Labelexpo Asia: A-Z technology preview

Asia-Pacific’s biggest show dedicated to labels and flexible package converting returns to Shanghai on Dec 5-8

Labelexpo Asia: A-Z technology preview

Labelexpo Asia: A-Z technology preview

Labelexpo Asia 2023, the region’s largest label and package printing technology event, will celebrate its 20th anniversary when the show opens at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) on Dec 5-8.

Visitors to Labelexpo Asia can expect to see the integration of labels and flexible packaging, labels and folding cartons, the latest technological achievements in RFID, material innovations, and cutting-edge technologies and products related to intelligent manufacturing.

Labelexpo Asia 2023 will also provide a platform for shared learning throughout the label and packaging industry by jointly hosting the International Label Printing Summit with the China Packaging Federation.

The show will have a strong focus on RFID through the Smart Label Trail, giving converters insight into the RFID technology trends and practical applications and how they can set up their own RFID converting operation. China is the main producer of ultra-high frequency RFID labels, with production accounting for approximately 80 percent percent of the global market share. In 2021, the production of ultra-high frequency labels in China reached 16.8 billion pieces.

Another key show feature focuses on short-run flexible packaging.

The trend towards short-run flexible packaging has brought new opportunities for label converters to expand into this new business area. This is the reason for bringing the new Digital Pouch Factory zone to Labelexpo Asia 2023.

The Digital Pouch Factory is centered on an HP Indigo 25K mid-web digital press along with a Zhoutai AMD350LMSC solventless lamination machine, and AMD350LMSC bag-making machine with workflow software provided by Hybrid Software.

The Digital Pouch Factory demonstrates the complete process of prepress workflow, printing, lamination, and manufacturing of the final flexible packaging product, including pillow-type packaging and standup pouches.

Below is an A-Z preview of the technology that will appear on the Labelexpo Asia show floor.

AKO| Arojet | Avery Dennison | Baoding Special Light Source | Brotech | BST | Caisheng | CoolUV Technology | Dangs | Dongguan Sening | Evonik | Fedrigoni | Flora | General Inkjet Printing | GMG | Gold FAI Machiner | Guangzhou Nickel | Haotian | Heshuofeng | Hebei Wanjie | Hongsheng Machinery | Inkstar | Jiangsu Shuangxin | King Label | KingT | HanGlobal | Hontec | HP | Kesheng | Konica Minolta | Kurz | Labelmaster Machinery | Label Source | Lecco | Meech | Nanjing Jiaxu | Omet (Suzhou) | Piaozhihua | Precision Machinery | Pulisi | Re | Rhyguan | Reborn | Rheintacho Messtechnik | Rocky Adhesives | Ruian Lianhua | SEI Laser | SHENZHEN MINRU | Shuanglin | Siliconature | Soontomax | Spande | Super Color | Suzhou Mingyi | Symbio | Taiyo Kikai | Todaytec | Troika Systems | Tuxian Software | United Imatek | Vorey | Wacker | Weigang | Wuxi Linqi | Xianmen Delish | Xianmen Otto | Youhua New Material | Yutian | Zheijang Jingle Blue Printing Machinery Company | Zhongheng Yongchuang | Zonten

AKO shows its Alpha 540 Plus, a fully automated one-pass label converting system including printing, die cutting and turret rewinding.

The Alpha 540 runs at up to 150m/min and can be worked by a single operator. It is configured with a butt splicer for non-stop unwinding, a servo-driven printing station, horizontal heavy-duty die-cutting station and a non-stop turret rewinder. It includes a patented crush knife waste matrix removal system with waste taken automatically to a compactor. At the end of the line is an automatic roll-closing system with an integrated labeler.

Arojet demonstrates a range of digital inkjet printing, decorating and converting systems. The GT-3 is a digital spot varnishing and bronzing machine using UV inkjet technology. It is capable of printing tactile variable data including high-build Braille, along with digital bronzing and other high-value-added special effects. The GT-3 can be supplied in a variety of print widths including A3 and B2 formats. It is equipped with a CCD visual positioning system allowing high-precision overprinting of pre-printed webs. The GT-3 can handle a wide variety of substrates including labels, paper, card, plastics, offset prints and films, including coated or laminated prints.

