The American narrow web flexo manufacturer Mark Andy showed off two new hybrid label presses at last month’s Label Expo show and introduced a new support service.
This includes the Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200, which the company claims to be the fastest digital label press with the ability to produce up to 146 meter per minute at 1200 dpi. This is a variation on the existing HD series press, which MarkAndy announced back in March 2018. As such, it’s a hybrid press with an inkjet print unit plus flexo units for additional colors, effects and converting options.
That original press ran at 73 mpm at 1200 dpi so how did Mark Andy double the speed? As everybody interested in inkjet knows, there’s usually a choice between high speed and high resolution. The new version is using the same type and number of printheads as the older version. In this case, Mark Andy is using Ricoh Gen5 printheads, which deliver a native resolution of 600 dpi. However, these are greyscale heads and so Mark Andy is claiming an apparent resolution of 1200 dpi, which gives more flexibility in running at higher speeds.
Now, when we talk about 1200 dpi image quality, native resolution is clearly going to be a little sharper than apparent resolution. The extent that this matters will depend on the application. In reality, 600 dpi is perfectly adequate for many label applications so an apparent 1200 dpi will be even more so. Ian Pollock, European sales director for Mark Andy, says that the quality stands up against other 1200 dpi presses and that no one has complained about it.
And there’s a commercial argument since faster speed is always going to be useful as it means more productivity, which translates into more profit. This is particularly important with a hybrid press, since the flexo units represent a large part of the cost, but those flexo units are then limited, typically to half their rated speed, by the digital unit.
For this new press, the additional speed is largely made possible through better data handling. Pollock explained, “About 18 months ago we changed from air cooled heads and electronic boards to water-cooled. On longer runs the boards would heat up so this change added more stability to the platform. It also allows us to handle more data at speed.”
The other change is a new Digital Front End, called ProWorx, which is based on Global Graphics’ SmartDFE. For now this is only available with the new HD HS 1200, because it’s needed to get the data to the heads fast enough to support the faster speed. Mark Andy is also offering an optional 12-month subscription to the Packz PDF editor from Hybrid Software, providing users with advanced tools for managing complex label and packaging designs.
Pollock points out that, as with the existing HD press, the new model also has a double row of printheads for each color, saying, “This allows us to compensate if there’s a nozzle out as the one behind it can fire twice.” This is matched with an AVT inspection system that also includes nozzle correction.
As with the existing HD press, the HD 1200 can be set up with up to eight colors, including white. Pollock says that in practice very few customers use green but that roughly 60 percent of customers take orange and green. He says that the higher speed of the new model leads to a roughly three percent trade off in terms of color gamut, “Which in the grand scheme of things is not a huge trade-off.”
The new HD HS 1200 is available in two sizes, at 13-inches and 17-inches. The 13-inch, or 330–mm, version has a web width of 336 and print width of 31–mm. The larger 430–mm model has a 438–mm web width with a print width of 426–mm. This should both be available in the first quarter of 2025. However, anyone who has installed the existing HD model in the last 18 months, with the new water-cooling system, should also be able to upgrade their system to the same spec.
Duane Pekar, CEO of Mark Andy, commented, “The market is asking for greater digital press speeds and efficiencies. We listened, and we delivered. The HighSpeed 1200 is not just two times faster, it does so without compromising quality and capability. Available in hybrid or roll-to-roll formats, the new opportunities this technological advancement creates for converters are substantial. Our customers’ growth is our growth, and we’re looking forward to showing the market this new digital technology at Labelexpo.”
The second press, the DSiQ-730, is a hybrid produced in collaboration with Domino. Mark Andy has sold a hybrid press that matches Domino’s N610i digital press with its own flexo units for several years now, and this will continue. The new model uses Domino’s N730 digital label press. The principal difference is that Domino replaced 600 dpi Kyocera printheads with new 1200 dpi Brother heads.
Pekar added, “Hybrid printing is transforming the industry, and the efficiencies of single-pass technology are precisely what our customers are looking for. Our partnership with Domino exemplifies our commitment to providing innovative hybrid printing solutions that meet the needs of our customers.”
Mark Andy also showed off the DSiQ-R module, which I’ve previously covered as a prototype at the last Label Expo Europe. Essentially this is a Domino print unit that can be retrofitted to conventional equipment.
Pekar also acknowledged that customers were concerned that the rapid pace of development of digital technology would lead to faster obsolescence of their machines. To that end he committed to design all future digital platforms with reverse compatibility in mind – so a press installed today will be capable of being upgraded in the future as technology and market demand changes. However, it is worth noting that when vendors talk about upgrading machines they often mean replacing them, which involves higher cost and affects other areas such as tooling and additional modules.
Consequently, Pekar also announced the launch of the first-ever Mark Andy Finance program. For now this is only available in the US but Pollock says that the company is looking at expanding this to the rest of the world in the new year.
To complement all of this, Mark Andy has also established a new customer support system called MA360. This covers software, tools, process optimization, machine monitoring, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness improvement. The program also offers advanced training, costing and waste reduction strategies, and sales and marketing support. The company has also relaunched the MarkAndy University to help with customer training needs. Pekar noted, “MA 360 Support is not just about technical assistance; it’s also about helping customers navigate the adoption of digital and hybrid press technology.”
In the meantime, you can find further details from markandy.com.
This article was first published in the Print and Manufacturing Journal on 14 October 2024. Reprinted by permission.
