manroland InlineImpress Inline Embossing: More Efficient, Eye-Catching Folding Carton Finishing

China Printing Network report:

Selling is often described as a battle. Consumers compare products on quality, price and appearance, and packaging design and surface finishing can make the difference. The question is whether brands must spend without limit.

Not necessarily. A product that catches the eye at a comparatively low cost is clearly preferable—and that is where inline postpress finishing comes in. manroland’s latest application does exactly this by embossing inline during coating.

To grow over the long term, printers need broader product portfolios that answer customer needs flexibly while supporting profitability. Alongside coating and cold foil finishing, inline embossing is a strong value-added printing option, particularly for folding carton production.

Value-added printing is what the market wants. Raised surfaces—logos, brand names and emblems—have strong appeal. With the patent-pending InlineImpress inline embossing unit, folding carton producers can add a three-dimensional tactile effect that lifts the finishing quality of customer jobs. Lines, solid areas, patterns and tables can all be embossed, helping products stand out.

Costs remain under control

The striking effect is, in fact, easy to achieve. InlineImpress handles embossing inline, with no separate production step, saving valuable time and cost. For printers, the advantages include more accurate cost calculation because no extra allowance is required for a separate step; no costly embossing dies, since a special coating plate performs the embossing; and a shorter job cycle.

How does inline embossing work?

Thick substrates are the foundation.

ROLAND InlineImpress

The inline embossing unit uses a special embossing plate mounted on the coating unit. This approach does not distort the reverse side of the paper. It works differently from conventional substrate embossing: the raised structure is formed in the varnish layer. Precise drying settings are essential. In short, success depends on coordinated variables and an original process.

Technically, InlineImpress has several prerequisites. For flexible, high-quality single-pass production, a press with dual coating modules is preferable; the substrate should be thicker board with a basis weight of 230 g/m²; inks and varnishes come from printcom printing materials to ensure process compatibility; and an embossing plate is also required.

An attractive licensing offer

manroland has filed a patent application for the ROLAND InlineImpress inline embossing unit and has released a usage license. The license package includes the license certificate, a detailed process description, one day of on-site training by a manroland trainer, an ink and varnish set for installation and commissioning, and the first embossing plate.

Based in Hahn, Germany, Hammesfahr has long been a dynamic, dependable and innovative supplier of printing and postpress finishing. The company has used the InlineImpress inline embossing unit to enhance printed products such as folding cartons for some time.

InlineImpress

Advantages of the inline embossing unit:

More innovative options for packaging design.

A single pass through the press greatly improves the finishing level of customer orders.

One fewer production step, saving time and expense.

Straightforward implementation and simple operation.

A differentiated selling point for customer products through multi-sensory presentation.

Patent pending is also a compelling sales argument.

——Reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-370020.html