The Arojet ES-6700 is designed for personalized printing at speeds up to 50m/min. It can print variable information using Chinese and English, numbers, one- and two-dimensional barcodes, quantum cloud codes, variable pictures and anti-counterfeiting codes. The ES-6700 uses MEMS imaging technology and can be used offline or inline with gravure or flexo presses. The equipment is used across the food, medical, wine, metal, building materials, pipes and related industries.

Avery Dennison demonstrates its latest sustainable products, including labeling materials with a lower carbon footprint, and products that enable packaging recycling or reuse. There will be live demonstrations of the company’s Cloud-based digital supply chain solutions and how intelligent labels enable consumer interaction and end-to-end transparency.

Avery Dennison will be unveiling its new range of VI and decorative linerless labels. These solutions eliminate the need for a liner, thereby reducing material use and waste.

In addition, Avery Dennison will showcase a variety of adhesive technologies to solve current labeling challenges such as removability in recycling systems.

Baoding Special Light Source will show its energy-curing equipment for offset, flexography, screen printing, metal nameplates and coating lines and more.

Brotech launches its iDM 330 Digital Embellishment System is a multifunctional machine that supports digital white, digital metalization and high-build digital varnish including braille capability.

The Brotech SDF Plus employs a modular platform-based design and can be switched to run from left to right or right to left.

The SDF Plus can be flexibly configured with multiple flexo printing units and die-cutting units on the same platform, while a rail mounting system can accommodate units such as the cold foil, turn bar and waste removal.

BST will demonstrate its range of inspection and web guiding equipment. The Tubescan 100 percent inspection system is capable of operating on reflective surfaces, embossed structures, security features, clear-on-clear, barcodes and variable print data.

BST ProView is a modular video web monitoring system for both narrow and wide web applications. The BST CompactGuide web guiding system is designed for narrow web machines.

Caisheng will launch its latest CS-JQ350G-6C letterpress machine. The 6-color, 350mm-wide press width, has two working modes, intermittent and full rotary mode, which can be quickly changed at the press of a button. The press prints at 60m/min in intermittent mode and 160m/min in full rotary mode.

CoolUV Technology will show its latest UV-LED and radiation curing technology.

The SuperCure series is specially developed for labels and narrow web products where the irradiation distance is usually less than 10mm. It is suitable for various printing technologies such as flexo, offset, relief, screen and inkjet.

The UltraCure series is developed for sheetfed and coating applications, which has an output in the range of 10-120nm.

Cron will exhibit the HDI-400 platemaking system specially designed for high-quality narrow web and label printing. The Cron HDI Flexo 600 is a compact flexo plate imager designed for small format and narrow web applications such as labels, stickers and tags, handling a minimum plate size of 100 x 100 mm. The system includes semi-automatic plate loading and a head and tail clamp, making it possible to image on a wide range of plate materials including thermal film, digital polyester-backed flexo and letterpress plates, thermal offset plates and dry offset metal-back plates. This design eliminates the need for operators to secure the plates with tape.

Cron HDI-2000 series is designed for high-volume flexo trade shops and corrugated converters. The Cron HDI-2000 is compatible with all 50x80cm size flexo plates.

Dangs will show its Dawnsens synthetic paper material made of high-density polyethylene. The unique material combines the advantages of paper, fabric and film. It is lightweight but strong, with a unique tactile feel. The material is fully recyclable and can be printed with all narrow web print technologies.

Dongguan Sening will show new tamper-evident packaging and printing materials. Its products include special self-adhesive tamper-evident adhesive materials, anti-counterfeiting tape, security seals and special composite materials. Once torn, the materials leave words such as VOID, or a company logo, small squares, and other hidden information

Evonik will launch in the Chinese market the first product from its next-generation Tego RC products, Tego RC 2000 LCF. Manufactured from recycled silicone feedstocks, the new single-component, ready-to-use release coating can be cured with UV LED or traditional UV arc lamps. It delivers easy-to-control release performance, good curing, anchorage properties, and excellent aging stability.

