IPM November 2023

#6

AM FOCUS Recap of Formnext 2023

by Industrial Print Staff

Formnext recently took place from November 7 to 10, 2023 in Frankfurt, Germany. A record number of attendees visited the trade show, which boasted 859 exhibitors across a space of more than 54,000 square meters. This was the ninth iteration of the event, which is billed as the global center of innovative and sustainable production solutions focusing on additive manufacturing (AM).

Here, we share highlights from the busy trade show.

Innovation on Display

3DCeram Sinto presented the C1000 FLEXMATIC, the first semi-automated line for three-dimensional (3D) printing technical ceramics. Designed to integrate the Smart Ceramic Factory, it has all the assets to print ceramic parts in a semi-automatic line.

3D Systems introduced Accura AMX 1 High Temp 300C. With the Accura AMX High Temp 300C, 3D Systems delivers an unfilled material with an unmatched heat deflection temperature of 300 degrees Celsius. The new chemistry of this material does not require a thermal post cure.

6K Additive and Metal Powder Works announced the signing of an MOU and strategic partnership to produce pure copper and copper alloys, leading to strategically important powders such as copper/nickel and bronze alloy powders for AM. Addiblast by FerroECOBlast presented a range of postprocessing solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of AM. These include the BAM03 - Ergonomic Manual Blasting Cabinet, MARS01 - Manual Depowdering Machine, and MARS03 - Fully Automated Depowdering Machine.

ALTANA AG presented over ten new resin-based Cubic Ink materials for 3D printing. Notable are two Cubic Ink series— Mold 210 VP and 601 VP—designed for resin printing. This industrialprintmagazine.com

series offer a multitude of advantages regarding both the printing process and post-processing stages.

Ansys announced a partnership with Materialise and showcased an initial, joint workflow. The partnership seamlessly integrates Ansys Additive Suite into Materialise’s data and build preparation tool, Magics.

ARBURG presented its complete range of products for industrial AM based on granules, filaments, and liquid silicone.

One highlight is the new high-temperature freeformer 7503X, which produced geometrically sophisticated air distributors from original aerospace-certified material Ultem 9085.

Carbon expanded its resin portfolio with the introduction of EPU 46 and in addition launched a highly heat resistant rigid material. EPU 46 is a versatile dual-cure elastomer for 1. & 2. Formnext was held this November in Germany. Photo copyright Mesago

Messe Frankfurt GmbH; Mathias Kutt.

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based elastomer with a Shore 50A durometer and low compression set that offers excellent UV stability and strong chemical compatibility.

JEOL announced that its JAM5200EBM Metal 3D Printer, a production-ready electron beam powder bed fusion AM solution, demonstrated the ability to meet the rigorous AMS7032 operational qualification standards, while achieving the AMS7011 material requirements for Ti-6Al-4V alloy with post-deposition hot isostatic pressing.

Lithoz displayed multi-functional parts all printed using the CeraFab Multi 2M30. This 3D printer is capable of combining different materials, such as ceramic with metal, ceramic with polymer, or two different ceramics, in one single functional part. In just one print run, entirely opposing material

properties can be flexibly and functionally combined.

Markforged Holding Corporation unveiled its newest industrial 3D printer, the FX10. It empowers users to print the right part when and where it is needed, reducing costs and cutting lead times from months to days compared to traditional manufacturing methods. It also introduced Vega, an ultra high-performance filament designed for aerospace manufacturing on Markforged’s FX20 printer.

MELD

Manufacturing

Corporation

announces that FOOKE GmbH is an authorized integrator for MELD’s 3D printing for metal technology. This partnership marks a significant step forward in the advancement of metal AM and positions FOOKE as a premier provider of MELD’s technology in Europe.

Nikon SLM Solutions and Materialise unveiled a collaborative venture

to cultivate the ensuing generation of Materialise Build Processors tailored for Nikon SLM Solutions printers, integrating them into the Materialise COAM platform.

Prima Additive displayed the Print Genius 150 Double Wavelength. This is a unique configuration, featuring two lasers of different wavelengths within the same system—a 500 W infrared laser and a 200 W green laser.

Prodways promoted its P1000X and MLT Next Gen, two groundbreaking solutions that aim to reshape the design-to-production process. With its industrial 3D printers, customers witnessed how 3D printing can streamline their approach, delivering unparalleled precision and efficiency.

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AM

TRANSPORTATION GOALS 3D Printing for Consumer Goods

by Industrial Print Staff

As three-dimensional (3D)/additive manufacturing (AM) printing technologies continue to advance, new industries find innovative ways to adopt the technology. While we’re all aware of the manufacturing benefits afforded by AM tools in automotive and aerospace, the potential doesn’t end there.

