FujiFilm positions Graphium as part of wider portfolio

FujiFilm also supplies digital inks for the press. The hybrid press has converting units build by Edale using Xaar inkjet heads and color management and workflow software from FFEI (formerly part of the FujiFilm company).

‘We are showing the Graphium as part of our packaging segment,’ said Brent Moncrief, VP brand management at FujiFilm in a press conference at the show. ‘It is one part of what we do across many segments including wide format, ink and colorants, color management, screen inks and coatings and digital inkjet heads. We look at the whole field of tag and label, flexible, folding carton and corrugated, as well as direct mail - which has come back with a vengeance - promotional packaging, custom publishing, and sign and display.’

Moncreif described the company’s Dimatix print head division as the ‘engine under the hood’ of many OEM print systems, along with print fluids and image optimization, ‘all put together with our integration.’

In the label market, FujiFilm supplies these ‘under the hood’ systems to Gallus Heidelberg for the company’s LabelFire press. The PrimeFire 106, co-branded with Heidelberg, was developed for the folding carton market.

FujiFilm has demonstrated inkjet technology running at up to 300m/min (900ft/min) at 1200 DPI. ‘This was one color narrow web, but it’s simple to go faster with doubled heads and stitched to go wider.’

On the pre-press side, the company was demonstrating its Flenex water-wash plates, capable of holding a 1 percent flat-top dot. A plate can be made in less than 40 minutes.

An interesting development on the inks front is the new 300 series ink, which will cure equally well under LED and UV curing systems. ‘What if the converter has multiple presses and wants to convert one at a time to LED - they can use this ink.’

FujiFilm is also demonstrating a new inert curing UV ink system for ‘food safe’ packaging applications.