Fedrigoni will launch the Polytex range of garment labels products tailored to a wide range of textile applications including linen, canvas to silk and satin.

The company also shows metalized labels in 60g and 70g weights with a variety of adhesive options. Metalized papers typically have a weight of 80g. Fedrigoni’s AP999 adhesive meets the requirements for labeling narrow necked bottles. The label series has high opacity and is resistant to moisture and ice bucket applications.

Re-Play is a new range of self-adhesive materials manufactured using upcycled siliconized liner waste. The first of these products are four white papers with 10 percent glassine content, available in natural, embossed, pearl and neck label versions. All papers carry a certificate specifying their composition and their value as a recycled and sustainable product.

Re-Play's final carbon footprint is claimed half that of a virgin paper-based product with the same performance features. This is a genuine revolution, a tangible example of upcycling, where the final material has a higher value than the original material.

Flora launches its J-350 Pro digital label press at Labelexpo Asia 2023.

The Flora J-350 Pro prints in CMYK, which covers around 85 percent of the Pantone color gamut. The six-channel configuration includes dual white channels, supporting both pre and post-white for printing on transparent materials. A digital varnish is also available.

Compared to the previous generation, the J-330S, the new J-350 Pro supports the addition of flexo units for applications including coating, varnishing and laminating. The press also features modules for registration control, corona treatment, web cleaning and anti-static, all of which significantly enhance print quality.

In terms of software, the Flora J-350 Pro includes a new interface with Industry 4.0 capabilities allowing for real-time analysis of the number of completed orders, printed area and ink consumption. This will allow converters to optimize production and reduce waste while meeting the demands of customers for flexible small-batch production.

General Inkjet Printing will show its Label Smart 216s digital press designed for small-format digital printing and personalized full-color inkjet coding. The Label Smart 216S features an integrated Agfa Apogee prepress workflow system and is suitable for a variety of materials including film, label stock, tube laminates and papers. Maximum print width is 216mm.

GMG will show its color management technology.

Gold FAI Machiner will show its GF-4021 3C flexo press, GF-4000SF flexo press and GF-2068BG automatic label cutting machine at the show.

Guangzhou Nickel will unveil its FS350/520 and FDH300/350 presses.

The servo-driven FS350/520 intermittent offset press is built with19 inking rollers (including four form rollers) and four alcohol damping rollers. Each printing unit includes auto register adjustment in lateral and machine directions.

The servo-driven FDH300/350 intermittent letterpress includes web guiding, pre-register system and automated inking system along with auto-register.

Haotian will show its latest HTS series digital press using Kyocera printheads capable of resolutions up to 600 x 2400dpi printing at 50m/min on materials from 0.01-0.8mm.

This new machine uses the company’s independently developed RIP system. The press can be configured with four to nine colors.

Heshuofeng will show its PWAR  top-coated Ultra White BOPP Film with 30 percent PCR content.

This material has thickness of 58, 60, 65µm, using a base film with 30 percent PCR resin, claimed to demonstrate excellent gloss and whiteness, high yield, good stiffness, good die cutting and high-speed automatic label dispensing. Applications will include beauty and healthcare, food and beverage industries.

The PCR base film can be matched with a range of face materials and adhesives, including PCR matte synthetic paper and PCR direct thermal PP.

Hebei Wanjie launches its WJPS-450 shaftless offset intermittent/full rotary label press, which allows intermittent and full rotary modes to be combined in the same machine.

Each printing unit consists of 11 servo motors, which makes ink delivery and materials handling smoother and more accurate compared to shaft-driven technology. Each printing unit has a chill drum which allows a wide range of film and heat-sensitive materials to be run.

The press can run in both intermittent and full rotary mode. If the machine runs in full rotary mode, speeds can reach up to 200m/min, making it easy to handle long-run jobs. If the machine runs in intermittent mode, one set of print cylinders is sufficient to run any job format. This method is the best choice for small and medium-sized orders.

The press machine can also be configured with flexo, screen printing, gravure, hot stamping, cold stamping and variable information modules.

Hongsheng Machinery shows the HSR-340, the company’s first inline flexo press, available in widths from 340mm to 650mm with a maximum speed of up to 200m/min. A wide range of materials including 12-micron Pet, PVC, BOPP, aluminum, paper and paperboard material can be handled.