Driving Innovation Advancements in software tools driving 3D printed products push the technology to new limits. To help illustrate the growing potential of 3D, software developer CoreTechnologie created a 3D printed bike using selective laser sintering (SLS). This project 1 proves that even complex, everyday objects can be produced quickly, easily, and cost effec- Carbonforce. The tubes were joined using high-strength, twotively using 3D printing technologies. component adhesive from the aircraft industry.

The team at CoreTechnologie developed a lightweight and The project was completed in just two months from idea inexpensive bicycle made from 3D-printed aluminum compoto ready-to-ride prototype. According to the company, the nents and standard carbon tubes. The fully functional, single- CoreTechnologie team optimized the design based on an exspeed version of the bike weighs just 15.7 lbs—ready to ride. isting 22-inch frame geometry and perfected it in numerous This design is in contrast to the conventional production of car- 3D renderings. bon frames. The simple Through the team’s workflow enables fast, thoughtful design of uncomplicated, and authe frame parts, the tomated production. single-speed version The software develof this 3D printed bike opers combined selfcan also be upgraded constructed, 3D printwith gears. ed connecting parts 1. & 2. A 3D printed bike made of aluminum manufactured by FKM and (AlMgSi10) and ma— Armin Brüning, CEO, CoreTechnologie created with the help of chine-made, extremely CoreTechnologie. Photo credit CoreTechnolgie GmbH. light carbon tubes from

In addition to the casual design and riding pleasure, CoreTechnologie’s super-light bike put an incredulous smile on the testers’ faces as soon as they picked it up.

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AM

formats, which can be read and prepared for AM processes directly as an exact, intelligent, and light B-Rep geometry.

The 4D_Additive solution reads CAD data from 24 different formats like CATIA, NX, SOLIDWORKS, Creo, Inventor, STEP, and JT as exact BRep geometry including all product manufacturing information, attributes, and design history. In addition, triangulated formats such as stl, obj, and 3mf are read and processed with this software.

The CAD models optimized for 3D printing and nested on the build plates can be saved in all common formats such as amf, 3mf, and STL as well as in common slicing formats cli, sli, abf, svg, sls, usf, and g-code.

Testing 3D

2 “Thanks to the degrees of freedom made possible by computer aided design (CAD) in conjunction with the 3D SLS printing process, a particularly light and simple design was achieved that, thanks to its excellent riding characteristics, represents a counter-trend to technically complex and heavy e-bikes,” notes a press release about the product

by CoreTechnologie.

For this project, the software manufacturer used its 4D_Additive platform to optimize wall thicknesses, generate

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surface textures, and realize the smooth production of 3D printed parts on a selective laser melting (SLM) machine from service partner FKM. Based in Germany, FKM is a fullservice 3D printing service provider for powder bed AM. It produces high-quality metal parts and plastic parts. Partners benefit from SLM and SLS printing as well as finishing from a single source.

CoreTechnologie’s program, the 4D_Additive Manufacturing Software Suite, creates 3D models from CAD See page 16 for more information.

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In numerous test rides, the bike proved that it is robust, resilient, and can easily be moved along different paths. With the project and the resulting prototype, the team from CoreTechnologie demonstrates that with innovative 3D/AM software and hardware, the production of complex daily and consumer items is possible in a cost-effective, fast, and simple way, independent of fragile supply chains.

“In addition to the casual design and riding pleasure, CoreTechnologie’s super-light bike put an incredulous smile on the testers’ faces as soon as they picked it up,” offers Armin Brüning, CEO, CoreTechnologie.

Innovative companies like CoreTechnologie push the envelope when it comes to the possibilities of 3D and AM. IPM

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PROMOTION CHOOSES DIGITAL UV Printing and Customization

by Melissa Donovan

The ability to print to anything is credited to advancements in printhead technology, hardware configurations, software solutions, and ink sets. A fun segment to peek into is toys and games, whether for a hobbyist, children, or promotional products.

Choosing Digital VIECO Inc. owns PromotionChoice.com out of San Diego, CA. In business since 1999, the company began with two employees and today staffs 15 out of 2,500 square feet of space to offer its customers decoration of promotional products as well as custom printing. Main categories include apparel and bags, drinkware, trade show supplies, party supplies and toys, and office and school items. It ships to all 50 states in the U.S. New to digital print, the company learned about the technology just over three years ago.

Jit Teo, business operations specialist, VIECO Inc., says he was “fascinated by its wide range of applications, flexibility, and the time savings 1 with the setup process.”

