Tag: Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads Series

  • Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads Blog Series Part 4 “The Digital Printing Revolution”

    Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads Blog Series Part 4 “The Digital Printing Revolution”

    Our first post in the Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads blog series looked at changes in the corrugated printing market, the factors driving them and how big-box retailers and CPCs are increasing their requirements of packaging suppliers. The major areas of change range from graphics quality to flexibility to velocity, and pressroom versatility is the name of the game.

    The final post in our series will explore how digital printing is becoming a key player in the corrugated evolution, with added insight from Paul Aliprando, VP of Digital Technologies at Sun Automation Group. Expanding with digital technology can help printers meet demands for short runs, fast turnarounds, stunning graphics and customization without sacrificing efficiency or, more importantly, profits.

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    Sun Automation CorrStream® Digital Printer

    A new take on old news

    Digital printing is already being used in corrugated plants to produce samples, prototypes and other one-off or small-batch jobs due to its relatively cheap cost to produce shortruns compared to flexo. But the use of digital technology is ramping up as a growing number of jobs creep into its sweet spot – high resolution graphics, smaller order sizes, short lead times, fast turnarounds, customization and personalization.

    Aliprando says, “some users are applying digital to increase value to their customers which allows higher product margins. Other users apply digital as an alternative to current methods for lower total production costs. Either way, money is the motivator.”

    Let’s take a look at the ways digital technology is having the biggest impact in the corrugated post-print sector:

    High resolution graphics

    High-definition visuals, desired by today’s brand owners to create product differentiation and appeal, require high-resolution printing. A flaw with Flexo is as the sheet moves through each color station in the press, it shifts slightly, making it impossible to overlap every ink color and produce the image exactly as it was designed. Bleeds and traps have to be incorporated into the design to hide the registration issues.

    Aliprando states, “In general, Digital has a higher resolution than ‘standard’ Flexo for corrugated.  Although there are excellent flexo machines capable for printing Process work direct to corrugated, the cost, maintenance and operation knowledge is specialized.“

    With a digital printer, images are printed in one pass.  There are no registration issues and minimal dot gain, making digital printing a better option for  reducing waste and producing images with high graphic resolution – especially with gradients and very detailed print that requires fine lines or images.

    Smaller order sizes

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    The digital process offers an economical way to produce low-volume and custom print jobs. With flexo presses, high setup costs are offset by their faster speeds and lower production costs over a high-volume, long run job.

    But digital presses are much more agile and a smarter choice for small print lots. The image is transferred directly onto a substrate, with no print cylinders, die-cut tooling, plates, ink tanks, anilox rolls, doctor blades or complex set up processes.

    Short lead times and fast turnarounds

    The quick and easy set-up of a digital press also makes it conducive to short lead times and fast turnarounds. Remember flexo’s cumbersome and expensive setup process – creating plates, filling the ink tank, assembling the ink roll and print cylinder? Digital files can be easily created, changed or updated so customers can request new or custom packaging on short notice or make changes on the fly. The full CYMK spectrum is readily accessible and producing gradients and other detailed effects is easy. Less waste…

    Brands need responsive suppliers that can meet their needs for speed and versatility.

    The flexibility that digital printing brings to the corrugated pressroom can also turn the package printer into a value-added service provider. With short lead times and fast deliveries, CPGs and big-box retailers can keep inventory levels low to save on warehousing and prevent outdated stock. However, Aliprando urges printers to consider the additional converting process with digital printing, stating “an added requirement for the corrugated facility is converting the printed sheet into a box. The digital printer is just that, a printer.”

    Customization and personalization

    Although, “Digital has its own ‘specialization’… it is offset by the variability and versatility digital allows,” says Aliprando.  With digital, versioning is simple to execute – brands can customize graphics for multiple adaptations of the same package based on the audience, season, geography, event, market or any other segmentation criteria. The full range of CMYK colors are readily accessible for quick changes. Variable data – personalization with customer names, product expiration dates or any varying data used to personalize packages – is a snap to produce on a digital press.

    Things to Consider

    The Rise of Digital is a hot topic in the industry, and like many others, you may be hesitant to incorporate digital printing in your pressroom. Aliprando advises to “stay hesitant and get knowledgeable.  Take the time to increase your understanding and knowledge of the complete digital process.  You need to be comfortable about the technology and, once comfortable, decide if it fits into your current market or a new market you may want to pursue.” Aliprando adds, 

    “Ask yourself if your current manufacturing operation – order receipt to shipping – can accommodate digital. Digital is not for the faint of heart.”