Inkstar will show its full range of TT ribbons.

Jiangsu Shuangxin will show its 40-50micron PVC and PETG shrink flim, and the 45 micron TC base film for TTR along with 12-micron PET for printing and lamination.

King Label will show its products for textile labeling applications made from waste yarn and reprocessed polyester bottle waste. The labels have received OEKO-TEX standard 100 certification and are suitable for a variety of printing methods, such as thermal transfer printing, flexo, inkjet and screen printing. These labels are widely used in clothing, collar labels, tags and home textiles.

KingT launches its new generation industrial-grade digital label press, the L-Press 330s. The KingT label press 330s is a single pass digital inkjet printer using Samba printheads, available in 330 mm print width with a native resolution of 1200x1200 dpi, 2pl minimum ink drop and reaching speeds of 80 m/min. It can print 95 percent of the Pantone color range.

L-Press 330s can cover a wide range of label and flexible packaging applications, including coated and uncoated paper, white and transparent film, PET/PVC/PP/PE/BOPP film and aluminum foil.

The press includes a constant temperature control system, corona treatment, RIP, automatic nozzle compensation function and full-color variable data printing capability as standard.

HanGlobal demonstrates its LabStar 330S hybrid UV inkjet press running at 50m/min

in 7 colors at a resolution of 600DPI. The press can be configured with flexo pre-coating, inkjet varnishing, embossing and hotfoil stamping module, cold foil, flexo varnishing and semi-rotary die-cutting. The press is run from a single HMI.

Hontec showcases its new FlexiCon 8C flexo technology, specifically designed for printing on shrink sleeves as well as standard label materials.

The machine is fully servo-driven and CE certified and has additional options including cold-foil, hot-stamping, re-lam/de-lam and turn bars.

Additionally, Hontec will present a live demo of the MPX350 in-line finishing platform, configured with hot foiling and embossing, screen printing and flexo varnishing, making it particularly suitable for wine labels. The line can include semi-rotary and flatbed die cutting.

HP will showcase two digital presses, the HP Indigo 6K and 25K, at booth O47 and on the Digital Pouch Factory on booth P39. HP will also hold a new product launch event for the Indigo 200K medium format digital press, marking the first showing of this press since Labelexpo Europe 2023.

Kesheng will exhibit its slitting machine range.

Konica Minolta launches in the China market its AccurioLabel 400 new generation full color digital label press, now with additional white station (CMYK+W). The machine prints at up to 39.9 m/min with a print resolution of 3,600 x 2,400dpi. It is fitted with automated color management and the IQ-520 automatic intelligent quality monitoring system.

Also on display is the established AccurioLabel 230 4-color digital label press, launched by Konica Minolta in 2019. The press prints at 23.4 m/min at 3,600x1,200dpi resolution.

Kurz demonstrates its digital transfer metalization systems. The company supplies complete packages including digital machine modules, transfer coatings, customized inks and efficiency-boosting software.

Labelmaster Machinery launches the LM350 intermittent offset press configured with an unwind module with integrated tension control and web guiding and offset print units with UV curing followed by rewinding. The machine can optionally be configured with flexo varnish station, inspection, cold foiling, rotary die-cutting, waste rewinding and slitting.

Label Source will demonstrate its fully servo-driven Inline flexo press with

automatic pre-registration and running register control. The press includes inline non-stop unwinding and rewinding to save waste and improve productivity.

Lecco will show its Suncrown self-adhesive materials at this show.

Lecco offers over 1000 types of self-developed self-adhesive label materials, including basic paper, basic films and specialty labels.

Suncrown ultra transparent lamination film series have solvent-base and water-base, suitable for various printing needs.

Operating from its Maxcess (Zhuhai) APAC HQ, Maxcess Group brands, RotoMetrics, Fife and Tidland, will be launching new products at Labelexpo Asia 2023, including RotoMetrics’s new flexible die portfolio and modular adjustable anvil systems, Tidland’s RD AutoScore scoring system, Fife’s Fife-500Maz guiding system and Maxcess Vision Systems for tag & label application.

