Kodak launches Creative Freedom

Designed for brands and designers, as well as for printers and converters that use Kodak’s continuous inkjet technology. Kodak responds to the wishes of the packaging industry with the new PROSPER Plus data printing solutions.

Kodak has announced the launch of the new KODAK PROSPER Plus data printing solutions for the packaging industry. Among these solutions are four new inkjet printing components, as well as inks and coatings suitable for food packaging in paperboard, food wrappers, paper cups and plates and ream wrappers. The new PROSPER Plus models will expand the printers’ possibilities with continuous inkjet as an additional capacity of the KODAK PROSPER 6000S single-sided printing system and the UTECO SAPPHIRE EVO solution (flexible substrates) for coil feeding.

The PROSPER Plus data printing solution is the newest of KODAK Stream inkjet technology components, developed from the KODAK PROSPER S Series data printing systems and designed for packaging and product decoration applications. These four hardware products will cover 2 narrow formats and 2 wide format models that will print at maximum speeds of up to 260 or 600 mpm. The narrow format design is a simple injection module of 105 mm that is perfect for printing data such as bar codes, QR codes, information for promotional contests or small format designs, either in one color or in four colors. The wide format design consists of 210 mm double crimped products, ideal for corrugated board, cartonboard and label applications that require full-page printing or dynamic compositions. These components can be assembled online in offset, flexography or gravure printing machines, both from Uteco and other manufacturers, as well as in finishing lines -for example, folding machines / gluers- to enjoy all the flexibility when incorporating Digital printing in all kinds of existing printing operations. The PROSPER Plus models present new printing modes with smaller droplet sizes and higher resolutions that accelerate drying and increase quality.

Kodak’s water-based inks are easy to use and hold American and European food safety certifications, direct skin contact and catering products. Demonstrated at the beginning of the 2016 drupa alongside our expanded range of inks, the Kodak digital varnish for packaging applications offers a unique combination of brightness improvement and improved durability in cartonboards and related applications. This water-based, odorless digital varnish is formulated to meet the requirements of indirect contact with food and does not contain Volatile Organic Compounds, mineral oils or components for UV drying.

The Creative Freedom campaign has been designed with an educational character and to promote the use of digital printing in packaging applications. Printers and converters need flexibility and efficient production to be able to offer short runs through the implementation of online or offline technologies. Brands and creative agencies need green products, creative flexibility and the ability to quickly fill their ideas to the market with total freedom in designs. The Kodak range offers a combination of solid economy and design flexibility in the widest variety of substrates without compromising creativity.

On the other hand, Kodak has been working closely with industry leaders, including Michelman (www.michelman.com), to assess the compatibility of Kodak inks and technologies with different substrates, such as PET, nylon and polypropylene. The company has worked to prequalify existing flexible packaging solutions with leading suppliers to ensure compatibility with commercially available products, such as adhesives, substrates, primers, Kodak inkjet fluids, as well as coating varnishes and coatings products. overprint of flexography. The combination of all these technologies will be available with the Uteco Sapphire EVO printing system through Kodak Stream inkjet technology, which will offer solutions for both surface printing and reverse laminating. With the Sapphire EVO, brands and converters can produce flexible digital packaging of short, medium or long run.

Aldo Peretti, general director of the Uteco Group, confirmed the continued success of the SAPPHIRE EVO printing system with the first unit sold to Nuo.

As an extension of the Kodak brand solutions for the packaging world, Uteco and Kodak continue to create hybrid digital solutions with water-based ecological inks on flexible substrates without compromising on productivity and economy. After the excellent reception given by customers and the sector in general to the SAPPHIRE EVO unit, the Uteco Group has decided to intensify the development work together with Kodak and is the first company that integrates KODAK ULTRASTREAM inkjet technology to promote new future solutions.

Randy Vandagriff, President of Kodak’s Inkjet Business Systems Division, says: “The packaging market demands innovative, sustainable and productive solutions. Kodak water-based inks provide the lowest cost, the highest versatility and the greenest option for production inkjet printing. Brands and creative agencies can now turn printed packaging into a point of physical contact to digitally connect with their customers and unleash all kinds of creative possibilities with color palettes and substrates, combined with operational efficiencies that accelerate market access”.

The new PROSPER Plus components will be available in early April 2019.

SOURCE: infopack.es