July 2005 Issue
A Choice to Make
A converter needs to be armed with the right information to be able to make an educated decision when it comes to metallized papers and films. CONVERTERS HAVE AS tough a job choosing the right product as consumers do in a crowded supermarket. Converters have to go in, no-holds-barred, armed with all the information they can possibly find. With checkbooks in hand, and information abounding, printers can make the best possible choice for both themselves and their customers. packagePRINTING has gathered information from some of the top metallized paper and metallized film suppliers to compare and contrast the two substrates to help converters make
An Insurance Policy to Proper Printing
Much research and development has gone into the design of modern doctor blades and systems, and knowing what is needed is the most important factor in choosing the correct blade. AUTOMATION. SIMPLICITY. PARTNERSHIP. These three elements are important to the converter involved in any aspect of the printing process, and doctor blades are no exception. "Fundamentally, the job of the printing doctor blade has not changed over the years. A doctor blade must remove excess ink from the ink transfer process without causing other problems," said Paul Sharkey, president, FLXON Inc. "What has changed is that more and more printers realize the doctor blade
Automation On the Road to Seamless
Automation in prepress can significantly improve time to market through workflow process integration. THE AIM OF workflow automation is to be able to respond to customer requirements quickly. This is accomplished by minimizing or eliminating, as completely as possible, the manual steps that can lead to the costly waste of time, materials, and labor. While developments in workflow automation for packaging tend to mimic those in the commercial printing world, software and equipment vendors continue to develop and refine a variety of integrated tools designed to accommodate the special needs of packaging operations. According to Jan De Roeck, marketing director for packaging
Combining Capabilities
With recent investments in new press and prepress equipment, Macaran Printed Products is enhancing its mission to provide the best value to its customers. SOME OF THE most demanding markets to serve in the realm of package printing include health and beauty (HBA), food and beverage, and pharmaceutical. These markets are highly dynamic and competitive, and demand the utmost in quality and service. These just happen to be three of the key markets served by Macaran Printed Products, a flexo label printer and a division of W.N. Van Alstine & Sons, Inc. Macaran provides high-quality, combination-printed labels on pressure-sensitive films and papers
Sense and Sensibility
A growing number of inventive smart packaging and printing materials is helping brand owners reach out to consumers' five senses and lifestyles. FOOD PACKAGING HAS to do more than attract the eyes of shoppers nowadays. It has to relay information that will appeal to consumers with different lifestyles and diets, as well as provide an experience that enhances the overall perception of the product's quality. Brand owners have forced packaging and printing materials manufacturers to find new ways to do this in recent years. Health-conscious consumers have driven food makers to replace traditional packaging with breathable films and aseptic materials in order to eliminate
Something Special
Conductive inks are aiding the advancement of smart label converting. CONDUCTIVE INKS ARE hitting the radio frequency identification (RFID) marketplace and everyone from printers to chip manufacturers are taking notice. They have to. Conductive inks offer many benefits, but first and foremost is cost. A finished RFID tag still costs upwards of $0.30, which—when millions upon millions are needed to meet the demands of large retailers—is a lofty price for consumer product companies to pay. Much of the cost is due to the silicon microchip, as well as the conversion/assembly process. Traditional copper antennas make up one of the relatively expensive parts at $0.3
