15 April 2015
New Graphium enhancements boost end-to-end hybrid production of labels and packaging
Graphium now benefits from a new label production workflow system specifically developed to enable end-to-end label production in a hybrid environment
FFEI Ltd, the global developer of award-winning digital imaging solutions, today announces that its Graphium hybrid digital inkjet label press now benefits from a host of new features that significantly increases productivity and the number of finished label jobs that can be produce in a shift.
FFEI is a leader in digital hybrid systems and their ability to transform label production. Graphium is the first 'true' digital hybrid label press to bring together the latest innovations in digital printing, flexo and finishing. Today FFEI take this a step further with the release of Graphium Label Production Workflow the first workflow system designed specifically for the conversion of labels in a digital, flexo and hybrid environment.
Graphium Label Production Workflow brings a number of benefits to any label production environment. As a fully automated pre-press system, just a minimal manual intervention is required to transform complex digital files into finished fit-for-purpose labels. In doing so it ensures converting production waste and pre-press production touch points are kept to a minimum. Whilst at the same time improving accuracy and repeatability.
Andy Cook, FFEI's Managing Director commented, "We developed Graphium Label Production Workflow, to address a vital but as yet unmet need to efficiently manage label production." Cook continued, "Our customers helped us define workflow tools that can
dramatically increase the benefits of a hybrid system and take productivity way beyond anything available today. The result is that Graphium Workflow provides pre-press operators with an intuitive, end-to-end means to digitally control the setup of files in the
most cost efficient manner - regardless of whether that is just simply inkjet or inkjet, flexo and finishing. "
Graphium Workflow enables a single job to be split across multiple output devices with tight centralised colour management and touch free automation. It allows colour using ISO standards to be implemented across flexo and digital. With Graphium the most prominent and typically largest coverage areas can be printed on a flexo spot plate. This creates a balance between setup cost, which is much lower than pure flexo, and running cost that is much lower than both pure flexo and pure digital for medium run jobs.
Graphium Workflow's multichannel processing also enables spot colours, text, graphics, and barcodes to be processed efficiently using optimised settings. This means it can process images and graphics to ISO standards, create spot colours utilising the full Graphium gamut, achieve Grade-A barcodes on almost any device and optimise small font reproduction with almost no manual intervention.
In addition to Graphium Label Production Workflow, FFEI are announcing several additional enhancements for Graphium. The number of different label jobs that can be converted per shift on Graphium exceeds that of a flexo or a digital press with near/off line finishing. New print engine software dramatically boosts print speeds, which means Graphium can now print premium quality, 5 colour labels at over 45m/min. This combined with Graphium's flexibility to operate in hybrid or purely digital, means label converters have the choice to run each job in the quickest, most cost effective way.
The introduction of a new camera for auto registration will also boost productivity, by significantly reducing the time needed to check and correct registration for different medias. By doing so the new auto registration system will reduce substrate wastage. Operators will also have the ability to set the Graphium press into a 'cold standby' mode. The new mode allows a quick machine start up time and also reduces power consumption and ink wastage.
Continuing FFEI's policy of keeping customers at the latest level of technology, the new camera, increased speed and a host of ergonomic features will all be available as a free upgrade to existing customers.
For further information contact:
Faye McClenahan
FFEI Ltd
+44 (0) 1442 210456
faye.mcclenahan@ffei.co.uk
