During the “Gallus Innovation
Days 2014”, which are taking place from 23 - 25 September, Gallus is unveiling
its future machine generation for digital label printing. During a world
premiere, a pre-series model of the digital printing system will be presented
to the industry for the first time. Gallus DCS 340 (Digital Converting System)
is the designation of the new digital inline label printing system, which has
been developed in cooperation with Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG and Fujifilm
and will set new standards in digital label production.
The market is changing
“Due to continuing growth in
short-run label production and personalised, versioned labels, we are seeing
investment on the market steadily shift towards printing presses that utilise
digital printing. The growth potential for this printing method is considerable
and we expect to see high growth rates over the next ten years,” says Stefan
Heiniger, COO Label Business at Gallus Ferd. Rüesch AG.
Despite this, many label printers
have not yet taken the decision to introduce digital printing – in part due to
the compromises that are associated with this process in label printing. Slow
printing speeds, the inability to print some spot colours, inadequate workflow
solutions and a lack of true inline finishing and embellishment capabilities
can result in additional process steps or undesirable compromises when it comes
to label features. What’s more, current digital printing press solutions often
result in less efficient production and poor compatibility with additional
printing and embellishment processes.
The next generation sets new standards in printing and register quality
Thanks to the collaboration with
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG and its partner for inkjet technology, Fujifilm,
the new Gallus DCS 340 digital inline label printing system features a printing
module with next-generation inkjet printing heads. The unique print head design
enables several heads to be joined together for a greater print width, without
visible transitions. A native resolution of 1200 dpi delivers print quality
that is unmatched in UV inkjet printing today. This technology – combined with
the speed of flexographic printing and the efficiency of digital printing –
results in the new Gallus DCS 340 digital press, and of course Gallus is also
staying true to its high standards in register accuracy on this digital
machine.
Process flexibility and productivity on a whole new level
Digital technology makes it
easier to handle variable data and versioning when producing labels and thus
supports the cost-effective production of short runs. This gives label printers
the flexibility that their customers expect from them. By combining the strengths
of digital printing with an inline finishing process that has been specially
optimised for digital printing, the Gallus DCS 340 gives users the chance to
varnish, embellish and further process labels inline – from the roll to the
finished die-cut label in a single production operation.
Automated prepress workflow
The standardised, user-friendly
interface of the Gallus DCS 340 makes sure that label printers benefit from the
speed, quality and consistency they need in digital printing. The Heidelberg
Prinect Digital Front End is used to automate the prepress workflow and thus
ensure data is prepared efficiently, complete with comprehensive colour
management. The printer also benefits from functions such as spot colour
matching, the PDF Toolbox and Prepress Manager for even greater efficiency.
A perfect combination of digital printing technology and conventional
further processing
Digital printing offers benefits
in terms of reducing order-related fixed costs and costs for versioning and
personalisation, while the conventional printing functions in this machine
system open up additional embellishment options and enable inline finishing
such as coating and die cutting. With seamless integration of conventional and
digital processing steps, data preparation is a simple and efficient process.
The Gallus DCS 340 has been
developed jointly with Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG and Fujifilm to meet the
requirements of the future and offers label printers the ultimate in quality,
productivity and flexibility. “Thanks to the Gallus DCS 340, label printers
will be able to enjoy the benefits of efficient digital production and a full
range of functions, even when handling short runs and personalised jobs – just
as they have come to expect from Gallus machine systems,” says Heiniger.
Gallus ECS 340
A Gallus best seller with a new direct matrix stripper
The new, innovative functionality
of the high-performance matrix stripper on the Gallus ECS 340 represents a
masterpiece of mechatronics by Gallus development engineers. To date, the
direct matrix-stripping systems on the market have already brought a number of
advantages over standard matrix strippers. Using a path roller to guide and
support the matrix over just a short distance results in far fewer matrix tears
and thus delivers greater process reliability. Complex die-cutting formes –
with recessed edges, for example – remain problematic, however. The new Gallus
high-performance matrix stripper was developed specifically for matrix removal
with highly complex die lines at maximum speeds and enables a stable matrix
removal process at all times. The test and development engineers at Gallus have
taken a close look at the matrix-removal process and improved its
functionality, its stability and thus its productivity with a new type of
matrix stripper.
The new Gallus RCS 430
A benchmark for professional label printing
For the first time ever, visitors
to the “Gallus Innovation Days” will be offered a unique insight into ongoing
development work. The “Looking over the developers’ shoulders” part of the
programme will provide a one-off opportunity to get an idea of what the new
Gallus RCS 430 – the new benchmark in narrow-web label printing – is going to
be like.
For the first time since its
market launch, the Gallus RCS is being completely revamped. The machine system
is being equipped with a state-of-the-art control platform so as to be ready for
future market requirements and advances in technology. This control platform is
already in use in the Gallus ECS 340 and Gallus EM S machine systems, and
promises printers potential synergies in terms of providing a standardised
technology platform for a range of machine systems. Reduced complexity is a
further advantage. Having a common control platform simplifies the training of
press operators and means staff can easily be assigned to different machine
systems as they are already familiar with the user interface. Many of the spare
parts for different machine types are also the same, which makes servicing work
more straightforward.
Furthermore, various technical
adjustments have been made to the hardware based on Gallus RCS users’ feedback
and experiences. Examples include improvements to web transport, a higher
register accuracy and optimised inking units in the offset printing unit, which
exhibit enhanced colour stability.
Innovative screen printing
Gallus Screeny A-Line : A stands for advanced
The main feature of the new
A-Line is its exceptional robustness, which is particularly advantageous when
handling screen printing plates both inside and outside the press. The Gallus
Screeny A-Line is therefore ideal for maximising the number of times plates can
be re-used. This higher re-utilisation rate is also the quickest way to
significantly cut costs per screen-printed label. However, robustness is just
one of the requirements a good screen printing plate needs to satisfy.
Excellent print results, optimum image resolution, a wide range of possible
applications, a perfect ink flow and straightforward final checking of the
imaged screen printing plate are further factors that have been taken into
account during the development process of the Gallus Screeny A-Line. All this
makes the Gallus Screeny A-Line the best and most cutting-edge screen printing
plate that Gallus currently supplies to the market.
Metallic doming - the unique metal relief effect
Metallic doming is a unique
combination printing process in narrow-web label printing. The first step is to
apply the print image using rotary screen printing. A metal foil is then
laminated onto the screen print. At the “Gallus Innovation Days”, this new
combination printing process will be demonstrated live to label printers for
the first time on the Gallus RCS 330. The special feature of metallic doming is
that it enables users to apply a metal relief effect on transparent
self-adhesive materials or tube laminate. An embellishing effect of this kind
on mono material or clear material is a true innovation. Naturally, metallic
doming can also be applied to all standard self-adhesive paper substrates.
Gallus Customer Services offers new consumables
Twinlock coating and new doctor blade
The revolutionary full-area and
thus seamless self-adhesive Twinlock printing cylinder coating solves virtually
all the problems associated with applying the flexographic printing plate to
the printing cylinder, because it dispenses entirely with the need for
flexographic adhesive tapes and all the associated drawbacks. The new Twinlock
coating is available in various thicknesses on both synthetic sleeves and
aluminium cylinders.
Gallus now offers three different
high-quality doctor blade types for all Gallus presses. They are supplied in a
practical cardboard dispenser box and are already cut to exactly the right
final dimension of the relevant press. The new Gallus doctor blades are
available in three different qualities.
