Océ LabelStream 4000 Brings Canon's Packaging Vision to Life

Having identified packaging as an opportune growth area, Canon debuted its new Océ LabelStream 4000 series inkjet label press at an event held on June 5 at the Canon Customer Experience Center in Poing, Germany.

The Océ LabelStream is the first commercially released product of Canon’s strategic vision into packaging. The launch is based on high-performance technology and high user expectations. Loaded with technology and flexibility, the LabelStream will eventually work its way down to more entry-level models.

LabelStream Background

Océ has been very open about its belief in self-developed and partner-developed products in order to meet time to market requirements. The web transport is made by Edale, and the inkjet writing system is integrated by FFEI, a British inkjet integrator. The workflow is compatible to industry-standards like Esko, OneVision and others. One reason for the partnerships is to offer greater flexibility in configurations than Océ could deliver on its own. The LabelStream is available in either 330mm (13˝) or 410mm (16˝) width, and can print at speeds of 48 meters/min. in high-quality mode or 68 meters/min. in production mode. White inks can be printed at 48 meters/min. with 67% opacity, or at 80% opacity.

It is available with an unwinder, web cleaner, visual inspection system, rewinder, and a range of in-line finishing options including diecutting, slitting, and embellishment (foiling, varnish, etc.) options. All of these options are controlled from a single controller/point of operation. Since nearly every system is expected to be custom, pricing will vary from €650,000 to €1.5M. There will be running cost options that will include or exclude printheads, as well as various ink pricing business models.

With higher than average throughput capability, the LabelStream’s hardware acquisition cost can be amortized over more volume, lowering the TCO compared to standalone inkjet systems. This throughput extends not just to the print run speeds, but also the highly opaque single-pass white inks and in-line finishing. While no details on running costs are available, Océ expects it will be 30% or more below toner label printing systems.

Because it is based on inkjet technology, Canon expects it to have less service downtime than toner printers. Canon has hired several label experts in Europe to help LabelStream customers fill the inkjet press with volume. IT Strategies believes it is likely that their success in helping customers fill the LabelStream will be highly contingent upon region and individual. As a hybrid inkjet press, the LabelStream features a broad range of in-line finishing options, furthering productivity. And as a significant competitive differentiator, Canon claims the LabelStream has unparalleled white opaque inks.

Solving the White Ink Challenge

Unlike other inkjet printing applications, label applications pose a particular challenge for digital printing technology as high-value, digitally printed labels are often printed on clear film. In order for the colors to be non-transparent, white ink is required as a base layer. White ink is among the most challenging of all colors to print. There are three challenges with inkjet printing white ink: density, dispersion, and reliability.

Three breakthroughs solved this problem. One was an advance in dispersion fluid technology. Chemically, the titanium dioxide is kept in even suspension, preventing the heavy metal from concentrating (like fresh orange juice pulp) at the bottom of the ink container. A second breakthrough is recirculating ink printheads, first introduced by Xaar in 2007 and followed by other printhead manufacturers. The third breakthrough is what sets the LabelStream apart: large white droplet size. The LabelStream uses Xaar 2001+ GS6U printheads (four printheads per color for the 13˝ version, and five per color for the 16˝ wide version) for CYMK inks, printing droplets up to four grey levels ranging between six to 18 picoliters.

For the white ink, the LabelStream uses the Xaar 2001+ GS12 printheads, printing up to 36 picoliter droplets. This is the secret behind the strong density of the white inks. The big drops enable a thicker layer of ink to be put down, creating what some might call an arctic white hue at productivity levels not seen before since the printheads have twice the number of nozzles of the prior generations of re-circulating printheads. The white ink droplet size of the LabelStream press is four to eight times larger than competitive label inkjet printing systems on the market, resulting in highly opaque white colors on clear film. While awaiting final test results, it is expected that the LabelStream’s white inks will rival flexo white inks, the standard that most inkjet printer vendors aim for but have yet to achieve until now.

The Bottom Line

Canon is moving fast. It knows it has a lot to learn about label printing applications; it is counting on its partners and new hires with deep backgrounds in the label printing industry to help accelerate its learning curve into the label printing market. It is also depending on its deep inkjet resources and international infrastructure to support its future label printing customers.

Despite all these resources, it has to be noted that Canon doesn’t have a presence among label converters today. It will have to convince converters to invest in its product offering on the basis of Canon’s scale, inkjet experience, worldwide service organization and vast financial resources compared to traditional label printing equipment manufacturers.

With Canon’s Production Printing Products stable growing, now is the time for Canon to invest in new areas of business development. Label printing is the first of these new investments. The LabelStream will be available end of 2018 in Europe.