Around the time Teo learned about digital, he also decided Setup time between jobs is also quick, something that is to bring PromotionChoice.com’s printing capabilities in house. ideal for a business like PromotionChoice.com, which conStarting “right off the bat” with mostly just digital printers, Teo sistently flips between printing small plastic balls to pens and was immediately impressed with how clean the technology anything in between. was compared to more traditional promotional decoration like After researching devices online and speaking with varypad and screen printing. ing manufacturers, the company purchased a LogoJET UV “Digital printing is printer. UV ink was a lot friendlier in our preferred because it warehouse environdries while printing, ment, so we hope to which minimizes if not one day replace tradieliminates dry time betional printing methods tween jobs. with digital printers, 1. & 2. PromotionChoice.com especially if the tech— Jit Teo, business operations specialist, VIECO owns a UV printer from Logonology continues to imJET to customize different promotional products. prove,” states Teo.

…fascinated by [digital’s] wide range of applications, flexibility, and the time savings with the setup process.

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printing, there are no consumables to clean. But that doesn’t mean the printer shouldn’t undergo continual maintenance and upkeep. Teo stresses the importance of daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance that must be completed.

Not doing this results in ruined parts and costly repairs.

Common Work

2 “UV ink is fast drying, versatile, and it’s what the printer was designed to use.

We also use flexible UV inks because we sometimes print on substrates that are soft and malleable such as stress balls,” shares Teo. Teo admits there was a learning curve after the printer was installed and it still occurs when faced with an object previously not printed on before. “For example, when we decided to print on footballs this year, there was a learning process on how to achieve decent prints on this product, and how to minimize product wastage with defective prints. Once we figure out what we can and cannot do on such products, the whole process becomes smoother and easier,” he explains.

The Good and The Bad Digitally printing to pre-manufactured objects presents unique challenges.

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For Teo, it is the high initial investment, however, he believes this will change.

“The initial investment is far higher than traditional printers like pad and screen printers. When it does become more widespread over the years, we expect the costs of these printers to become less prohibitive than they are currently.”

Two obvious advantages of digital printing are what Teo believes is changing the field of decoration as a whole. The first, is that digital offers CMYK full-color print capability. “Traditional methods of printing can do CMYK printing as well, but you do have to be careful with the registration and setup process to ensure accurate prints. Digital printers take that guesswork out of the setup process when it comes to multi- and full-color prints.”

The second benefit is the ease of cleaning after the printing process is completed. Unlike pad or screen See page 16 for more information.

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Teo walks us through a typical decoration job for PromotionChoice.com.

First the LogoJET printer undergoes daily cleaning and diagnostic tests, all while the logo or graphic being printed is loaded onto the computer. All of the substrates or objects planned to receive the graphic are then laid out on pre-designed print trays.

During the printing process, output results are checked. “Not all the products are manufactured perfectly—there maybe some that are shorter—sometimes by up to a quarter of an inch.

These tend to print poorly, and must either be cleaned off, or tossed and reprinted,” explains Teo. Once inspected, approved products are transferred to the packaging and the shipping process can begin.

Depending on the print settings, product to be printed, and the imprint area, print time ranges. With the example of 40 footballs with an imprint area of 1.25 inches in height by two inches in width, utilizing print settings that result in a clear, visible logo, Teo says it would probably take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes to print all 40 footballs.

Making it Possible Pre-manufactured promotional objects seen handed out at trade shows, sold at craft fairs, and presented at citywide events remain popular. Every corporation, organization, and educational establishment wants to offer merchandise that is branded with their logo or catchphrase. Digital printing presents numerous advantages in this field. IPM

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AM

OUTSOURCE AM Service Bureau Advantages and Examples

by Industrial Print Staff

Service bureaus play an important role in additive manufacturing (AM). While Industrial Print magazine first and foremost focuses on manufacturers utilizing or planning to utilize digital technologies, service bureaus are an excellent stepping stone for manufacturers considering implementing AM. According to Ken Burns, VP commercial, GKN Additive (Forecast 3D), part of the reason service bureaus are at the forefront of additive parts is because “it is typically difficult to make the investments in house to purchase the printers, so service bureaus provide access to not only the latest technology, but also hundreds of materials on the market.”

Outsourcing three-dimensional (3D) printing is advantageous for a number of reasons.

“The biggest benefit is the amount of options 1 you get. It is impossible for a company to have access to all the technologies and materials in house that you can get from a service bureau. The other benefits are widely known—technical support, no labor overhead, and access to the latest technology,” shares Burns.

