XEIKON LAUNCHES NEW LABEL PRESS
Xeikon has launched what it says is the next evolution Panther inkjet technology, with the Xeikon PX3300HD, a new 1200 dpi digital press that will be premiered at drupa.
Developed for high quality labels, the five-colour machine has a 330mm printing width, and speeds up to 70 metres a minute, even when printing with high opacity white.
In addition, Xeikon PX3300HD uses a newly developed ink series, PX-Cure LED HD, which Xeikon says is to ensure "perfect" curing, while supporting sustainability targets for converters.
“As inkjet technology continues to mature, there’s a clear need to update Xeikon’s Panther portfolio with a higher resolution option to meet specific customer requests. Consequently, we are now introducing a 1200 dpi engine to complement the existing 600 dpi product range,” said Jeroen Van Bauwel, Xeikon’s director of Solution Design.
“The new Xeikon PX3300HD will extend the capabilities for printers, by giving them the tools to reach excellent quality at even higher productivity levels in a TCO-friendly way.”
A small footprint machine, the PX3300HD produces what Xeikon says are "high durability", full-colour labels for diverse markets. It covers up to 88 per cent of Pantone colours within Delta E 2, rising to 94 per cent within Delta E 3.
To meet the specific requirements of the higher resolution engine, Xeikon has developed new PX-Cure LED HD inks. The new inks match the sustainability benefits of the recently introduced PantherCure UV LED series for Xeikon 600-dpi inkjet presses. This includes "significant" savings in energy consumption, instant warm up for more agile operation, and ten times longer lamp life compared to traditional UV arc lamps, resulting in lower waste.
Combining image quality and resolution with productivity, the new press leverages Xerox W-Series industrial inkjet printheads, with dedicated waveforms and screening software developed by Xeikon.
The PX3300HD is fully prepared for hybrid printing to increase productivity, with the option to add Xeikon’s modular inline LCUs (Label Converting Units), and a large unwinder for longer uninterrupted production runs.
The print workflow presented by Xeikon PX3300HD is driven by the Xeikon X-800 DFE (Digital Front End), supplying faster job turnaround and just-in-time delivery. Colour management is an integral part of the software: every X-800 comes with a Pantone license, so customers can "easily" convert all the latest Pantone colours for their press and substrates.
In addition, Xeikon says the basic press configuration offers efficient operational support with an inline camera for quality inspection included by default. Adjusting registration, stitching and compensation for missing nozzles, are all measured and corrected in a fully automated way. Xeikon says this feature also helps to alleviate ongoing issues with finding skilled staff to run the press, while extending the lifetime of the printheads and ensuring consistent high quality.
Van Bauwel said, “This extension of Xeikon’s inkjet capabilities is an exciting development for customers. It offers them a cost-effective and competitive opportunity to scale their businesses, so they can supply profitable luxury market segments with productivity and quality.
“We are currently well underway with customer trials and will start sales at drupa. I’d like to encourage all attendees to make their way to Hall 11, booth A01, to experience the PX3300HD 1200 dpi press running live and discuss their future path in inkjet for labels and packaging with Xeikon.”