The RotoMetrics RotoAdjust die station automation system includes job storage and recall and advanced IOT software that monitors die station performance and alerts operators for critical maintenance. RD AutoScore offers automatic and repeatable positioning and cut-depth tuning of score blades, eliminating blade damage during setup. The Fife-500 Max web guiding system improves performance through added networking and communication, responding to web movement even at high line speeds. Maxcess Vision Systems for Tag and Label applications utilizes cutting-edge technology to detect defects like color variations, misprints and plate issues, while enhancing overall product quality and reducing waste.

Meech will show its static control and web cleaning systems, including ionizing bars, blowers, guns and nozzles, as well as ionizing air curtains and measuring equipment.

Nanjing Jiaxu will exhibit its XS-HDFQ-1300-1700C5-6 high-speed slitting machine, available in 1300-1700mm widths and operating at 400mm/min with 1200mm unwind diameter and 600mm rewind diameter. Applications include slitting of films and aluminum rolls.

Omet (Suzhou) will show a KFlex flexo press at the show. The modular KFlex incorporates the Switch module exchange system which allows the press to be rapidly reconfigured for different production tasks.

The press features an independent servo drive of impression roll and plate cylinder. The press can be used for double pass overprinting and reverse printing without requiring a web turn bar, effectively avoiding damage to the material.

The KFlex inherits the on-the-fly instant pre-register system from the Omet X6, with photocell reading of the master marks, and servo-driven plate cylinder alignment in real-time without operator intervention.

The press can be equipped with an extended hot air drying unit for water-based White, primer or other large areas of print coverage, running speeds up to 120m/min.

Piaozhihua will show its self-adhesive paper and film labels and release papers and films.

Precision Machinery will show its DMS digital decoration machine at Labelexpo Asia. DMS has two product lines for sheets and rolls covering labels, flexible packaging, pouches and folding paper boxes. DMS equipment can apply Spot UV, 3D embossing, cast cure, hologram, braille and other features without requiring a plate.

Pulisi shows its DPIM-330F digital press, available in widths of 220mm-520mm. The press can be configured with a flexographic printing module before the digital print engine, along with cold foil, post-digital flexo unit, lamination, die cutting and waste stripping and web inspection with defect detection.

Re will show its web viewing, web guiding and tension control systems.

The web viewing system features 16x lossless zoom HD sensor, field of view up to 130×110mm, and can operate at web speeds of 1200m/min with image capture up to 4 fps.

Rhyguan shows the Plus-330 machine designed to finish digitally-printed labels with high-quality embellishments.

The finishing machine incorporates a digitally-controlled flatbed Screen unit, with servo-driven web tension, step-and-repeat and movement axes making the results repeatable and stable. The modular Plus-330 can be combined with Rhyguan’s silkscreen rotary foiling and lamination units. The application of a thicker screen-based adhesive for the transfer of foil onto the substrate creates a 3D effect without the disadvantages of hot foil/embossing and is also suitable for some doming applications.

The machine line is also configured with digital varnish and digital cold foil applications for ultra-short run jobs and personalized labels or high-end security applications.

Rhyguan also shows its X1 roll-to-roll printing system, built around Ricoh piezoelectric UV inkjet printheads. Print resolution is adjustable from 200dpi to 1200dpi. The equipment can be customized with various add-on processing modules.

Reborn will exhibit its modular RBJ-350 multi-function die-cutting equipment including intermittent flexo printing, screen printing, hot stamping and die cutting.

Rheintacho Messtechnik will launch its RT Strobe 5000 LED (A6-5200 Stroboscope) at Labelexpo Asia.

Equipped with 120 high-performance LEDs, the RT Strobe 5000 LED delivers strong light intensity even in difficult light conditions, making the system suitable for a wide range of measurement, observation and inspection functions.

Rocky Adhesives will show special adhesives products for security labels, thermal sensitive paper labels, removable labels and tire labels.

Ruian Lianhua will show high-speed automatic slitting machines with applications in slitting paper rolls, self-adhesive papers, flexible packaging, plastic film, aluminum foil and composite materials.

