A range of new features including over white and sync-to-mark will be demonstrated on a fully featured ‘hybrid’ Graphium configuration demonstrating its industry-leading versatility for packaging, labelling and specialty print applications

 FFEI Ltd, the global developer of award-winning digital imaging solutions, today announces significant new enhancements to their hybrid digital UV inkjet press, Graphium, that will be demonstrated at Label Expo Americas 2014 on FUJIFILM stand, 5621.

At Label Expo, with its partner Fujifilm, FFEI will demonstrate Graphium’s new over white capability, which is set to further extend the different applications a digital UV inkjet press can be used for. Adding an over white print capability not only increases the overall flexibility of what can be produced but also dramatically increases the potential opacity when used with the Graphium under white.  This new, unique capability provides converters with a host of additional ways to enhance the overall look and feel of their labels.

Andy Cook, FFEI’s Managing Director commented, “Graphium already boasts a high opacity, high adhesion under white, which is critical when looking to achieve a number of design finishes and boost colour vibrancy.”  Cook continued “Having the ability to print a second high opacity white as a final digital colour has several benefits for a variety of applications; from decals to window stickers.

The use of over white can also significantly enhance text. For example when a coloured background with white knockout text is required it often suffers a lack of clarity. In these cases small text in an opaque white may be overprinted or a combination of a knockout with overprinted white used to clean-up and provide clarity. Additionally over white provides enhanced definition and clarity and brings the highest levels of flatness in pure white areas of a label. This is achieved by printing a second white as a mask of the visual effect of the under white.

“Graphium was designed to handle a range of label projects regardless of complexity or application and produce labels that are fit-for-purpose in a number of different environments.  Now supporting under and over white, along with six flexo stations, Graphium offers unique “concept to finished product” capabilities – converters are able to integrate optional flexo and finishing stations inline, not just for conversion in a single pass, but also to maximise their reach into new market sectors”.

In addition to the over white, FFEI are announcing a number of additional enhancements including the capability to now support substrates of 40-600um allowing the thinnest liners to heavy duty vinyl to be used. Furthermore to ensure clients’ quality expectations can be easily defined and their colour requirements met regardless of when the job is reprinted, Graphium is capable of printing to an ISO 12647-2:2204 standard.

A number of these new features can be seen as part of the Graphium configuration that will be demonstrated for the first time at Label Expo.  The complete system will include pre and post digital flexo stations, a cold foiling station and die cutter.  Printers will be able to see, first hand, how Graphium can convert complex jobs, which are not economically viable with standalone conventional or inkjet presses and appreciate the wide variety of label applications that can be converted on a hybrid digital press.

A new concept for changing markets

Building on FFEI’s longstanding expertise in digital inkjet technologies, Printers and converters are able to benefit from high-quality, vibrant printing, with excellent adhesion, light fastness and durability.

“Graphium can include everything a standard press can, it is completely modular with die-cutting, sheeting, slitting, cold foil, laminating and UV or Aqueous Flexo units. This ensures converters can, not only produce labels in the leanest possible way, but also that they can handle many more varieties of label applications on a digital press,” concludes Cook.