Gallus launches its digital press, DCS 340

The new digital label press, Gallus DCS 340, has been developed by Gallus as a joint project with Heidelberg, and with their technology partner for inkjet printing, Fujifilm, in an industry benchmark time of just 12 months.

As part of the technological joint venture, up to 64 Fujifilm Dimatix UV printheads have been deployed in the inkjet system, which prints using an extended gamut of seven colours (CMYK, plus orange, violet and green, among which green is under development, plus white ink) at a resolution of 1,200 dpi and speed of 50 metre per minute. The speed can be exceeded in future.

“Due to continuing growth in short-run label production and personalised, versioned labels, we are seeing investment on the market steadily shift towards printing presses that utilise digital printing. The growth potential for this printing method is considerable and we expect to see high growth rates over the next ten years,” said Stefan Heiniger, COO, Label Business, Gallus.

Heiniger said the new combine machine system makes no compromises when it comes to print and register quality, process flexibility and productivity. “It, thus, sets new standards in terms of the quality of print results, short-run efficiency and effective personalisation of labels,” he added.

Heidelberg will manufacture the inkjet units of the new press at its facility in Wiesloch-Walldorf, Germany, while the flexo and converting units will be produced at the Gallus plant in St Gallen, Switzerland.

According to Gerold Linzbach, CEO, Heidelberg, digital printing is modern, sexy and futuristic technology and the company has stepped in to it. “Now, Heidelberg and Gallus has been married, so the new development is natural. Today, less than twelve months after we started our collaboration with Fujifilm, we can stand alongside Gallus and unveil the first print-ready system. The present scenario of business is towards the partnership and we have best partner for digital, Fujifilm,” he said.

More for printers

Since three major players – Gallus, Heidelberg, Fujifilm – are involved in the production of the DCS series, expectations among printers is sky-high. Printers are ready embrace technological development. However, when it comes to digital printing presses, they are also wary about the issues concerning click share. Printers present at the unveiling ceremony shared the same concerns, but they did not need to worry, as the new machine will not have click share. “Our machine will not be installed on click charge basis, but it will on ink consumption,” said Jason R Oliver, senior vice president, digital print, Heidelberg.

The new press is equipped with inline corona treatment, web cleaning station, flexo units along with seven colour plus white UV inkjet printing unit and rotary die-cutting and converting. The seven-colour plus white inkjet digital print unit was shown printing high quality labels at 1200 dpi per colour at 50 metres a minute.

According to Gallus sources, the press manufacturing company markets the machine and concept with a four-point agenda. These include inline digital flexibility with one of the best converting systems, unbeaten system reliability and productivity from prepress to press, superior print quality and production too and the most important for label printers is lowest cost per label.

Heiniger, said, “We always listen to our customers and for DCS series we will do the same. It may be that you will see further developments on customers’ demand and suggestions.”

The press is targeted at short-to-medium run lengths above 500m of substrate. It is driven by a new version of Heidelberg's Prinect workflow system. The newly launched UV inkjet can print on variety of substrates. The estimated price of the press is 1.5 to 1.6 million euros.

Gallus is expecting more than 700 label printers from each and every corner of the globe to attend the event. The company will give live demonstration of the machine Gallus DCS 340 during Label Expo Europe at Brussels 2015 from 29 September to 2 October.

In 2013, Gallus India had installed 12 presses in India (plus two, which went to Nairobi), taking the India tally to more than 80 presses by now.