By Olivia Cahoon
Part 2 of 2
Narrow format label printing allows wide format print service providers (PSPs) to produce short runs of labels cost efficiently. The first part of this two-part series discussed benefits and challenges wide format PSPs should consider before purchasing a narrow label printer. In the second part of this series, we provide a roundup of available narrow label presses.
Durst Image Technology US LLC
Durst features the Tau 330 and Tau 330E with a maximum print width of 8×13 inches. The narrow format label presses are priced between $400K and $850K. The Tau 330 printers output at 157 feet per minute (fpm) and are intended for short- and medium-run narrow web applications.
The Tau 330 features high-definition print mode and resolutions of 720×1,260 dpi. It is intended for sharp text reproduction, fine graphical element detail, clear gradient, and soft skin tones.
Emily Kroll, business director, Durst, says the five-color Tau 330E is an economical version of the seven-color Tau 330. The Tau 330E is available with three ink systems—highly pigmented inks for cost-effective universal solutions, industry inks for resistant labels and identifiers, and low-migrations inks for printing primary packaging in the pharmaceutical and grocery sectors.
Durst’s label presses are used for applications like industrial and security type labels, durable electronics and automotive labels, paint, specialty foods and beverages, body and healthcare, household chemicals, and aluminum foils.
Available options for the label presses include full variable data, chill roller, web inspection system, and integration with third-party devices. “A single-pass UV inkjet press, such as the Tau 330, can generate roughly $3M per year in revenue” says Kroll.
EFI
The EFI Jetrion industrial narrow label printing systems offer printing widths from 8.3 to 13 inches and handle short runs of 100 to 50,000.
The Jetrion 4950LX prints a maximum speed of 157 fpm at a resolution of 720×720 dpi. The press prints on heat sensitive and specialty substrates. It produces decals, labels, and tickets and handles substrates like paper, film, foil, and tags.
The Jetrion systems use the EFI Fiery XF RIP and include an optional white printing module, optional laser die cutting, varnish and lamination, and full featured finishing.
The Jetrion 4900ML eliminates the need to move substrate rolls or finished labels by offering continuous job queue. At a maximum width of nine inches, the printer also decreases inventory by producing the exact number of required labels for jobs.
Epson
The Epson SurePress L-4033A and L-4033AW are six color and six with white ink, respectively, label printers. They include a Wasatch RIP and color management software from X-Rite. No pretreatment or top coat is required and the presses run a variety of different off-the-shelf substrates. The web width is up to 13 inches.
Fujifilm North America Corporation
Fujifilm offers the Graphium UV inkjet press, featuring four color plus white printing at up to 16 inches wide. At 360×360 dpi it can output up to 9,270 square feet per hour. The Graphium prints on a range of substrates including paper, film, vinyl, and metallized media. It uses Xaar 1001 Thruflow UV inkjet drop on demand printheads.
Screen Americas
Screen’s Truepress Jet L350UV features a maximum media width of 13.7 inches and 12.6 inches for images. Joseph D. Falcone, label and packaging sales manager, upper Midwest, Screen, says it’s priced at nearly $600K.
The Truepress Jet L350UV prints 164 fpm and serves short to medium runs for trial marketing, versioning, and personalizing decorative pressure-sensitive labels. The press uses a four-color process and optional opaque white ink for transparent film and metallic foil.
Its automatic printhead cleaning function initiates cleaning after printing to prevent failing results.
The optional JetConverter L350 Label-Converting Line processes label stock up to 209.9 fpm and includes semi-rotary flexographic printing and coating, semi-rotary die cutting with a 25.5-inch magnetic cylinder, and cold foiling and laminating. Other additional features include four level grayscale heads, automated maintenance, consistent quality, and 90 percent uptime.
Valloy Incorporation
Valloy offers the entry level Any-002 label printer. Its maximum print width is 8.5 inches and it is priced at $15,000. The Any-002 prints up to 14.8 fpm and makes 5,000 color labels within two hours.
Any-002 uses its own software, Anytron software, to process information to labels like quick response codes, barcodes, and numbers.
The printer uses media like white and clear PET, art paper, metallic, and teslin. The device utilizes waterproof toner for durability.
Its features include a mounting shaft, media loader, support and alignment bar, color laser printer engine, feeding guides, auto cut, and an optional precut sensor and offline rewinder. The mounting shaft with grid marking is designed for stable feeding and accurate rewinding without vibration.
The printer is a desktop-sized, lightweight device, appropriate for small spaces and offices.
Xeikon
Xeikon offers a series of six different presses for self-adhesive labels, from entry level up to speed of 98 fpm. The portfolio includes the Xeikon 3030 Plus, 3030, 3050, 3300, 3500, and CX3. All offer high-quality, 1,200 dpi printing. They are equipped with dry toner, which is FDA approved, food safe, and odorless. It features no solvent, hazardous volatile organic compounds, or odors.
Narrow Leaders
Narrow format label printers offer fast speeds and ease of use, despite a small learning curve. A number of devices are well suited for a large format print provider looking to complement existing services with short-run label printing.
Click here to read part one of this exclusive online series, From Wide to Narrow
Click on the link above to get more information on the vendors mentioned in this article.
Apr2017, Digital Output
DOLAB1704
