Finishing & Screen Printing

BOBST printing technologies: always innovating, constantly delivering

Monday 11. June 2018 - Visitors to COMPETENCE 18 will see the full range of BOBST expertise in printing technologies displayed together for the first time at the event. BOBST produces solutions for the printing of labels, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated boards with the most comprehensive technologies (e.g. Gravure, Flexo and Inkjet incl. multi process printing).

In terms of available press layout and configurations, there is web-fed or sheet-fed; reel to reel, reel to sheet, sheet to sheet. And in the case of multi-process lines from reel or sheet to the die-cut boxes or labels in one pass, there is central impression or inline configurations, narrow to extra-large-web, and the list of capabilities and available options could go on and on. This wide range of solutions makes BOBST the only manufacturer covering all applications in the labels, flexible materials, folding carton and corrugated board segments. Its ability to engineer new and unique solutions makes BOBST a partner of choice for converting companies and has established its leadership in the global packaging.
“We’ve always addressed market trends and delivered on challenges and needs from our clients,” commented Federico D’Annunzio, Strategic Products Marketing Director, BOBST Business Unit Web-fed. “We also have a record of anticipating market change by introducing new innovative developments and concepts that move away from conventional design and build towards the future of the printing industry”.
The smart evolution
BOBST has always been forward looking to address the challenges converters face to deliver on both brand owners’ and consumers’ requirements. For example, BOBST was one of the initiators of the move towards the game-changing application of fixed color palette printing in the packaging industry. This has been achieved within the framework of an integrated digital production workflow from pre-press to output. This is capable of supporting from the technical and profit-generating viewpoints the evolution of market demands towards increasingly shorter run production, shorter lead times, lean manufacturing and conservation of resources.
 In summary, the main advantages of the Extended Color Gamut (ECG) are:
•  It guarantees brand owners perfect color matching of their packaging worldwide, irrespective of the geographical location of the printing facilities or the different ability of the press operators
• By reproducing up to 85% of the Pantone scale, there is no need to keep huge inventories of spot colors. These can however be added, if required
• It saves time in job make-ready and changeovers as there is no need for color matching, print unit washing and ink changing
• It considerably reduces the consumption of substrates, inks, and solvents
• It delivers a better print quality due to higher lines/in, and consistently run after run
• It speeds up the time to market and speeds up turnaround
In 2013, BOBST launched one of the most revolutionary concepts: the REVO Digital Flexo project, applicable to its range of web-fed narrow-web inline flexo presses. Developed within a technology team of leading industry partners, the REVO has succeeded in making available to converters a turnkey 7-color Extended Color Gamut (ECG) printing process and digitized workflow just as suitable for labels, flexible and carton packaging production. REVO is a closed loop solution with fixed partners for consumables, hardware and software equipment and devices.
In 2017, BOBST introduced a fixed color palette for corrugated board post print – the THQ (Très Haute Qualité) FlexoCloud technology. All spot colors are realized from the process colors and there is an integrated process with printing plates and inks from exclusive suppliers and a cloud application for coordinating production. THQ technology also enables new and unique security features required by brand owners.
 “BOBST was an initiator of the industry move towards the fixed color palette printing, which is a strategy we are committed to, at Group level,” explained Federico D’Annunzio, “We continue to progress by delivering solutions that deliver the best overall results for converters in the light of the characteristics of some industry segments which might not yet be suitable for a standardization of the whole process”.
This is why the ECG system introduced in 2018 for BOBST wide-web CI flexo printing presses is an open system. “We looked at making the ECG process always work optimally on our latest 20SEVEN CI flexo press, be it with solvent-based or water-based inks, and with different pre-press suppliers. To that end, we have introduced a test certification system for suppliers that can ensure our customers of the quality of the results on the BOBST CI flexo presses which use the Extended Color Gamut process,” he concluded.
BOBST is an expert in substrate processing, converting and printing. During the COMPETENCE 18 Open House, specialists will be on hand for updates on the latest solutions in the range of BOBST gravure printing presses, and on solutions by Mouvent, the digital printing competence center of the Bobst Group. The Open House will also highlight several other innovative solutions from BOBST, including hot foil stampers, die-cutters and folder-gluers.

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