A Quick Taste

the development lifecycle to ensure seamless transitions into production at scale without having to use multiple suppliers for the same part. In 2022, 3DEO unveiled its next-generation printing platform, Saffron. In 2023, it launched 316L austenitic stainless steel. A fully austenitic, non-magnetic stainless steel, 316L maintains excellent performance at room and moderately elevated temperatures, as well as excellent ductility and performance.

GKN Additive is focused on three key areas—prototyping at scale, high-volume production of plastics, and manufacturing of metals. For prototyping at scale, Burns believes

A number of service bureaus serve the parts manufacturing space. We provide you with a brief synopsis of some here.

3DEO is a design, engineering, and manufacturing vendor specializing in small, complex metal 3D printed components. This endto-end service inter— Ken Burns, VP commercial, GKN Additive faces with customers at any and all stages of

The biggest benefit is the amount of options you get. It is impossible for a company to have access to all the technologies and materials in house that you can get from a service bureau.

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1. With more than 120 3D

printers, Protolabs reliably delivers parts in days.

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AM

2 its solutions are at a level beyond most service bureaus because it can support projects at post lead times, regardless of the current level of demand. In regards to high-volume production of plastics, the company scaled its engineering teams to support the process control required with high-volume production. In addition, it offers full assembly for some products. As experts in metallurgy, GKN Additive is capable of ensuring part one is the same as part one million, it achieves this thanks to metal binder jet as well as metal laser sintering. Part of its hardware portfolio includes a fleet of HP MultiJet Fusion devices.

Parmatech, an ATW Company, is a leading supplier of custom manufactured metal injection molding (MIM) components since 1973. MIM is a low-cost,

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high-volume manufacturing process that produces metal parts to near-net shape, reducing or eliminating the need for secondary and machining operations.

Parmatech strives to offer the best solution package to customers as defined by exceeding their expectations. Solutions include identifying prototyping needs, rapid prototyping, alloy development, and metrology assistance.

Founded in 1999, Protolabs began with a mission to accelerate innovation through manufacturing—something it still does to this day. In 2014 it added 3D printing services to its portfolio, realizing the potential of AM. Its online 3D printing service enables 3D printing of custom parts on demand. It offers six 3D printing technologies—direct laser metal sintering, stereolithography, selective See page 16 for more information.

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3DEO

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Parmatech

atwcompanies.com/parmatech

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Protolabs

protolabs.com

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Stratasys Direct

stratasys.com/en/stratasysdirect

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Xometry

xometry.com

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laser sintering, MultiJet Fusion, PolyJet, and Carbon DLS—to transform 3D files into plastic, metal, and elastomeric parts. With more than 120 3D printers, Protolabs reliably delivers parts within days. In addition to a broad material selection, it offers several post-processing options to improve cosmetics or enhance mechanical properties.

Stratasys Direct is known for helping to identify, design, and develop process specifications for parts. It offers custom prototype and full production part manufacturing, eight manufacturing technologies, over 50 materials, three facilities across the U.S., is ISO9001 and AS9100 certified, and International Traffic in Arms Regulations registered.

Xometry is a partner from prototyping to production and beyond. It offers a range of solutions to help develop effective prototypes and scale up to production parts thanks to over 70 materials and 15 processes. At the company’s core is its artificial intelligence-powered Xometry Instant Quoting Engine, which leverages data to quickly and effectively analyze complex parts in real time, match buyers with the right suppliers globally, and provide accurate pricing and lead times.

Real Life Example In 2022, GKN Additive partnered with Schneider Electric, which was looking for a way to manufacture special filters for use in its circuit breakers. More specifically, Schneider Electric wanted to 2. Part of GKN Additive’s hardware portfolio includes a fleet of HP MultiJet Fusion devices. 3. Protolabs offers several post-processing options to improve cosmetics or enhance mechanical properties.

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AM

deploy its ComPacT circuit breakers into largescale plants and marine applications. These filters needed to withstand extreme temperatures and high pressure. Using traditional manufacturing processes, Schneider Electric was finding it difficult to achieve the desired performance. It met with GKN Additive and after some research, decided that binder jetting technology for 3D metal printing was the ideal solution.

GKN Additive and Schneider Electric created a new organically 3 shaped filter mesh that could be easily de-powdered after 3D printing to meet all of the utility company’s functional requirements. The filter mesh, grid, and frame were manufactured as one piece thanks to 3D printing.

In eight weeks, GKN Additive provided functional sample parts for validation testing. In nine months, after the initial contact with Schneider Electric, it began series production of the filters. Production was carried out in a three-shift operation with three binder jetting printers—three curing stations and a sintering furnace. This configuration allows for up to 1,300 parts per month and more than 5,000 parts delivered for the pilot series.

“The joint project completely convinced us of the sinter additive process,” shares Thomas Rivoire, industrialization leader, Schneider Electric. “Thanks to GKN Additive’s know-how, we benefit from a highly innovative and flexible process with clear cost advantages in volume production.”

Dr. Guillaume Fribourg, AM expert, Schneider Electric, adds, “the redesigned filters feature significant improvements—increased stiffness, which results in higher efficiency and easier

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integration. However, the key benefit is for our customers—it allows us to reduce the size of the cabinets by 20 to 30 percent, thus reducing the global electrical switchgear footprint and, as a consequence, the related material consumption, including copper busbars.”

materials. Outsourcing AM—if it is right for you—is a great way to gain a partner in the industry. IPM

Consider It 3D service bureaus are much more than printing, offering scanning, finishing, assembly, and even consulting. Many have proprietary technology, from hardware and software to

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Trends The toy vertical benefits from digital printing for a number reasons. With trends like capsule collections, limited editions, wooden toys, and others currently occurring, digital printing is a great option for decoration.

Within the greater toy sector, Michael Perrelli, marketing and sales director, Innovative Digital Systems, sees customization and short runs like limited editions or commemorative series growing in popularity.

“We’ve seen our UV flatbed customers use printers to add player names or ‘skins’ to miniature figures, limited edition graphics or numbers to remote control cars and truck bodies, years or seasonal graphics to train cars, and personalized photos on pre-built building brick sets. All are examples of digital printing adding an element that brings extra value in the retail and collector arenas,” shares Perrelli.

Wood is ideal for digital decoration, and according to Evan Reutling, application specialist, LogoJET, there is a significant uptick in wooden toys for children including puzzles, blocks, and learning tools.

Benefits Whether implementing digital printing technologies in house or outsourcing to a supplier, toy manufacturers benefit from digital printing.

“The more customizable an item is, the more in demand it will be. Digital printing opens the door for nearly endless decoration options, which leads to higher value selling. Digital decoration is also quick and inexpensive per unit,” adds Reutling.

Many realize how advanced digital decoration has become. “Years ago, it was the ability to decorate items with more than one color that was impressive.

1

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1. UV flatbed printers offered by LogoJET successful-

ly print directly to wood, which allows for customizable products like this weather and temperature sign.

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Now, it’s the ability to customize in full color. Plus, pretreatment processes allow manufacturers to print on more materials,” explains Perrelli.

Challenges It can be challenging to adapt a new technology. And this is the case whether the equipment is implemented in house or a manufacturer undertakes the process of securing its own printer.

Toy manufacturers should be aware of the ink used in the print process.

With toys, children are apt to handle and depending on the age place in their mouths. The ink needs to pass specific certifications and standards.

Printing with UV inks creates a challenge, in that they are not food safe, notes Reutling.

Durability is another element to consider. Toys may undergo sanitation processes more frequently, in addition to constant handling. The ink needs to be rated for this.

Designing a graphic and where it is placed is also cause for concern.

“Shapes and the expectation of the decoration area is something to be cognizant of. A good example of that is the RC car body market. Fans of this love limited run or customized bodies for any of the trucks and cars they own.

However, digitally printing the full car

body—after it has been formed—can be a challenge. That’s where we have seen customers add commemorative logos and numbers to the sides and tops of solid color bodies,” states Perrelli.

In or Out As aforementioned, toy manufacturers utilize digital print in house as well as by outsourcing.

Reutling believes more manufacturers are bringing these types of jobs in house because it is more efficient to digitally decorate inline. “It is easier to

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“We can’t forget that there are print shops and companies of all sizes who build their business on buying the finished toy, adding customization or decoration to it, and then offering it in a resale type of environment. It doesn’t mean those toy manufacturers are outsourcing to those print shops, it’s two different streams,” comments Perrelli.

Product Info While many companies offer digital printers that are applicable to printing on toys, we asked both of the vendors quoted in this piece to share a bit about their products targeting this segment of the market.

Innovative Digital Systems offers a curated line of UV LED printers and complimentary auxiliary equipment designed to provide quality and versatility.

The machinery is on the cutting edge of digital print technology and provides decoration solutions to customers for industrial, promotional, and commercial applications.

LogoJET direct to object UV printers bring in-house customization to life.

This includes the LogoJET UVx40R-SE (speed-enhanced) direct to object printer, which combines industrial-strength components with three extended-wear printheads to bring a reliable, versatile, and efficient solution for in-house product customization.

