A powerful digitally driven solution, the new press meets the needs of the most demanding buyers of labels and packaging print by combining HP’s advanced digital colour printing technology with streamlined workflow and finishing options from the world’s leading manufacturers.
The successor to the popular ws4000, the ws4050 delivers full-colour short to medium run print capability and allows converters to capture high-value label, shrink sleeve, and flexible packaging jobs.
Designed for maximum productivity in an industrial environment, the ws4050 delivers increased cost-efficiency and simplifies ease-of-use. Additionally, the ws4050 features an expanded media capacity from as low as 12 micron to 350 micron that allows packaging printers and converters to harness the full potential of digital technology for their customers.
“HP’s end-to-end solutions for labels, shrink sleeves and flexible packaging, based on our new HP Indigo press ws4050, offered visitors to Emballage a chance to see cost-effective, versatile and reliable digital technology in action”, says HP marketing manager EMEA, Digital Printing Systems, Eric Bredin. “These solutions provide the ideal platform for us to demonstrate how HP and its partners enable its customers to grow their revenues and profits through a wide portfolio of leading digital solutions”.
Complete solutions in action
Flexible packaging and shrink sleeves
The HP Indigo press ws4050 ran live throughout the exhibition printing shrink sleeve and flexible packaging products that were converted into finished products by HP Partners. Fully compatible end-to-end digital workflow options from HP Partners Esko-Graphics and Artwork Systems were also demonstrated. These systems, when used inline with the HP Indigo press ws4050 enabled converting and finishing processes to be performed on a single integrated line. Slitting and varnishing operations were carried out with equipment from AB Graphics International. HP Partners GKS and DCM also had equipment on the stand for converting flexible packaging and shrink sleeves respectively. Shrink sleeve application was carried out by PDC on its stand, adjacent to the HP stand. HP Partner ATT demonstrated special security features for shrink sleeve packaging.
HP offers a major improvement to its customers in the label and packaging market by offering a direct link from HP Indigo presses to the digital workflows from Esko-Graphics and Artwork Systems. This is the result of a joint project to create value by combining the prepress process with the press environment. The RIP of the workflow outputs a file in JLT (the HP native print format) that is ready to go on the press loader of the HP Indigo press ws4050 or HP Indigo press ws2000. The result of this cooperation was demonstrated live at the HP stand.
Long-time HP customer, Digital Packaging, showcased a personalised shrink sleeve on a Champagne bottle on the HP stand. Digital Packaging, which specialises in flexible packaging prototyping and packaging for trial marketing, also offered practical advice to customers interested in this market.
POP, box and cartons
An HP Indigo press s2000 for carton and specialty printing applications was also in action on the stand. HP’s customer, Easibind International, demonstrated POP and carton applications for the HP Indigo press s2000 while finishing was performed using a digital die-cutting system from HP Partner, i-Cut. Easibind has developed a specialty in digital printing on polypropylene as well as on conventional substrates.
The HP Indigo press ws4050 gives label converters and packaging printers the ability to digitally print on a wider than ever range of substrate types and sizes, including conductive, shrink-sleeve films of the thinnest materials. Other value-added advantages include a new ink-set for finer imaging, a reinsertion capability that enables duplex imaging for two-sided prime labels, and essential GMP and FDA-compliant validation pack for pharmaceutical labels.
Speciality Printing Systems (SPS) also had a presence on the HP Emballage stand. SPS licenses HP’s world-leading HP thermal inkjet technology to OEMs for cheaper, cleaner, and easy-to-use industrial printing solutions in such diverse applications as mail addressing, mail postage, package coding, point of sale, tag and label, and ID/CD/DVD printing. SPS works alongside OEM partners to provide low-cost, reliable, industrial printing solutions using eye catching spot colour inks for personalisation, UV/IR inks for security printing, and rich black inks for text, barcodes, marking, and coding.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter
