Wifag introduces digital inkjet printing
International development and plant engineering company Wifag-Polytype, which came into existence in June, with the merging of Wifag and Polytype Converting, recently unveiled the pilot version of the Techma-4 printing press in Fribourg, Switzerland, recently. On this roll-to-roll system, Wifag-Polytype gave its first demonstration of digital printing with water-based ink-jet inks on plastic and aluminium foils. The technology is also suitable for printing on food packaging.
15 Jul 2014 | 3882 Views | By Rahul Kumar
The Techma-4 supplements the already extensive machinery at the technology centre in Fribourg, which industrial customers often use for testing purposes. The digital printing line can print 680 mm wide foil and paper webs at a speed of up to 100 m/min in four colours wet-on-wet. Downstream of that is a 4.5-meter hybrid drying section (infrared with changeable wave length plus hot-air drying).
The demonstration was part of an open house attended by fifty representatives from fields of newspaper printing, coating and converting. The guests were also given a demonstration of the Techma-4 as well as four-color printing on plastic cups and tubes with ink-jet systems. The latter optimally combine the expertise of Polytype AG with the technology of the Digital Competence Centre of the corporate group.
The company is also developing the “still can” production line, which produces and fills this new type of composite-foil beverage packaging that is ultra-lightweight and that cuts down on the material used. It is based on a material developed by Huhtamaki and on mechanical engineering and process technology from Polytype.