Gallus presents digital coating at Labelexpo

This innovation is a joint development by three Swiss companies – Steinemann Technology and Gallus, both from St Gallen, and Schmid Rhyner from Adliswil. Using inkjet technology, this newly created Digital Embellishment Unit (DEU) is able to carry out in-line coating digitally and apply matt, gloss and tactile spot coating effects to the substrate web in various thicknesses.

Three three Swiss companies have come together to extend the dmax technology developed by Steinemann to narrow web label and packaging printing. This embellishment unit is integrated in line with the modular principle of combination printing and is fitted into the Gallus Labelfire digital press system after the 8-color UV inkjet unit in the same way as an additional printing unit. This system is thus an additional in-line application, increasing the flexibility of the Gallus Labelfire.

This Digital Embellishment Unit can produce gloss and matt spot coatings and tactile relief effects in a single pass, all using atmospheric UV inkjet coatings. It supports coating volumes up to 100 gsm with a resolution of 600 x 600 DPI (native/physical).

Steinemann contributed the basic technology for the Digital Embellishment Unit, based on its proven dmax technology. Schmid Rhyner, having several patents in the field of digital coating using inkjet, developed the UV inkjet effect varnish, matching to the dmax technology. Together with Steinemann, this technology was brought to market maturity. Gallus contributed the ‘translation’ of customer requirements in label printing, the combination printing know-how and the integration for Gallus presses. The DEU will initially be available for the Gallus Labelfire, Gallus ECS 340 and Gallus Labelmaster machine platforms.

When using this DEU, customers are said to benefit from shorter set-up times and minimized cleaning when compared with conventional systems. Thanks to the digital technology, there are no additional costs for tools or for tool production and management. As various matt, gloss and tactile effects can be applied in a single pass, this unit replaces up to three conventional printing stations, thus tripling the benefits, says the company. The resulting shortened web path also leads to further cuts in waste.