K 2019, the world's leading trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, closed its doors after eight highly frequented days in Düsseldorf on 16 October 2019. 3,333 exhibitors impressively demonstrated that plastic is still an innovative, indispensable and forward-looking material. Above all, the 225,000 visitors showed great interest in recycling systems, renewable raw materials and resource-saving processes. K 2019 thus sent a clear signal in favour of the responsible use of plastics.
Windmoeller & Hölscher, a specialist in the fields of extrusion, printing and processing machines in the flexible packaging market, presented new developments in three areas at K 2019: Efficient production, sustainable packaging and Packaging 4.0.
Live: Print demonstrations of the Novoflex II
While highly automated job changes on their new blown film extrusion line could be seen live at the K-Show, interested customers were also invited to Print demonstrations with the recently introduced Novoflex II flexographic printing press at the new technical centre in Lengerich. The Novoflex II is W&H's promise of maximum productivity through high performance and fast job changes. With a speed of up to 800 m/min, the Novoflex II belongs to the high-performance segment.
„With the new Novoflex II printing unit, our customers achieve the highest quality printing results at very high speeds, even with critical, e.g. vibration-stimulating print motifs. Of course, the flexographic printing plates must be Exceptional colour transfer properties to keep pace with the outstanding Novoflex II machine concept.“
Hermann Veismann, General Manager Business Unit Printing and Finishing at W&H
„We started with a joint project team consisting of Flint Group Flexographic and Xeikon Prepress and were really able to take the print quality of digital flexo plates to a new level. Our system solution of ThermoFlexX imagers with the ground-breaking Woodpecker Nano surface screening technology in combination with the nyloflex® NEF plates and UV LED exposure met W&H's expectations and contributed significantly to the overwhelming success of the print demonstrations“ adds Dr Uwe Stebani, General Manager Xeikon Prepress.
Friedrich von Rechteren, Global Commercial Vice President of Flint Group Flexographic, added: „We are delighted that W&H has confirmed our quality objective of delivering world-class print results on a modern high-speed flexo press. Our new solvent plate processing flexo press will enable our customers to achieve a new level of quality in flexible packaging produced with an open plate processing system.“
The nyloflex® NEF printing plate is a hard plate for flexible packaging and labels. It was specially developed for the production of Flat Top Dots and the Reproduction of surface grids developed. The combination of UV LEDs and UV tubes makes it possible to specifically define the flank angle of the relief elements.
Woodpecker Nano software allows the output of surface microstructures at imager level, avoiding costly RIP options. Woodpecker Nano surface screens are perfectly symmetrical and the finest available for LAM's digital flexo plates.
W&H used the NOVOFLEX II flexo press with a speed of 600 m/min to demonstrate the efficient production of a food-style print design „Tortillas“ with a unique print quality, high productivity and thus lower printing costs.F
Source: Flint Group