    By adding digital printing capability to the corrugated pressroom, printers can optimize efficiency and profitability by using the “right man for the job” every time.  And that is just the tip of the iceberg – Digital press manufacturers are continually improving the digital print process with new technologies.

    In October 2018, Sun Automation will introduce the new CorrStream®, which will have a new Aqueous ink set, capable of printing on standard white top sheets and clay coat for more “pop” to the printing. The new system allows 600dpi printing without any pre or post coating of the sheets and boasts a modular design, equipped to accommodate future system upgrades. “Obsolescence is not in our design”, comments Aliprando.

    All in all, Digital Printing gives Corrugated Converters a cost-effective way to meet the market’s demands for flexibility and responsiveness. At the same time, the flexo presses are freed up to do what they do best – crank out large volumes of standardized products at fast speeds and low cost.

    To sum up our Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads blog series, the logic is simple: what the consumers want, the manufacturers have to produce, and what the manufacturers want, the suppliers have to provide. The corrugated converting industry has responded to this market evolution with advancements in ink delivery, equipment, substrates, and digital processes to name a few. By adopting these market innovations, converters can embrace the market evolution as a great opportunity for not only survival, but future growth and prosperity.

    For more information on Sun Automation and the new Corrstream Digital Printer, contact Paul Aliprando at [email protected].

    We hope you enjoyed our Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads blog series. Click on the links below to view previous posts in the series:

    Part 1: “The Consumer Is King” – Read about the forces behind the corrugated package printing renaissance

    Part 2: “Necessity Is the Mother of Ink Delivery Innovation” – Read about ink delivery system innovations

    Part 3: “This Is Not Your Father’s Pressroom” – Read about innovations in equipment and substrates

  • Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads Blog Series Part 3 “This Is Not Your Father’s Pressroom”

    Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads Blog Series Part 3 “This Is Not Your Father’s Pressroom”

    blankThe third post in our Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads blog series will look at how some pressroom equipment and substrates have evolved to help printers keep up with the times.

    Antiquated Equipment

    Many of the corrugated post print presses running today were installed as long as a half century ago. How can box makers, running this equipment, possibly keep up with the graphics quality and turnaround times expected these days?

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    The answer is, they can’t. At least not without incorporating the latest machine technology in their pressroom. Advancements in the powertrain, sheet transfer systems, substrates, coating chemistries and drying methods have made a huge impact on the speed and efficiency of the printing process and the quality of the output.

    Direct Drive Servo Motors

    Conventional presses use mechanical gear systems to drive the anilox roll and plate cylinder in the ink delivery process. But as press speeds and the demand for higher quality print grows, these systems can’t hold sufficient registration and adjust for in-run variation. Wearing of the mechanical gears produce backlash in the system and cause deviations in the print registration. For this reason, corrugated OEMs have followed the lead of other flexo press manufacturers by substituting direct drive servo motors for gearing systems. These new direct drive configurations synchronize the transfer rolls with a much higher level of precision, removing the variability in the process, allowing for more repeatable registration and better control over in-run adjustments.

    Vacuum Transfer

    Similarly, new vacuum transfer technology removes the registration variation from the sheet transfer process. The original systems use a knurled pull roll to grip and pull blankthe sheet through the print area of the press and, over time, create the same registration challenges. As the substrate’s abrasiveness wears the knurling on the roll, the sheet slips and the printed image becomes blurred and fuzzy. New vacuum transfer technology eliminates the mechanical pull rolls, instead using suction to smoothly move the substrate through the press. The system holds the sheet firmly in place and allows for a consistent and superior level of print registration accuracy, even at high speeds. (The elimination of these wear parts also makes set-up times faster, prevents jams and takes up much less space in the machine to make room for IR dryers which we will get to later!)

    Coated Substrates

    But the advancements in ink delivery and sheet control are meaningless if the substrate can’t sustain the improved graphics and high press speeds. Printing on corrugated board is challenging. Its absorption and surface tension qualities affect print density, drying, trapping and dot gain. Today’s brand owners are demanding not only eye-catching, differentiated products, but also precise graphical representation of their brands and messaging. So, the market has introduced semi-coated and fully-coated papers on finer fluted board that can support these requirements.

    IR Dryers

    Along with the market’s introduction of new substrates comes the challenge of drying. blank The new coated papers are difficult to dry at high speed, so dryers must be added to optimize press output. IR dryers heat the ink using infrared energy to accelerate evaporation of the liquid bases, leaving only the pigmented ink solids on the substrate. The technology significantly reduces drying time and allows for drying at full speed with coated papers and high-quality inks. As we mentioned earlier, the adoption of vacuum sheet transfer systems has freed up space in the press to install IR dryers between stations. The overall improvement in color brilliance, gloss levels and processing speeds more than justify the investment in this technology.

