Special effects: an AP online exclusive

May 3, 2007 3:36 PM

We’ve asked Roland Krapp, Heidelberg USA’s (Kennesaw, GA) vice president of sheetfed product management, to expand upon some of his 2005 Executive Outlook observations on special effects applications. Krapp cited several factors fueling interest in special effects and UV applications, including state-of-the-art technology as well as the ability to add value to a product, extend a company's offerings and produce effects inline. But he noted most users share a common goal: staying ahead of their competitors.

Krapp says the market for high quality and special effects is no longer restricted to luxury products such as folding cartons for cosmetics, perfumes, premium chocolates and liquor. “These segments traditionally used special effects to convey the value of their products and are still among the main players,” he explains. “But we do see a trend in all three major segments--commercial, label and packaging. Attracting attention is the first step to selling and competition between different media is growing. Also, as a consequence of technical advances (on both, the hardware and application side), the results are more reproducible today, which opens these applications to a broader group.”

In his Executive Outlook presentation, Krapp showcased a variety of effects achieved by creatively combining a given printing/coating application (metallic, pearlescent, matt gloss contrasts, opaque white) with the appropriate application mode (flood coating, spot coating and so on) with the optimum substrate (such as uncoated paper/board, surface treated materials, synthetics).

Some of the effects were extremely sophisticated, but Krapp says Heidelberg is well equipped to help customers duplicate them. “We have acquired a lot of expertise over time, especially when you consider the different requirements of the test prints [conducted] in our Print Media Demonstration Center (PMDC) here in Atlanta.”

The PMDC’s speciall effect work is done on six Speedmaster pressses, in half- and full-size formats equipped with the required coating and drying capabilities. “Over the past 10 years we’ve always had presses with multiple coating capabilities, double coaters and UV presses,” adds Krapp. “For about five years, we’ve had DuoPress (coating before printing) configurations available. That a huge ongoing investment, but money well spent if you want to be a serious player in this arena.”

Like most press vendors, Heidelberg doesn’t manufacture UV lamps or systems. “We develop integrated UV solutions together with our preferred partner IST Metz,” says Krapp. “ At the early stages of press development, they are involved and the result is a superior system. We take full system responsibility, as is evident in the full SystemService 36 Plus coverage provided on IST manufactured components and the technotrans’ chillers.”

Heideleberg’s UV highlights include:

CANopen Technology, a central press control for all peripheral systems.

SmartGuard, which provide selective monitoring of all protection and safety devices so that UV dryers are switched off independently of the press emergency stop, thereby eliminating lengthy restarts, InstantStart which is said to save up to eight minutes per wash-up cycle, since lamps are in standby rather than “off” mode.

CoolCure, developed in co-operation with IST for heat-sensitive substrates. By replacing oxygen with nitrogen in the area where curing will occur, curing efficiency is enhanced. Because the UV curing system uses less power to cure the ink or coating, heat to the substrate is reduced.

For more information about special effects printing, see “Razzle Dazzle,” AP February 2007.