SEI Laser will introduce the latest version of its Labelmaster converting system, available in roll widths of 350mm and 600mm.

This is a fully modular system suitable for roll-to-roll and roll-to-sheet converting,  laser die-cutting and finishing. The machine has a wide range of applications including the production of self-adhesive labels and flexible packaging. QR/barcode reading systems allow instant of jobs, eliminating setup time.

This fourth-generation Labelmaster will be equipped with a KyoJet digital printer system and fur laser heads, giving a maximum speed of up to 100m/min, matching the productivity of traditional die-cutting and finishing systems.

Shenzen Minrui will launch different security face stocks at the show.

Its white security facestock prevent is widely used to secure high-end goods such as mobile phones, telephones, computer accessories and medicines. The transparent security facestock is used in the sealing of wine labels, bottled water labels and high-grade cosmetics. The laser-writable facestock is mainly used for securing high-end products.

Shuanglin will show its series of coated and non-coated fabric labels to meet a range of requirements including as flame retardant, dye-resistant, yellowing-resistant and stonewash tested.

Siliconature will exhibit its range of release films based on rPET, PET, PP and PE substrates, with a wide range of applications including self-adhesive labels, optical clear adhesives and coating layer for lithium-ion battery electrodes. A range of special coating are exhibited such as double-sided anti-static and anti-scratch.

Soontomax will introduce its hot melt adhesives formulated to meet the requirements of the logistics industry and other applications with high adhesion requirements. The company launches an anti-freeze adhesive to meet the low-temperature requirements of cold chains and a UV adhesive for special requirements such as removable, whitening resistance when in contact with moisture and stronger wear resistance. The company also shows its sustainable acrylic adhesives with FDA certification. Breakthrough improvements have also been made in top coatings, which can meet a variety of traditional and digital printing requirements.

Spande will focus on promoting its AC-series wide web flexo packaging production line at Labelexpo Asia 2023. The AC series will be displayed in hall E3 booth M6&N8.

The AC series press is based on Spande’s established S7 flexographic technology. It is available in widths of 700mm and 800mm, with a maximum printing speed of 250m/min. The press is designed to handle a wide range of packaging materials between 12-800 microns with a maximum tension of 100 kg, including shrink sleeves labels, coated paper, folding cartons and plastic boxes.

The four rolls on each AC-series printing unit are servo-driven with fully automatic pressure-setting, totaling up to nine sets of servo motors per print unit. The AC series production line can be configured for both roll-to-roll and roll-to-sheet production. It is a modular platform and interchangeable modules include gravure, offset, silk screen, hot stamping/embossing, die cutting, and a range of post-processing units.

The press can be configured with UV curing or with hot air dryers for water- and solvent-based inks. High-power hot air dryers can be shared by both flexographic and gravure printing units. The UV curing units are positioned away from the print units, avoiding temperature buildup and facilitating the use of a common UV system for flexographic, offset and screen printing.

Super Color exhibits its range of LED-UV flexographic inks and digital inkjet inks at Labelexpo Asia. The company’s range of inks includes light-resistant inks, inks for shrink sleeves, inks for self-adhesive labels, and low migration odorless inks. There is also a wide range of flexo varnishes, adhesives and primers.

The LED-UV digital inkjet inks are suitable for the nozzles of Kyocera, Ricoh, Samba, Epson, XAAR and Omega, with high ink purity, high color strength and good adhesion properties, according to the company.

Suzhou Mingyi demonstrates its range of static neutralizing equipment and static charging equipment used to achieve temporary adhesion, fixation and positioning of special materials.

Symbio will exhibit a range of UL-certified label materials. The labels demonstrate chemical resistance and high temperature resistance and include traceability elements. Key end use markets include electronics components, medical and pharmaceutical materials, automotive components, security seals and specialist adhesives for low temperature resistance.

Taiyo Kikai demonstrates its fully servo-driven STF-340/440 inline flexo press platform, equipped with chill drums to handle a wide range of materials from paper and PS labels to label film and tube composites from 20-300 microns. Printing repeat is from 5.5in to 26in. The press is equipped with rail-mounted cold stamping and laminating unit, turnbar and rotary screen unit. Optional equipment includes rotary die cut unit, sheet cut unit, back side slitting, folding unit and inkjet print module.

