Cover story
The answer may be in the cloud Not too late to embrace packaging
The answer to tailored systems may be cloud-based applications
that provide an ecosystem with which to expand process capabil-
ities, automation, and customers. It’s not a surprise to see these
cloud-based production management systems gain traction in
the market. There is usually no up-front capital or hardware
maintenance expense, although some of the offerings do have
a one-time setup fee. Some systems are licensed as if they were
onsite and have a pay-as-you-go model. In the absence of a
single all-encompassing solution that can automate all the dispar-
ate equipment and processes in a printing operation, users find
individual best-of-breed feature-and-function components. Then,
based on business and customer requirements, they determine
the best way to bridge those pieces into a complete, flexible
solution. There is still room for commercial printers to jump into packaging,
but it’s what I call lite packaging. Not just simply in terms of literal
weight, but in terms of applications. For example, it’s going to
be difficult to commercial printers to jump into corrugated, or
applications with a high level of technical and production require-
ments, but there are many opportunities in servicing the local
and regional markets with label and folding carton where you
operate in the familiar CMYK environment. With the proliferation
of many new small businesses, local artisans and small-scale
manufacturing, the opportunity for work up to 24 pt. is growing.
If you don’t have the necessary finishing equipment, outsource
to local suppliers. A printer I know does a healthy business
producing boxes for a local candle manufacturer.
Packaging
Kevin Karstedt
President, Karstedt Partners
Inkjet developments
Marco Boer
Vice President, IT Strategies
it-strategies.com
karstedt.com
Single-pass is the future
Make more out of what you have
Find a way to make your processes more efficient. Automate
you workflows from order entry and prepress, reducing touch
points, and curbing errors. Many printers who have adopted
digital packaging systems have already had to do this, as have
label printers who went digital. Those who haven’t leapt into
digital, or may be waiting for the next generation of equipment
from Landa or Heidelberg, should take the time now to soup up
their operation so they can be ready.
Digital fatigue
The next generation of packaging-printing technology, which
promises more robustness, high production, and more productiv-
ity, is still two years away. In the meantime, be aware of what we
call digital fatigue and a tendency to disengage from learning
opportunities while waiting for the next generation of technology
to hit. Keep your ear to the ground and prepare for the new
equipment by investing in automation so that you’re ready to go
when the time comes.
Also keep an eye on digital finishing. While these technologies
are having some impact, they are not yet huge. They are at what
would call the intriguing stage, but they are not yet compelling.
These technologies are new, niche, and no one is really sure
how to use it them to their maximum capability or even effect-
ively. Right now they are largely in the hands of early adopters,
but as the technology progresses and 40 inch options are intro-
duced, we will enter the compelling stage when you will have
to pay close attention and be prepared to jump in.
@graphicarts
Ten years ago single-pass inkjet technology arrived in the form
of continuous feed production printers, which used fixed arrays
of print heads with thousands of nozzles to print on the web of
paper moving underneath the heads. Since then, more than 1.25
trillion single-pass inkjet pages have been printed worldwide.
That same single-pass inkjet technology is now starting to be
deployed more broadly, including CAD applications, corrugated
printing, point-of-purchase poster printing, textile printing, and
even 3D printing. The benefit of single-pass inkjet is productivity
and, by implication, cost reductions through both lower hardware
amortization cost, and lower ink cost generated from higher-
volume economies of scale.
For 2018, look for even greater productivity systems as faster-
firing inkjet print heads get incorporated into single-pass
printers. Faster productivity is not contingent only on being
able to fire more ink droplets, but also on being able to dry
or cure the ink at those higher speeds. Expect to see continu-
ing innovation in pre-coating technologies, ink additives, and
drying technologies to enable this faster productivity. The
important innovations may not be as flashy as “shiny new
hardware”, but they are critical to the success of inkjet technol-
ogy as a tool for printers.
Innovation from early adopters
The real innovation for 2018, however, will come from those
that deploy single-pass inkjet technology. The users are the
ones who are expanding the range of products that can be
GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE | February 2018 | 17