Xeikon’s strategic move with the PX3000 UV inkjet press, based on the Panther UV inkjet technology, will join the Xeikon 3000 series and Xeikon CX3 pressed based on the dry toner technology, for a market, which Jeroen Van Bauwel, Xeikon’s director product management said, has come at a right time. “We think it’s the right technology for a market that is looking to accelerate growth and produce labels in a more efficient way.”

Address a group of 60 journalists from 29 countries, Bauwel added, “Both the Xeikon PX3000 and the Panther UV inkjet technology operating the PantherCure UV ink, are engineered with the requirement of the label market and its end-users in mind.”

The new press features a web width of 330 mm (13in), and a maximum speed of 50 m/min (164 ft/min). Colour configuration is CMYK plus white, with a print quality of 600x600 dpi. Substrates can range from self-adhesive media with face stocks including paper, PVC, PP, PET and PE.

The drop on demand mercury cured PantherCure inkjet technology features the Kyocera 600dpi printheads, 4 grey levels with automated head cleaning and maintenance and the dedicated UV inks will not require any intermediate pinning.

The new PX3000 press will be driven by Xeikon’s X-800 digital front-end, which Bauwel said, will be key to the UV inkjet kit’s success. “The X-800 accepts various file formats and tackles demanding variable-data print jobs at rated engine speeds. Intuitive and based on open standards, it enables the implementation of flexible and fully automated workflows in any production environment.”

Bauwel added, “From day one, we have been developing our own workflow technology dedicated to digital printing that allows customers to gain maximum value out of Xeikon’s dry toner, and now UV inkjet, presses. Our customers frequently tell us that by using the X-800 features, such as job optimiser and many others, they can set themselves apart from their competition.”

The new Xeikon customers will be able to use the X-800 workflow designed for a label production environment with its intuitive GUI, efficiency in handling a multitude of short-run label designs and jobs, and ease of operation, claimed Bauwel.

The new Panther technology and the PX3000 press will be shown live at the Labelexpo Europe 2017, and will be commercially available from October 2017.