Announcing a new press for flexible packaging printing, the Varioman, manroland web systems says it has created a technology platform which combines the benefits of varied technologies and processes while specifically avoiding the weak points inherent in other technologies.
The pilot press, an offset gravure hybrid press, prints foils and, according to manroland, provides the core competences of the Augsburg printing system like mature design, system integration and service and maintenance packages. The company will show the press to customers and interested parties for three days from today.
In mixing offset and gravure, manroland web systems says the Varioman f:line provides particularly short make ready and changeover times with reduced start-up waste rates, achieved through high levels of automation and format flexibility.
Applications include printing flexible foils for shrink-sleeve applications and other substrates, like foils, paper, and aluminium foils.
The company sees the Varioman fitting in the production gap of medium sized print runs with offset printing technology and the cost benefits inherent in this technology. It has developed these special offset printing units with the cooperation partner Goebel.
The company says that modern packaging printing must meet the present day demands of numerous job changeovers; short runs with many sub-jobs; and a plethora of on demand print runs. It says that the press saves time and minimises costs through the highest degree of modern automation in printing. It adds that, at the same time, the combination of technologies like the degree of variability and the quality of the printed product from the offset side, with the benefits provided by gravure printing (for example in the areas of varnishing, adhesives and opaque white) count as important factors for the packaging printing of today and the differentiation a modern printing house requires from its offerings. It also offers a comprehensive service package.
