo Innovator is a custom-configured multi-process, inline printing and converting press for folding carton board, paper, laminates and metallic substrates.
 

The TRESU Flexo Innovator provides an efficient, single-pass alternative to labour-intensive central-impression printing, enabling the integration of water-based, solvent and UV-curable inks, plus multiple high-end complementary processes such as reverse printing, direct/reverse gravure coating, inkjet, cold-foil lamination and converting. With high-speed unit-to-unit air drying, automated ink supply and sleeve systems, the press provides a stable, efficient printing platform at speeds of up to 800 metres per minute. Sustainability is central to the design of the Flexo Innovator, with a host of features that reduce waste, energy usage and emissions reflecting TRESU’s commitment to minimising the environmental footprint of flexographic print.

Efficient energy consumption is achieved with a unique gas heating solution and a software design where servo motors run with relatively low power. Drying units recycle a high proportion of air inside the dryer and, from the exhausted air, a major part of the energy is recycled by means of the central heat exchange module. The drying system’s temperature and air nozzle speed can be adjusted to the requirements of the job, avoiding overheating of the substrate or the need for excessive chilling. Chilling systems safely extract heat from the press to external condensers that can return the energy to the incoming cold fresh air. Web-changing systems, plus automated register and colour controls, minimise material waste in the start-up phase, while the F10 iCon ink supply system maximises returns of ink for reuse after production. Furthermore, the Flexo Innovator’s ability to match the quality of gravure gives converters a cleaner alternative for reproducing added-value metallic and high-definition effects with water-based flexo inks, instead of solvent inks.

TRESU’s ancillary solutions, such as enclosed chambers and ink supply systems, plus automated press controls, ensure uniform quality, minimal manual intervention and automatic ink changes in minutes. Shorter makeready times, to optimise uptime, especially when performing shorter runs.

Integrated coating systems for digital printing

At the stand, there will also be presentations about TRESU’s coating workflow for integration with digital printing lines. TRESU coating systems integrate with sheet-fed digital presses to apply added-value coatings and metallic embellishments to folding carton, papers and synthetic materials. Applying full-surface or spot coatings, the systems provide the essential link in a productive single-pass digital printing and converting solution for pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food and beverage, promotional gifts, consumer electronics packaging and commercial printing applications.

TRESU iCoat single and dual coaters are available for HP Indigo presses; TRESU Pinta is available for Xerox iGen presses. The coaters perform at maximum speeds equivalent to those of the press. Fast sleeve changeovers and automatic chamber cleaning bring setup times to within five minutes.
 

Additionally, TRESU supplies a comprehensive range of consumables such as varnish media, tapes and sleeves, as well as cutting equipment, thereby covering every element in this coating workflow. The TRESU iCut 30000 digital cutter provides an instant means of preparing plates for localised coating situations.

TRESU’s digital coating systems are helping a rapidly growing number of printers benefit from inline gloss and matte coating of folding cartons and other products. With fast, efficient job changeovers, TRESU’s digital coaters enable printers to have a robust, highly efficient, value-adding solution for today’s packaging demands.

Facing market and economic challenges

Knowing what equipment to invest in, and when, is challenging for converters. TRESU can help companies identify where their workflow can be improved, and what services can contribute to their value proposition.

“While there has been significant growth in some areas of print in recent years, companies are often reluctant to initiate capital investment in new presses,” said Gianni Amendola, branch office manager, TRESU Italy. “This is where modest investment in value-adding and cost-cutting ancillaries can help to improve print quality, make converters leaner, more competitive, and more profitable.
 

“The TRESU ancillaries shown at PRINT4ALL can be retrofitted and integrated into existing workflows to deliver results that go straight to the bottom line,” Amendola concluded.