Products

Published: March 01, 2001

Machinery, Accessories, Services, Materials

Press Allows Efficient On-Press Makeready
Chesnut Engineering, Fairfield, NJ; 973/227-6995; chesnuteng.com
The Supra 1900 rotogravure press provides an extension of co.'s Supra 1600 technology. It incorporates direct print technology, a sleeve-based system, and an interchangeable flexo and screen capability. Reported to offer efficient, on-press makeready that makes it well suited for short to medium print runs. Can be utilized as a short-run press for flexible packaging, paper labels, and unsupported films, or as a high-volume press for high quality p-s labels. The design makes it equally adept at handling very light weight films, foils, and paperboard, according to co.

Film Stock Suited for Tough Substrates
Emtech Emulsion Technologies, Medina, OH; 330/725-1444; 800/422-8116; emtechfilms.com
P-s film stock is recommended for adhesion to difficult or highly textured surfaces such as automotive batteries and products with powder-coated paint finishes. Stock features a 2.6-mil, white, PP facestock; co.'s P1480 acrylic, permanent adhesive; and a variety of liners. Adhesive is said to exhibit excellent chemical and moisture resistance and have high initial tack as well as strong ultimate adhesion. PP facestock is print-treated for optimum printing in most processes, and stock is said to be engineered for excellent die-cutting and matrix stripping.

Transfer Tapes Suited for Form/Label Combo
Avery Dennison, Pasadena, CA; 800/944-8511; averydennison.com
Two transfer tapes for making integrated labels allow converters to create two-in-one form/label combinations. Robust construction is said to permit high run speeds, excellent performance, and reduced labor expense. Flexible patch sizes reduce overall material costs by eliminating the need for full-sheet p-s or dual-web constructions. Tapes are made with a 40# SCK protective liner with a low release system said to strip off easily and cleanly in the converting process.

System Allows the Use of Full-Wrap Labels
National Starch & Chemical Co., Bridgewater, NJ; 908/685-5000; nationalstarch.com
The Contour™ system enables package designers to use full-wrap labels on curvaceously shaped containers at high speeds and lower cost, says co. Film labels such as PP, OPP, OPS, and PETG are capable of shrinking from 26% for OPP to 45% for OPS on the container. As a result, designers can use container shape as well as eye-catching graphics to differentiate products that more powerfully attract consumer attention to the package. System is said to form a secure bond at the seam that will not “flag” or “creep” during the labeling and shrinking processes.

PSA Pellets Have No Solvents
H.B. Fuller Co., St. Paul, MN; 651/236-3195; hbfuller.com
Hot melt Propel™ PSA pellets for tape manufacturing are 100% solid. Said to offer a high-performance alternative to solvent-based systems, free-flowing, nonblocking pellets are available in a convenient form for vacuum feeding.

Slitter Is Versatile
Aztech Machinery, Scottsdale, AZ; 800/829-835; aztechmachinery.com
The RollMaster slitter/rewinder can be applied to the finishing of the label printing process or to “bulk-slitting.” Has a small footprint, a speed of 1,000 fpm, and is said to slit precisely in all three of the most widely used methods: razor, rotary shear, and crush.

Printhead Is Result of Agreement
Comco International a div. of Mark Andy, Milford, OH; 513/248-1600; markandy.com
In an agreement with Stork Screens America, co. offers a rotary screen printhead with speeds above 400 fpm and two-sided printing capabilities. Integration of the printhead allows the head to slide in and out of any print deck position in co.'s ProGlide MSP press. Design improvements are said to minimize waste and cleanup.

Wrap Offers Premium Look to Beverage Brands
Epsilon-Opti Films Corp.

, South Plainfield, NJ; 908/791-1300
Ultra-clear, high-gloss Opti-95 shrink film is said to provide a wrap of elegance and add premium value for producers of juice, water, soft drinks, wine, and liquor. The biaxially oriented polyolefin film reportedly achieves precision shrink consistently, without irradiation, at low sealant temperatures. Available in centerfolded standard stock sizes and single wound sheeting constructions in custom sizes at 60, 75, and 100 ga. Post-consumer waste is recyclable.

