Digital

Label printing is seen as the next natural market for inkjet to dominate before commercial print and following its onslaught on wide-format and screen process. Drupa included a good showing of label printers, including the FFEI Caslon and the EFI Jetrion 4000. These Xaar-based machines are available today, but it was Epson’s announcement of its entry into the industrial and commercial print markets that was significant. At the show, the company, which is well-known for its desktop and wide-format inkjet machines, displayed a prototype label press that will be launched next year. Epson’s expertise and experience makes it hard to ignore.

The company’s senior business manager for commercial and industrial printing, Marc Tinkler, says that the label press will cost less to buy and run than toner-based digital label presses and print onto standard stocks with no pre-treatment or coating. Also in development, and shown at Drupa, is a more robust drop-on-demand piezo printhead and a clever aqueous ink that works with standard paper and cartonboards without special treatment. "There was a lot of interest in our ink, which works without using UV curing. People told us that they want to get away from that," says Tinkler. The head and inks were at Drupa, shown in a single-pass printing test rig made up of multiple heads.

Epson’s heritage in proofing stands it in good stead with printers and the saturation of consumer imaging markets make commercial print attractive to the company, which promises a fruitful relationship for both parties.

Format: Narrow web
Size: 330mm wide
Colours: CMYKOG
Speed: TBC
Technology: Piezo drop-on-demand
Shipping: H1 2009
Price:TBC