Easibind - Developing a high-speed digital inkjet print bridge head for flexible and rigid substrates

我们正在开发一种新型的高速数字喷墨打印桥头，用于在厚度为200-1000微米的柔性和刚性基板上打印。高速数字印刷是印刷市场中一个日益增长的细分市场，因为：-市场正在朝着及时生产的方向发展，需要快速周转的较小数量的印刷；-它使数字印刷机能够经济地生产的产品/包装差异化和个性化成为可能。这种多才多艺的印刷方法还导致采用新的基材，特别是塑料和合成材料，通过美学质量提供进一步的差异化。然而，目前没有一台高速数字打印机可以应对基板厚度的这种变化。我们的方法是开发一种可以自动调整基板厚度的“浮动”打印桥头，并使用精密工程打印台，可以将基板移动到5微米以内的精度。这两项创新使我们能够提供高达每小时5,600张的高速大幅面打印，同时保持良好的打印质量。我们将使用世界知名OEM的最先进组件来实现这一点。该项目将输出一台受委托的Alpha印刷机，可以作为印刷业的示范。从这一点上，我们希望吸引兴趣和测试版模型的早期采用者，目标是在项目结束后5年内销售50台商用机器。易思邦拥有使用OEM最新技术的记录，并拥有两家英国中小企业的专业知识，以实现这一项目。

We are developing a novel high speed digital inkjet print bridge head for printing ontoflexible and rigid substrates from 200 – 1000 microns in thickness. High speed digital printing is a growing segment of the print market because:- the market is moving toward just in time production requiring smaller volume printruns with fast turnaround and- it enables product/packaging differentiation and personalisation which digital printersare able to produce economicallyThis versatile approach to printing is also leading the adoption of new substrates, particularly plastics and synthetics, to provide further differentiation through aesthetic qualities. However, no high speed digital printer can cope with this variation is substrate thickness at present.Our approach is the development of a “floating” print bridge head that will automaticallyadjust to the thickness of the substrate and the use of a precision engineered print bed that can move the substrate to an accuracy within 5 microns. These two innovations enable us to provide high speed, large format printing at up to 5,600 sheets per hour whilst maintaining fine print quality. We will achieve this using state of the art components from world-renowned OEMs.The project will output a commissioned alpha press that can serve as a demonstrator to the print industry. From this we expect to attract interest and early adopters for the beta model, with a target to sell 50 commercial machines within 5 years of project end.Easibind have a track record of working with the latest technology from OEMs and havesought the expertise of two UK SMEs to bring this project to fruition.