KBA-Metronic, DataLase partner to further digital printing solutions

Laser marking and coding solutions provider KBA-Metronic (Veitshöchheim, Germany) and inline digital printing company DataLase (Widnes, Cheshire, England) have partnered to further the development of high-speed inline digital printing solutions.

At the Drupa exhibition (May 31 - June 10, 2016; Düsseldorf, Germany), KBA-Metronic demonstrated a combination of its udaFORMAXX offline coding system and its laserSYSTEM K series CO₂ laser, presenting a solution for individually applying addresses to print products and the just-in-time printing of packaging.

In the combination approach, a laser-sensitive pigment is incorporated into an ink or coating, which is applied to the cardboard, paper, or film substrate by conventional print techniques, explains Sebastian Fries, KBA-Metronic's director of product management. The laser beam then creates high-contrast digital printing of the substrate when applied at the point of packing or filling of the packaging. What's more, laser marking is fast, freely programmable, and works without any consumables, he says.

The partnership with DataLase, according to Dr. Chris Wyres, DataLase's CEO, allows the two companies to combine their technologies to bring true real-time marketing capability to brands, with the goal of changing the way they print packaging and interact with consumers in the future.

Inline digital printing enables late-stage differentiation of packs and products to drive marketing effectiveness through 1-to-1 consumer interaction, personalization, and integrated promotion marketing, including graphics, logos, names, QR codes, or barcodes. It can be used on a wide variety of substrates and applications with folding cartons, case coding, and labeling in monochrome colors.

For more information, please visit www.kba-metronic.com and www.datalase.com.