Todaytec will show its TDR345 and TDM202 ribbon solutions. TDR345 is a resin ribbon with high alcohol resistance and TDM202 a general wax-resin ribbon with strong scratch resistance.

Troika Systems will show its 2D and 3D scanning microscopes for the printing, embossing and coating markets, with systems including the AniCAM HD and SurfaceCAM HD 3D scanning microscopes.

Tuxian Software will show its ERP systems, which now include a mobile app to manage the entire factory, as well as integrating robotic logistics an automated warehousing. A module connects the ERP to a customer relationship management system, and an SCRM module connects with suppliers for collaborative supply chain management.

United Imatek will exhibit its waterproof inkjet printing paper

Vorey will bring its VD3350II Max intelligent digital label die-cutting machine and Colorjet H3 wide format digital press to Labelexpo Asia.

VD3350II Max is an intelligent high-speed label die cutting machine with dual stations and 12 cutting blades that achieves fast job change in 10 seconds at a cutting speed of 18m/m. The Colorjet H3 is a high-resolution wide format inkjet press printing at 10m/min.

Wacker demonstrates its Dehesive 985 CN silicone release agent developed in China, optimized for a wide range of substrates. In addition, Wacker shows its sustainable emulsion-based release products.

Weigang shows its latest flexo press, with every printing unit driven by multiple independent servo motors – there are 23 servo motors in total for an 8-color machine, which ensures accurate registration during high-speed running.

The press uses a plate sleeve system which is light, easy to handle, convenient and fast to change. This type of design improves printing quality and reduces maintenance.

Chilled anvil rolls make the press well equipped to handle film materials including PET, OPP, CPP and PP.

Weigang also launches its new digital press, which can be configured with flexo print units for pre-coating, printing solid colors and varnishing up to a full hybrid configuration including inline die cutting.

Wuxi Linqi will show a range of release liner materials, including glassine and CCK grades

Xianmen Delish will show its range of slitting machines.

Xianmen Otto will show inking parts manufactured from a special polyurethane (PU) formulation with high corrosion resistance and longevity. This material has better performance with UV detergent than conventional polyurethane materials in terms of solvent resistance.

Youhua New Material will show a range of PS label materials including 54 and 75 micron synthetic label material and 60 micron white BOPP film suitable for high-quality household chemical, personal care label and industrial label applications. In addition labels are shown with durability and moisture-proof properties targeted at the retail printing market and logistics-supply chain.

Yutian shows its HTS digital press, built using Kyocera printheads with workflow software – including VDP capability - developed by Guangzhou Yutian.

Zheijang Jingle Blue Printing Machinery Company shows its JZ-320C inline flexo press, with dual servo motors on each print station and automatic registration. The press is fitted with IR dryers for water-based inks, with UV dryers available as options.

The rubber metering roller runs at a low speed during press stop to prevent water drying out on the roller.

Zhongheng Yongchuang will launch its YC-FJ370-2Q-2J2S inspection machine designed to detect defects in paper and film-based labels between 10μm and 50μm thickness.

Zonten will exhibit three presses at Labelexpo Asia 2023.

The Smart-420/560/680 offers 4-12 colors, 410-635mm print width and up to 150m/min print speed.

The machine adopts a modular design, and each unit can be changed between offset, flexo, screen, cold foil, varnish and lamination, according to customized needs. The machine is servo-driven, equipped with an automatic registration system and pre-registration system. Substrate range is from 0.04 to 0.35mm thickness, including paper, film and metallic foil, PS labels and flexible packaging.

The ZTJ-330/520/680 is a servo-driven intermittent offset press with automatic register control in both lateral and machine directions with plate cylinder pre-positioning.

The ZTR-330/430/560/680 multi-functional flexo press uses German Rexroth servo control drives and each unit is driven by an independent servo motor. An 8-color machine has a total of 20 servo motors. The press has chilled rollers for printing film materials under UV curing. The press is equipped with corona, double-sided web cleaning and electrostatic removal system, along with a BST inspection system.

Yolanda Wang

  • China editor