Konica Minolta adds hybrid power to AccurioLabel presses

This technology, first unveiled as an overprinting unit at Labelexpo Europe last year, has been developed for label converters who are looking for a complete hybrid technology to complement digital printing systems and advance their production capabilities.

Developed with Konica Minolta’s manufacturing partner in Europe, Danish company Grafisk Maskinfabrik, the flexo printing unit can be retrofitted to the Konica Minolta original AccurioLabel 190 or AccurioLabel 230 toner label presses.

It uses standard flexo inks and in combination with an overprint sensor kit, it provides perfectly registered in-line overprinting of white or any other color, which will open doors to a wider range of print applications such as printing on clear substrates.

The flexo printing unit comprises an unwinder, web guide, a complete flexo printing station, UV curing system, an output NIP and a touch control panel.

All AccurioLabel presses will also benefit from AccurioPro Label Impose software providing optimized media usage, avoiding potential waste of label substrates and enabling operators to handle many prepress tasks from one central control station.

‘The label printing market is considered as one of the main market segments that will grow in the future. And this year alone, almost half of the narrow web label installations will be digital,’ said Edoardo Cotichini, team manager of industrial printing for Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe.

‘The introduction of our optional flexo printing unit is a new way of looking at hybrid technology. It’s been driven by market demands and we are looking forward to further growing our market share in labels, a market we only entered five years ago, but have now sold over 500 label machines. Working closely with our customers in a partnership approach, we will also help them to rethink what’s possible. The march of digital production is unstoppable,’ concluded Cotichini.