A Joyful Future

2 produce digital prints during the manufacturing process due to the quick printing process and integration into the manufacturing workflow.”

2. UV flatbed printers, like the LogoJET UVx40R-SE, allow end users to print on almost any item. For example, children's building blocks.

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Perrelli agrees that toy manufacturers continue to use digital print on their production floors because of the diverse options offered, as well as flexibility and versatility. However, he cites an additional category of businesses printing to toys.

Toys are a fun product, with a focus on whimsy, pretend, and color. Digital printing can bring pre-manufactured objects such as dolls, cars/trucks, games/puzzles, and more to life—and its use will only expand from here.

“It will continue to grow from where it is now. As companies look into areas of growth, the ability of their customers to customize the product online or chase limited edition collectibles could be a factor in that growth,” predicts Perrelli. IPM

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1 consistent and robust, but being cost competitive in long runs is still far off.

Another limitation is the space and overall infrastructure in an existing plant. “The producible sheet size of many digital single-pass printers—most are 125 to 190 feet long—takes up massive space that usually isn’t available,” offers Kent.

Further, there is the tipping point to consider. “You reach a point where a larger print job becomes more cost effective to do in a flexographic format.

The cost of flexographic printing plates and job set up are spread out over a greater number of printed corrugated sheets,” adds Wegemer.

A majority of digital printers for corrugated do not currently die cut inline.

Therefore, Wegemer says printed sheets should be taken to a second equipment center for die cutting. “There are discussions and concepts being reviewed in this area, but this is not yet accomplished on a commercial basis,” says Wegemer.

Direct digital printing is also limited by the amount of warp that can exist 1. Industrial Inkjet is currently working with hybrid/

latex inks that have been utilized for corrugated due to their compliance with secondary food packaging regulations and the high pigment loading and vibrancy of print that has been demanded across many market sectors.

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with the corrugated board. “With contact printing you can physically hold the warped board down while it is printed.

With direct digital printing, the board is held down by a vacuum and there are limits to this. If you have a corrugated board that has higher warp, you can sometimes run this on a digital printer by increasing your gap—the distance between the corrugated surface and the printhead. However, with digital printing the greater the gap between the corrugated surface and the printhead, the lower your print quality will be. Flat corrugated board is important to digital printing,” explains Wegemer.

Direct to board corrugated printing historically presented difficulties due to print pressures, which can crush the flutes. “Of course, inkjet printing is noncontact so it overcomes this main issue, but direct digital printing still has challenges arising from the substrate due to its inherent lack of uniformity. Variations in thickness, sheets not being perfectly flat, curled edges, and variations in absorbency all pose some challenges,” share Jackman and Gould.

Martínez agrees, noting that packaging materials often lack surface flatness, which is a challenge for digital printing due to the high risk of damaging the printheads.

Corrall and Using believe environmental factors may impact the longevity of system parts with aqueous-based digital printing to corrugated. Increasing uptime, controlling maintenance time and costs, and automating where possible is imperative.

Many single-pass printers have a limited lifetime, which Kent feels corrugated converters have a hard time digesting and rightfully so. “Buying a robust corrugated machine with digital that is upgradeable addresses this issue and makes the purchase much safer and more palatable.”

When integrating inkjet into production lines, Corrall and Using feel there are specific concerns that should be taken in account, particularly in places in the line where allowances and flexibility of expectation should be topics of discussion. Areas of concern must be managed and safeguards put in place.

Inkjet printing relies essentially on the ink droplet landing where it needs to go. Having the correct hardware and printheads to ensure system safety and avoid printhead strike is essential. “The environment matters and the entire solution—ink, ink system, and printhead work with each other to account for the environmental factors at play.”

Also consider the location and point of print. “Understand whether the printing will take place pre- or post- crease cut, before folding, after filling, top down, or sideways. The possibilities are almost endless as are the options that can be provided for them. Integration onto wide format production lines is increasingly possible with growing print widths and single-pass printing at much higher speeds than multi-pass and increasing production capability can more than improve a companies’ return on investment in some cases,” share Corrall and Using.

As much of corrugated is food and ecommerce related—sometimes both— the ability to print onto a preassembled

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product is essential in some sectors, creating a need for a full-color solution integrated directly onto the end of the packaging line, they comment.

Trending Upwards While direct digital has great potential, it hasn’t yet made major inroads in terms of market penetration.

Wyatt says based on his company's internal research, that very little corrugated printing is currently done digitally, estimating that it is maybe two percent digital versus 98 traditional printing.

