nilpeter.com Press Release Nilpeter to display four-colour InkJet printer at Drupa on Xaar’s stand Hall 4, Stand No. E10

Nilpeter, the Danish manufacturer of narrow web label presses, will demonstrate CASLON, a new four-color InkJet press designed for industrial strength reel-fed platforms.

The print engine uses the latest drop-on-demand piezo print heads from Xaar, based on the company’s side-shooter technology for printing UV-curable CMYK ink sets. CASLON was designed and developed jointly with FFEI, a UK-based software developer and systems integrator. Unlike most digital printing systems, CASLON is intended to augment a converter’s existing press room capabilities without requiring a separate printing environment and production work flow.

There is at the moment, a choice of two maximum web widths: 420 mm (16,5 inch) or 340 mm (13,5 inch). As a modular unit mounted on a standard Nilpeter FA-Platform, CASLON can be configured as a stand-alone digital printing engine with web unwind and rewind for applications not requiring any in-line printing or converting processes. Alternatively, the module can be integrated in an FA-Line UV-flexo press. This includes in-the-field upgrades for existing FA-presses. CASLON modules can also be supplied for integration with other web-fed printing and converting processes.

CASLON can achieve a print speed up to 50,7 m/min. (164 ft/min) at 180 x 360 dpi with eight greyscale levels. This performance makes CASLON one of the industry’s fastest InkJet printers of its type.

CASLON delivers near-offset printing quality to a resolution of 360 x 360 dpi with eight greyscale levels. Furthermore, the electronic systems controller allows CASLON modules to print variable data printing on the fly, or print single copies of full-colour labels on practically any material.

The digital front-end includes a 17-inch colour touch-screen monitor allowing simple control over on-demand print work flows, with advanced setup/fine-adjust features. The front-end supports ICC profiling of individual substrates within colour-managed workflows, with designer input as necessary. Job setups take under two minutes from receipt of image at the press to first printed impression. The operator can optionally adjust selected colour settings on each image by using the viewer option on the touch screen

Non-impact InkJet technology allows CASLON to print on all standard paper and filmic labelstocks, as well as thin unsupported films without the need for precoating. A Corona treater after the unwind ensures ink adhesion on all films, while a tacky roller removes dust and debris from the web prior to printing. CASLON modules incorporate FFEI’s proven UV-technology for inter-colour curing.

The CASLON InkJet concept was launched by Nilpeter at LabelExpo 2007, held in Brussels, and proved one of the technical highlights of the show. Ongoing co-operation between Nilpeter, Xaar and FFEI has raised overall reliability levels to meet the demanding needs of the packaging and commercial print sectors. Consistently high print quality is assured across the substrate range without requiring periodic density or registration adjustments. FFEI’s front-end developments ensure CASLON is compatible with the latest PDF practices backed by full variable data support. On-press tests show good results when combined with flexo printing, including precise print-to-print registration.

Since CASLON’s introduction interest has remained at a high level and several orders are already in the pipeline. ‘It seems that the market has been awaiting an alternative to current digital label printing solutions’, said Søren Ringbo, manager of digital products. ‘We are already seeing a change of mindset by label converters, which indicates that our concept meets their demands and can offer opportunities not yet seen in the industry. Also, the idea of implementing digital printing as a modular technology in combination with conventional printing appears to have opened new doors for our customers which we didn’t expect.’

Drop-on-demand, four-colour CMYK InkJet using UV-curable ink sets for label and packaging printing distributed by Nilpeter. CASLON uses piezo electric print heads from Xaar using its patented hybrid side shooter technology.

50,7 m/min at 180 x 360 dpi with eight greyscale levels
33,0 m/min at 360 x 360 dpi with six greyscale levels
25,3 m/min at 360 x 360 dpi with eight greyscale levels
12,6 m/min at 720 x 360 dpi with eight greyscale levels

Maximum image size:
Nilpeter FA-4 configuration: Printing width: 410 mm - length: 1.000 mm
Nilpeter FA-3 configuration: Printing width: 330 mm - length: 1.000 mm