V-Shapes announced the launch of the V-Shapes VS dflex nearline reel-to-reel printer for printing the top layer of its unique single-dose sachets that are opened with a single gesture using one hand. This compact, professional-grade printing system, Powered by Memjet DuraFlex®, makes it easy to print flexible packaging on site, eliminating the need to outsource printing or to tie up other printing equipment in the plant, especially for shorter runs of customized sachets. VS dflex inks were designed for food packaging and specially formulated for quick drying after printing, allowing the substrate to be ready for use with the V-Shapes ALPHA fill and seal packaging/converting machine. The VS dflex touch screen interface makes it easy for operators to efficiently manage the printing process with minimal training required.
“We have always had an objective of making high-quality printing available for our packaging/converting machines, to meet customer demand for faster time to market, personalization and more,” says Christian Burattini, CEO of V-Shapes. “We accomplished that earlier this year with the integration of the TrojanLabel T2 high volume digital label press into our V-Shapes PRIME single-lane packaging machine, and we have plans to integrate in-line printing into our six-lane ALPHA machine as well. But for those ALPHA machines already in the field or that will be acquired prior to availability of inline printing, we have developed VS dflex, a more productive reel-to- reel printing solution that makes it easier for packaging converters/fillers to accomplish the complete manufacturing process for our unique single-dose sachets under one roof with a compact footprint. In this configuration, the bottom layer of substrate is printed inline in black only.”
The VS dflex reel-to-reel nearline printer takes advantage of the speed and image quality of Memjet’s DuraFlex® multicolor A3+ printhead and water-based pigment inks, along with the advanced features and color management capabilities of the ColorGATE Packaging Productionserver, a RIP and color management solution for industrial packaging printing to deliver high quality, color-accurate printing at 1600 dpi at a speed of up to 24.7 meters per minute (90 feet per minute). It uses certified recyclable substrates, either sourced from industry leader SIHL or with V-Shapes proprietary materials. “Our strategic partnership with SIHL is particularly valuable thanks to the ability to print very high quality with aqueous ink and no pre-treatment on SIHL Artysio laminates,” adds Burattini. “They also have our specific materials stocked in Germany and the U.S. to ensure fast and timely delivery.”
“We are excited by the addition of VS dflex, the latest nearline printer from V-Shapes for their inline print, form, fill and seal packaging system,” says Russell Boa, Senior Vice President of Sales – North America and EMEA at Memjet. “The VS dflex enables professional printing with vivid colors, beautiful precision, simply and cost effectively at high production speeds. The combination of V-Shapes leadership in packaging innovation and technology integration makes them a first-class partner to work with.”
“Founded in 1997, ColorGATE, unlike many other RIPs and color management vendors, has focused on industrial markets for the past decade, making this collaboration with V-Shapes and Memjet perfectly in line with our strategies and capabilities,” said Oliver Luedtke, Chief Marketing Officer at ColorGATE. “We have had a very productive relationship with the creative and innovative team at V-Shapes. We are absolutely aligned with them in the desire to bring top-notch color quality, digitization and Industry 4.0 compliance to the package printing process. We developed a bespoke Output Management Set specifically for this printing system that takes into account the Memjet DuraFlex architecture and brings all of the appropriate ColorGATE capabilities to the system for the utmost in printing productivity and quality. In addition, our REST API interface opens up for V-Shapes future opportunities for more workflow integration as their products continue to evolve.”