    UV Curing

    The final step is to protect the high-quality graphics on a semi- or fully-coated sheet with UV curing capability. When a corrugated box is being used only for shipment and protection, there is little need to apply a UV coating.

    But as corrugated packaging is becoming more of a marketing tool, the coating delivers the same benefits as it does in other flexo markets – maximizing gloss, protecting the print, and improving water, scuff and rub-resistance at full speed. The same goes for UV-curable specialty coatings used to apply finishes such as soft touch, glitter and sand to create innovative, unique-looking packages.

    Like ink delivery system OEMs, corrugated equipment manufacturers and paper suppliers have responded with innovations to help converters thrive in the current market evolution. From direct drive motor systems to coated substrates, these new products help optimize pressroom efficiency and profits.

    In the next post in our Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads blog series, we will continue to look at how digital technology is expanding into the flexo pressroom and playing a key role in the converting industry. Watch for Part 4 – “The Digital Printing Revolution”

    Click on the links below to view previous posts in the series:

    Part 1: “The Consumer Is King“ – Read about the forces behind the corrugated package printing renaissance

    Part 2: “Necessity Is the Mother of Ink Delivery Innovation“ – Read about ink delivery system innovations

  • Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads Blog Series Part 2 “Necessity is the Mother of Ink Delivery Innovation”

    Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads Blog Series Part 2 “Necessity is the Mother of Ink Delivery Innovation”

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    The first blog post in our Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads series looked at how new consumer buying behaviors are changing what is expected of corrugated packaging printers. Converters are being asked to step up their game, and how they do it will define their future.

    But how can they get the most innovation bang for their buck? Ink delivery system innovations are a good place to start. Adding ease, automation and better control over the application of ink will improve press efficiency and enhance graphics quality.

    Doctor blade chamber systems

    Once made of aluminum, chambers are now constructed from strong polymer and composite materials which resist pitting and corroding and maintain their strength without warping or twisting. Newer models have simplified loading and mounting designs that allow for easier installation and consistent blade contact angles with minimal pressure. Also, the new equipment is engineered to accommodate multiple blade thicknesses without modifications or shim stock, so printers are not limited to only the doctor blade materials that the chamber will hold.

    Doctor blade materials

    UHMW is the longstanding traditional blade material used in corrugated applications. But as the demand for higher quality graphics creeps into the market (and anilox line screens rise), the blade material can’t effectively control the volume of ink delivered to the plate. As the blade edge wears, its contact area quickly becomes too large to effectively meter the roll – ink film thickness grows, ink mileage declines and blade wear accelerates, all driving the price of the box up.

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    Some newer chamber designs can hold thinner materials, such as polyacetal, steel and TruPoint Orange® with MicroTip®, without a shim or modification. But many of the early chambers were designed to hold only a specific UHMW blade thickness such as .060” (1.6mm) or .080” (2mm). In these cases, a next-generation polymer blade, TruPoint Green®, is a good solution. It can be made in .060” and .080” thicknesses, has 3 times better spring memory than UHMW and is about 20% stiffer – all while having an equal or longer blade life.

    Anilox rolls

    Until recently, about 85% of corrugated anilox engravings have been under 300 lpi (120 L/cm) and 60° angle. Like other flexo printers have done, corrugated printers are beginning to take advantage of complex anilox surface configurations, cell shapes and higher line screens. New technologies such as elongated cells, tri-helical cells and wave style engravings give printers more control over their ink delivery, so they can create eye-catching POP displays and other attractive packaging.

    Plate materials and plate carriers

    New performance-grade cushion mounting material is made from higher durometer foam that resists compression set and reduces plate make-ready time. Superior impact and deflection during the print run allows for stable print reproduction and a reduction in fluting or “washboard” phenomenon. Great advancements are being made with patterned photopolymer plates (often referred to as “plate on a plate” technology) to help the printer manage ink delivery volume and distribution from the plate.

    Ink temperature control systems

    Water-based inks run best between 66°-74° F. This is typically well-below the ambient temperature of the plant, so ink will often go to press above its optimal temperature. There is more energy (and heat) added to the ink as it is pumped through the hoses and chambers and transported by the anilox roll.

    blankAs ink temperature rises, pH levels drop and viscosity increases – impacting ink tack levels and flow characteristics – and affects print quality and making for tricky anilox and plate clean-up.

    By installing an ink temperature control system, printers can maintain steady command over all the ink properties without using additives. They also enjoy better imaging, easier wash-ups and quicker job changes.

