Gravure Printing Meets the Challenge of Short Live (I)

Nowadays, whether it is for holding seminars, exhibitions or trade fairs, the hottest topic is about major breakthroughs in flexographic printing technology, but few people have heard people talk about the development of gravure printing to meet market demand. For example, people have been saying that computer-to-plate (CTP) technology is a revolutionary progress recently, but people have overlooked the fact that gravure cylinders with electronic engraving have been used in gravure printing for many years, but Did not produce such a big shock. In fact, in recent years, the gravure printing industry has faced many challenges, and the creativity of gravure printing and gravure printing machine manufacturers has also undergone a series of severe tests. In recent years, as people’s awareness of environmental protection has increased, people have begun to adopt various countermeasures and methods to protect the environment in which human beings rely on. Computer-to-plate (CTP) technology came into being in such an era. Some printers have begun to use a single solvent ink in order to make the solvent easier to recycle. Others use water-based inks as much as possible when printing paper and cardboard. With fewer and fewer prints, the profit of gravure printing is getting lower and lower, and the fierce competition from flexographic printing (sometimes including offset printing) has brought great pressure on gravure printing. The threat of digital printing, all these external factors have forced the gravure printing companies to take active action and take the initiative to keep their own market position. In addition, gravure printing must also face the challenges of global trade integration, multinational food groups continue to increase, but at the same time continue to expand and expand, reduce the intermediate links, enhance their own strength, and gradually monopolize the market. On the other hand, in terms of packaging and printing, multinational corporations actively seize strategic markets, open up new frontiers, and win more new customers, so that they can be invincible in the fierce market competition. Without saying this, this situation has forced the gravure printing industry to wake up from its slumber and re-exhibit its own advantages, while also constantly introducing and adopting new technologies. Schiavi SpA is a manufacturer of gravure printing presses and flexographic printing presses. The company leverages its longstanding expertise and expertise in the market and its customers as well as Bobst SA (Bobst SA, Inc. specializes in registering and quality The control system, and it has done quite well in this area) cooperated and developed effective solutions. Let's introduce the latest research results: 1. Improve the electronic equipment and apply it to the press operation and real-time production quality control system. The use of fiber optic networks to connect electronic drive devices; the use of advanced tension control system, more suitable for printing thin materials, at the same time, for internal consumption and the use of new materials, but also in accordance with the provisions of strict control and management; press operation and The control is more convenient and the safe production speed of the machine can reach 600 meters/minute. In addition, the fault monitoring system can provide an alarm when a fault occurs to prevent the production of waste products and play a very good preventive role. 2. The printing process develops in the direction of in-line operation. The performance of the intaglio printing press has been improved, and it has been developed in the direction of in-line multi-functionality. Processes such as compounding, PVdC coating, cold sealing and glossing can be completed in one operation. Although similar processes can be performed on a flexographic printing press, they are prone to failure during production. 3, to the direction of pollution-free, environmentally friendly. In recent years, due to the increasingly prominent environmental issues, the inks used in gravure printing machines are also developing toward water-based inks. For example, Schiavi cooperated with Japan's Toyo Corporation, a large-scale flexible packaging ink manufacturer, to research and design a new type of gravure printing press. At present, there is already a nine-color machine of this type that has been put into use in Japan. This is mainly in line with the Japanese government's new plan to limit CO2 emissions. 4, equipment prices are getting lower and lower. The stereotyped design of the machine and the standardization of the components have resulted in a much lower investment cost for the standard configuration of the machine and the delivery time has been greatly reduced. In this way, on the basis of the same price, the gravure printing plant can obtain higher quality prints than the flexographic printing. In the past, people generally believed that the investment of gravure printing machines was relatively high. With the promotion and application of new machines, some prejudices about gravure printing will be changed and eliminated to some extent. The focus of Schiavi's research has been focused on the following two issues: How to reduce consumption more effectively. How to make gravure printing more suitable for the needs of the short live market. The above two issues are also the focus of widespread concern in the industry. If these two basic issues can be effectively resolved, the necessary amount of profits will be guaranteed and the company's competitive strength will be preserved.