Packaging

Packaging printing according to industry standard 4.0 – automated, creative and multisensory

Thursday 22. August 2019 - At FachPack in Nuremberg, Konica Minolta presents digital printing processes in use for personalized packaging with haptic 3D effects

At the point of sale, eye-catching packaging is the key to the success of a product. At FachPack 2019, which will take place in Nuremberg from September 24 to 26, Konica Minolta will show in Hall 8 (Booth 8-412) how digitally produced packaging can be used as a creative and profitable means of communication for brand owners and the advertising industry. The focus will be on topics such as digital print finishing or the use of augmented reality technologies in packaging printing.
Creative packaging with high advertising effectiveness is gaining acceptance at the PoS. For years, the industry has therefore been looking for possibilities to individually design packaging materials in order to reach customers emotionally with more personality. Konica Minolta is placing this topic at the centre of its trade fair appearance at FachPack and is showing the possibilities of digital printing processes in industrial packaging printing. Visitors can expect fascinating print examples of the AccurioJet KM-1 digital UV inkjet B2+ sheetfed printing system in combination with personalized and versioned digital coating with haptic 3D effects in edition 1.
The AccurioJet KM-1 processes even heavy cartons with a sheet weight of up to 600 g/m2. Of particular interest to the packaging industry is the UV-curable ink from Konica Minolta, which enables the B2+ system to print on a wide range of materials, from normal picture paper to structured cardboard and plastic substrates. The KM-1 delivers color stability with remarkable accuracy in ongoing production. The world’s first profile certification according to FOGRA53 proves the excellent stability, versatility and colour fidelity of the AccurioJet KM-1.
In the field of digital print finishing, the company is exhibiting varnished and foil wrapped packaging produced using JETvarnish systems from MGI. Using UV spot varnishing in defined areas, they enhance four-colour digital and offset prints with exceptional 3D haptics. The result is a new sensory experience and lively packaging that sets the advertising industry and brand manufacturers apart from the competition. The MGI systems process sheets up to B1+ format and are capable of applying coating thicknesses of up to 232 microns on coated, varnished or laminated surfaces.
KI in the pressroom
Another focus of Konica Minolta’s appearance at the fair is on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for print control and quality assurance. For example, the MGI JETvarnish 3D Evolution is equipped with a scanner system based on AI. It guarantees a high accuracy of fit individually for each incoming print sheet in the production run. Each sheet is scanned at production speed, the measurement result is compared with a previously defined reference file at up to 300 reference points, and the coating mask is applied precisely according to the deviations determined.
KI is also used in Konica Minolta’s Auto Inspection Technology (AIT). It is a fully automatic and closed inspection technology that detects problems such as dirt, poor image quality or incorrect page sequences. It checks every single sheet and ensures that only prints that meet high standards are delivered. Misprints are reduced to a minimum, while manual checks and interventions are eliminated. Print shops thus reduce their costs and achieve higher margins.
Augmented reality attracts attention
Visitors to FachPack at the Konica Minolta booth will also experience how Augmented Reality (AR) helps to develop print products that attract attention: genARate is a proprietary development that combines the haptic experience of print with interactive AR formats. The new AR solution transforms printed content into moving information. Viewers see videos, animations or 3D models when they point their smartphone or tablet at a printed package.
At the heart of the tool is a mobile app that printers and marketing departments can use to add fascinating digital content to print materials. At the same time, the app ensures interaction with the target group on their own website. This opens up a new and profitable way for the packaging industry to combine analogue and digital communication.