    There is no question that basic market pressures are challenging today’s corrugated printers. But industry suppliers have responded with skill in refining their technology to help their customers meet these demands. As an integral part of the printing process – from blades, to chambers, to anilox rolls, to plate, to cushion, to temperature, to viscosity, to pH – the ink delivery system is a good place to start.

    In the next post in our Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads blog series, we will continue to look at how the industry is responding to these big changes and evolving with new technology. Watch for Part 3 – ” This Is Not Your Father’s Pressroom“

    Click on the link below to view the first post in the series:

    Part 1:  “The Consumer Is King” – Read about the forces behind the corrugated package printing renaissance

  • Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads Blog Series Part 1 “The Consumer is King”

    Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads Blog Series Part 1 “The Consumer is King”

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    Corrugated package printing is evolving. Lead times are shortening, order sizes are decreasing and pressure to reduce turnaround times is growing. At the same time, brand owners and big-box retailers are demanding high quality graphics, customization and flexibility – all with an eye toward sustainability and, of course, keeping costs down.

    The savviest corrugated converters will use the tools at their disposal to meet these changes head-on. Our 4-post blog series, Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads, will not only examine the forces behind this evolution but also describe some of the “tools” that can help corrugated converters acclimate to these market changes.

    Who is today’s consumer?

    Demographics and lifestyles are changing – the population is aging, household sizes are decreasing and fewer families are eating together at the dinner table. Consumers are busy, finicky and impatient – they want convenience, quick satisfaction and competitive prices – and want to purchase in ways that fit into their fast-paced schedules.

    People access information at their fingertips (or palms) so products are researched, reviewed, recommended, rebuked and requisitioned – all outside the scope (and power) of the brand owner. Manufacturers must make their products stand out on-line and on retail shelves to catch the consumer’s eye and “win” sales.

    Let’s explore how these changes are affecting the job of corrugated converters.

    High quality graphics

    blankFor years, corrugated converters were asked only to produce durable containers and packages with few embellishments and uninspired graphics. Now, in addition to protecting the products, secondary packaging is being used as a strategic marketing tool. Products must stand out from the pack and “speak” to the customer, and the way they are “dressed” is paramount. Box makers are expected to create enticing shelf-ready packaging and shipping containers that double-down as POP displays. The package design plays the important role of effectively and consistently conveying the manufacturer’s messages, differentiating the products from those of competitors and enticing the shopper to buy. The use of expanded gamut, finer plate screens, half-tones and higher anilox line counts is creeping into the corrugated pressroom, and predictable ink density and color control are essential for brand image and consistency.

    Short Runs

    As retail strategies take direct aim at the individual consumer, what used to be large jobs are being broken into smaller lots based on each “version” of the product. Globalization of brands requires that product packages be produced in multiple languages and “localized.” Variable data, where companies add a unique image or message to each package, has been found to improve the effectiveness of marketing and allows individual product skus to be “tracked and traced” through the supply chain. Customization and personalization are effective marketing tools that, by their nature, dictate shorter runs.

    Faster Turnarounds

    Everything in the marketplace is speeding up –today’s consumers are bombarded with messages, their attention spans are short, they get bored easily and they want products ASAP. Brand owners have to keep packaging fresh, interesting and relevant. They want to optimize their time-to-market and be able to test prototypes and make updates as fast as possible. The corrugated converter’s agility is key to his survival.

    E-Commerce

    Today’s consumers want to shop online from the comfort of their couch, desk, coffee shop (you name it!) in addition to conventional retail outlets. And shoppers expect not only convenient ordering but also quick and low-cost deliveries. Shipping boxes must still protect the contents but do so in the most efficient and economical way. People are also demanding environmental responsibility and “green” packaging from manufacturers and retailers which brings us to…

    Sustainability

    Even though corrugated waste is considered the most-recycled packaging material on the planet, eco-conscious consumers are demanding more from their manufacturers and retailers. The industry is undergoing pressure to not only reduce paper weights and streamline product packaging but also revamp its energy and water conservation programs and optimize logistics and transportation to reduce its carbon footprint.

    There is no question that new consumer on-the-go lifestyles and buying practices are fueling the changes taking place in today’s corrugated package printing industry. To market to these “new” buyers, brand manufacturers and big-box stores need their suppliers to deliver high quality graphics, customization and fast response times in packaging that can serve on-line as well as brick-and-mortar demand in sustainable ways. That is a tall order.

    In the next few posts in our Corrugated Converters at the Crossroads blog series, we will look at how the industry is responding to these market changes with new technologies. Watch for Part 2 – “Necessity is the Mother of Ink Delivery Innovation.”