Kent feels that the representation of direct digital print onto corrugated is practically a “rounding error.” He explains that digital transformation has been slowed by many factors with the cost of ink being a primary reason. As ink costs continue to come down he

predicts new technologies such as hybrid printing will be considered and advanced workflow systems will help the transformation gain steam. “It already is but the pace is destined to pick up substantially,” he admits.

Wegemer adds that digital printing directly onto corrugated board continues to grow significantly every year, but admits it is still small overall compared to flexographic/lithographic printing on corrugated. “It is difficult to give an exact percentage, but of all the corrugated board that is printed it is likely that less than five percent of the total square feet printed is done with digital printers.”

Martínez expects a larger proportion of digital printing equipment to emerge in the coming years, with special focus on applications of smaller size, such as paper bags and small boxes popular in

retail. “There will also be an increase in high-productivity digital equipment, due to the better and more consistent output of these devices.”

Wegemer admits that it may be some time before we see significant improvements in the speeds that corrugated digital printing is capable of. “The percentage of digital printing for overall corrugated could double in the next five years, but it would still be well less than ten percent of all printed corrugated.”

Wyatt also expects digital printing for corrugated applications to increase in the coming years. “The growth in small businesses will increase the number of short-run jobs, making digital printing more desirable.”

Kent adds that there is no “why not” when it comes to investing in this technology, since direct digital for corrugated will

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EVOLVING SOLUTIONS One emerging technology in direct corrugated printing is the availability of hybrid machines that enable both digital and flexographic technologies on one device.

“Hybrid technology captures the strong points of both technologies— flexographic for larger solids and digital for high-end graphics. This is very much in the infancy stage, but it has the potential for a promising future,” says Jim Wegemer, former national accounts director for INX International Ink Co., who recently retired after a 50-year career in the industry.

“Since its inception, direct digital print has been at least a two-step process—if not three, including printing, die cutting, and folding and gluing,” says Lloyd Kent, VP sales and operations, Kento North America. However, with the introduction of hybrid options featuring optional inline finishing and hybrid printing—flexographic and digital—users are able reduce the cost of ink used, converting processes, and scheduling roadblocks. “There is a direct cost savings that comes from this along with plant efficiencies derived from better machine utilization.”

Kent admits that direct digital printing may not be viable for longer print lengths when compared to high graphic RDCs and flexographic printers, but even non-hybrid digital printers are usually very competitive on short- to medium-length print runs. “The printing plates required for high graphics printing are expensive and just cannot be effectively amortized over short- and medium-run jobs. Utilizing hybrid printing, corrugated manufacturers now have a more cost-efficient way to produce short and medium runs.”

be a must sooner than later. “We know others will soon incorporate converting solutions into their machines and it is likely many corrugated packaging manufacturers will look to add digital print to existing analog machines.”

Jackman and Gould point out that direct digital printing to corrugated is mostly decentralized, meaning the printing machines are often smaller but

C O M PA N I E S M E N T I O N E D

Integrating digital print into a corrugated production line is another example of hybrid printing. John Corrall, chairman, and Nadina Using, sales and marketing, Industrial Inkjet Ltd., explain that secondary packaging with corrugated materials—multipack packaging, point of sale, and display packaging—can all require quick change over and short display times, but are often single-use items for events and promotions. Each product would need variable data in the form of coding/track and trace, language changes, and potentially short notice to accommodate changing events. “In many instances the expense of doing this involves the use of cylinders, plates, and rolls, which take time and money to create, and then more money to store or dispose of. Inkjet is a tried and tested answer in an uncertain economy.”

“Many companies, especially those that invested in expensive and still working production lines over the years do not want to just lose the still working, highly reliable technology that they already have.

Which is where the retrofit option comes in, with inkjet integration into perfectly stable production lines. Making the best of both worlds.

The enhanced design capability of a hybrid system provides the ideal groundwork for recovering lost opportunities, or indeed creating new ones for short run, last minute orders that would otherwise have been rejected in the past,” note Corral and Using.

situated closer to the customer. “There are significantly more digital printers serving this application area—with hundreds, or even thousands of digital presses in current use,” they note.

This is in contrast to indirect digital printers, which tend to be centralized as they are aligned to the corrugation plants, meaning the print machines are larger, more productive, and serve many See page 16 for more information.

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AFFORD

Hybrid can also save space, which is one potential limitation of direct digital printing for corrugate. “The Kento Hybrid, even with flexographic downs, can be under 100 feet. It is important to note that power requirements vary significantly between all machines and it is critical this be considered upfront.”

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Industrial Inkjet Ltd.

industrialij.com

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INX International Ink Co.

inxinternational.com

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Kao Collins Corporation

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Kento North America

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Sun Chemical

sunchemical.com

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customers through distribution. They estimate that there are only a handful of indirect digital printers currently in operation.

