In the years since the last Drupa, demand for increasingly diverse finishing work has gone hand-in-hand with the trend toward mostly small run sizes. Along with this, trends toward greater use of color and a general demand for higher quality products have gained momentum.
Novel finishing solutions introduced back in 2004 have since become integral elements in the printing process. Techniques such as coatings, gold and silver inks, diecutting, embossing and foil application are now routinely used to add value to high-quality print materials. Machine and material manufacturers at Drupa 2008 will be introducing products and services in line with this market trend.
Both printing press manufacturers and companies marketing postpress equipment will be offering extensive finishing solutions with in-line technologies given priority. Shorter makeready times in all machine classes will attract a great deal of attention because run lengths will continue to shorten, while demand for color and finishing techniques will continue to rise.
The combination of offset preprints with gravure, screen or flexo printing is a finishing option that is not yet being used to the maximum. Combination finishing techniques covering the entire spectrum can be supplemented with hot or cold foil stamping, holograms or diecuts to add value to the finishing process. Large-format offset presses will play a key role in the finishing sector in the future.
For many exhibitors, competence in finishing will not just be a slogan at Drupa 2008, but an accurate description of the machine technology and materials on display. The following is a sampling of what visitors can look forward to seeing in key segments:
POINT OF SALE—By using the latest production techniques, greater value can be attained for high-end print point-of-purchase and advertising displays, without incurring prohibitive production costs. Because advertising of this kind has an increasingly short life cycle, manufacturers at Drupa 2008 will be presenting high-tech electronic systems that support the rapid production of advertising and display materials. In this context, digital printing with flatbed processes will be integrated more tightly into the process.
COATING—Coating manufacturers are currently developing a single solution for both matte and gloss effects using just one water-based dispersion coating system. The result is very good registration between matte and gloss areas. This technology is expected to be unveiled in time for Drupa 2008, with production trials already underway.
HYBRID FINISHING—One future alternative finishing technique is the hybrid method. It is safe to assume that solutions compatible with both expensive UV inks and standard inks will become available in the near future. Because of the need to take into account the rapid hardening of hybrid inks and UV coatings, hybrid technology is set to expand the options for using in-line diecutting. All machine manufacturers in the segment are expected to market solutions based on this combination technology, and ink manufacturers will also be presenting their new products.
UV PRINTING—Printing press manufacturers selling machines designed for UV printing use special dryer configurations such as IR and UV drying systems, and cold-air units. These mean that sheets do not come off the press as hot as they did in the past, and can now be processed immediately. Because machines of this kind are equipped with two coating circuits, the complex process of changing coatings can be eliminated. Another selling point is the ability of these machines to expand the range of coating material options to include metallic effects and even plastics.
COLD FOIL FINISHING—Coating, film lamination, embossing, metallic effects and cold foil transfer applications can give advertising products, calendars and packaging materials a special touch. Users are often unaware of a key advantage of cold foil transfer over off-line hot foil stamping—after transfer, the foil lies flat on the substrate and can be printed over immediately.
IN-LINE PROCESSES—When it comes to in-line processes, such as perforation, cutting, creasing, scoring and diecutting, printing presses in general are capable of offering economical solutions. Prerequisites today include magnetic blankets with the related tools or cutting dies in the form of plates, which can be used in a printing unit after ink application or, for a more elegant solution, in a coating unit. Standalone diecutting solutions are in demand for both short and long production runs. PI
About the Author
Dr. Horst-Dieter Branser is a trained letterpress, offset and gravure printer.
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Drupa 2008 will be held in Düsseldorf, Germany, from May 29 to June 11, 2008. For more information, call Messe Düsseldorf North America at (312) 781-5180 or visit www.mdna.com.
