The press manufacturer is showed the Truepress PAC 520P in Hall 8a, which can print onto media widths of up to 520mm at a resolution of 600x900dpi and speeds up to 80m/min, thanks to a specially designed drying mechanism optimised for paper packaging.
Screen said the machine was developed “to meet the industry’s increasingly demanding requirements for quality, productivity, and safety”.
Available now worldwide, the machine uses Screen’s proprietary Truepress ink NP. These water-based inks comply with European food and safety regulations and guidelines, known for their strict inspection standards and ensuring a high level of consumer safety. The system also includes several eco-friendly features, such as the use of lightweight, easily recyclable bag-in-box units for the ink tanks.
The machine is said to “dramatically reduce” pre-press processing and printing preparations compared with conventional methods. It also significantly shortens production times and decreases the number of operators required on-site, as well as their workloads.
Screen said that even with high value-added packaging runs, such as mixed, small lot, and variable design items, the press would maintain throughput with no loss of productivity.
Speaking at Drupa, Juan Cano, Screen Europe marketing director and business development director for flexible packaging, said: “The Truepress PAC 520P is a very compact and agile press for printing paper packaging. There’s a fast-growing trend in the market where consumers are demanding a move away from plastic towards paper-based [substrates]. [...] They perceive paper as a more environmentally friendly and easy to recycle material.”
He noted, though, that Screen remains material agnostic – offering kit that can print on both plastic or on paper.
Screen has also announced a strategic collaboration with Mondi that is featuring prominently at Drupa. The Truepress PAC 520P is being showcased using Mondi’s fully recyclable FunctionalBarrier Paper 95/5 heat sealable uncoated paper.
Throughout the exhibition, live demonstrations will feature the production of jellybean packages in various flavours (SKUs), leveraging the Truepress PAC 520P’s advanced printing capabilities and package design freedom.
The company said one of the highlights will be the variable data printing (VDP) feature, where the central jellybeans on each package will change colour randomly, highlighting the machine’s ability to effortlessly formulate custom, eye-catching designs on the fly.
Separately, Screen has also finalised the development of the Digital Primer Option for its Truepress Label 350UV SAI S UV inkjet printing system. It said the new option maximises UV inkjet printing capabilities by significantly improving print quality, adhesion and durability. Screen plans to launch the ink worldwide starting in October 2024.
Screen exhibited at Drupa under the theme “Creating a Future in Print – Tech x Irodori”, and said visitors to its booth gained valuable insights into the transformative impact of industry cooperation on the future of printing.