“Sun Chemical expects the trend in direct corrugated digital printing to continue growing. Direct printing aligns with the efficient, optimized capabilities of inkjet and allows for the fast turnaround currently required.

This type of printing provides a shorter process path after printing and thus can offer reduced lead times using newer technology to meet the demands of an ever-changing market. A concurrent trend in the market is the use of more paper substrates in packaging, revealing an industry wide—and often consumer driven—desire to increase use of sustainable materials wherever feasible,” share Jackman and Gould.

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Compared to Analog While digital print solutions for corrugated advance, it is up against very mature ink technologies.

“Traditional analog printing uses inks that are high(er) in viscosity, that are manually but precisely, pressed onto the board/paper. In contrast, direct digital printing uses inkjet technology, which utilizes a much lower viscosity ink, so that it can be ejected from the printhead.

Thus, the inkjet drop placement accuracy and amount of absorbency—which is typically more with a lower viscosity ink—can strongly influence the image quality that can be achieved,” say Jackman and Gould.

When it comes to ink adhesion and spread, Kent explains that traditional flexographic printing utilizes specific anilox rolls, inks, and printing plates that need to be optimized and specified for the liners being used. “If a plant runs a variety of liners they will get varying results, some good and some bad.”

With the proliferation of digital ink suppliers, a lot of attention is now being paid to the single-pass segment. “Ink recipes are being perfected to meet many requirements, most notable print quality.

Along with this, some flexographic ink companies work with these digital suppliers to formulate primers and overprint varnishes (OPVs) that work well with digital inks,” offers Kent.

He adds that almost 100 percent of direct digital single-pass printers utilize a primer to control the printed dots once they hit the liner. “In some cases, a primer is not needed but in most, the primer controls the dot gain, absorption, and protects the print from the abrasive converting process that will ensue. The correct volume of primer applied will also control the absorption on highly porous materials. Having 2. The Kento Hybrid combines one or more

flexographhic printing units with a single-pass inkjet printer and an optional rotary die cutting module.

The first Kento Hybrid is in a state-of-the-art corrugated plant near Valencia, Spain.

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the ability to control the amount of primer on various substrates allows for prints on coated and uncoated virgin, or recycled liners. Without a primer this flexibility is non-existent, and results are variable and unpredictable.”

2 It is important to note that single-pass digital printing results vary depending on the ink technology used. “Water-based digital inks for corrugated typically require a primer or bonding agent, and an overprint coating to protect the print. UV LED, or even conventional UV ink technology, typically requires a primer but does not need an overprint coating to protect the print,” explains Wegemer.

Jackman and Gould agree, pointing out a variety of substrates are used in corrugated printing—white, brown, coated and uncoated, etc.—and these low viscosity inkjet inks would perform quite differently across the range. It is therefore common to use a primer in digital print systems. “This is mostly to harmonize the substrate variances to some extent and to give a more consistent drop spread/dot gain. Adhesion poses much less of a challenge.”

“Where UV inkjet inks give amazing vibrancy of pigment, for a long time aqueous inks could not compete and essentially looked like watercolor images.

Improvements in ink options, using hybrid water- or latex-based inks for inkjet printing ensures a vibrancy of color that matches UV inks and provides good adhesion. Line speed and dryer location can manage ink absorption and spread.

Improvements in inks can now accommodate coated corrugated providing improved gloss levels on par with label stock and allowing for a photo finish.

Even on very absorbent stocks that

typically suffer from excessive ink bleed there are now jettable primers to ensure the color print is sharp and crisp. By reducing ink spread and absorption they also save on color ink usage—and in fact more than pay for themselves,” add Corrall and Using.

Martínez believes AFFORD can reach similar, if not better, levels of adhesion on corrugated boards than with traditional printing methods, achieving prints with excellent adhesion and very high scuff and scratch resistance.

“Formulations are even custom tailored for specific corrugated stock,” says Wyatt. “This optimizes the image quality while maintaining printing performance.”

Kent stresses that ink spread and adhesion should not be an issue in singlepass digital print. “Utilizing a primer matched to the digital ink assures this but another layer of protection is provided with an application of OPV after the digital print. The OPV is used many times for aesthetics, glossy or satin, but it does provide a robust layer of protection over the print.”

Corrugate Advances Direct digital printing to corrugated is a small but growing part of the overall market segment. While there are still challenges to iron out, the potential is there—especially when considering a hybrid approach. Read product highlights as well as a piece on future trends online at industrialprintmagazine.com. IPM

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