System Allows In-House Label Converting
Craig Adhesives & Coatings Co., Newark, NJ; 973/344-1483
A one-part adhesive and silicone system allows printers to manufacture label stocks in-house. The CraigCure™ 1045XA silicone release coating, coupled with CraigCure 1029 PSF adhesive, offers excellent mileage, up to 6 lb of peel strength, and excellent resistance to moisture and high temperatures, says co. Suited for demanding health and beauty aid label printing applications and for difficult substrates. The 1029 PSF adhesive is said to adhere to a variety of inks, films, and papers. UV-cured system contains no VOCs and can be applied by screen, flexo, roller coat, or gravure.

Rotary Screen Module Enhances Ko-Pack Press
Telstar Engineering Inc., Burnsville, MN; 952/890-9440; telstareng.com
A CI drum rotary screen module has been designed to interchange with the letterpress station on Ko-Pack presses. Interchange takes place simply by removing the letterpress head and replacing it with co.'s screen module. Registration controls and supports are the same, making it an easy swap, mfr. says. The entire changeover takes less than 30 min. The Ko-Pack module comes in right- or left-hand configuration and prints from 96 — 146 teeth. The unit is gear-driven from the drum and drives the screen at both ends. Because the unit operates from the same controls used for letterpress printing, operator familiarity is maintained.

Antimicrobial Sealant Makes Bar Code Printer Safe
Sato America Inc., Sunnyvale, CA; 408/745-1300; satoamerica.com
The CT Series thermal bar code label printer with Zeomic inorganic antimicrobial sealant is said to offer high processing speed and to be ideal for a wide range of applications in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, packaging, and manufacturing industries. The sealant, when applied to the CT Series, reportedly provides a safe, effective way to print bar code labels in medical labs; sterile food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical processing plants; clean rooms; and most other sterile industrial environments. Features include a print area of 1 — 4.1 in. wide; the ability to print all popular linear and 2-D bar code symbologies; a user-replaceable printhead; and a high-speed, bidirectional IEEE1284 parallel interface.

Static Cling Vinyl Is Lightweight
Plastiprint Inc., Lakewood, CO; 800/922-5538
The 60# Kromekote static cling vinyl liner is said to provide advantages over traditional 70# or 80# polycoated liners: The light weight allows larger roll lengths for a given roll diameter, leading to longer, more productive press runs before roll changeover, co. says. The cast-coated surface of the liner reportedly provides excellent die-strike capability for consistent, reliable die-cutting. Static cling vinyls are available on the new liner in nontopcoated forms for UV flexo and thermal transfer applications, and topcoated with an STC topcoating for standard flexographic printing.

Label Stock Endures Squeezing and Humidity
FLEXcon Co. Inc., Spencer, MA; 508/885-8200; flexcon.com
The optiFLEX 340 labeling stock is suited for squeezable, semi-squeezable, and rigid packaging needs. Coated with a high-performance, permanent acrylic PSA and backed with an ultrasmooth polyester release liner, stock is recommended for applications that include wraparound or panel labels for shampoos, sun lotions, oral hygiene products, and body lotions. Films provide the “no-label look” and reportedly can endure the humid conditions of the shower and bathroom environment. Compatible with conventional printing methods such as UV flexo, UV screen, and UV letterpress.

Thermal Transfer Printers Offer High Quality
Weber Marking Systems, Arlington Hts., IL; 847/364-8500
The 200 Series line of thermal/thermal-transfer printers offers exceptional print quality for bar codes, text, and graphics, according to mfr. Models handle p-s labels and tags in sizes from 3.54 — 8.8 in. wide and 20 — 39-in. in length. Print speeds range from 4 — 12 in./sec, with print resolutions of 203, 300, or 600 dpi. All 200 Series thermal/thermal-transfer printers operate in conjunction with co.'s exclusive Windows-based labeling software, easing the creation and printing of label designs.