The coronavirus pandemic has changed the needs of consumers worldwide and the demands on label production. On the one hand, label converters must be able to deliver long runs in the shortest possible time to keep the entire supply chain running. On the other, they must cope with many more short runs, with increasing emphasis on sustainability
Label converters need tools and processes that allow them to quickly adapt to these changes. They need operator-friendly digital presses that produce reliable, fast and cost-effective short to long runs and allow the minimisation of waste, ink and power consumption.
To address these market demands Durst has updated its Tau RSC platform and further improved the Tau 330 RSC press series for short and medium runs. Tau RSCi solutions for hybrid printing and converting are offered now, thanks to the expansion of the product range with several OEM partners.
Durst presented the extended Tau RSC printer portfolio in its new cross-platform design at an online event, ‘All you need is RSC’. New features for highly flexible, high-quality yet cost-effective digital label printing from short to long runs were introduced on the updated Tau models, with integrated flexo stations.
As shown in the online presentation, the Durst Tau RSCi can be configured with optional flexo stations — before and/or after the digital print unit. Challenging materials can be used by adding a primer or combination printing between flexo and UV inkjet. Creative effects are further boosted by over-printing white with the post-press flexo station.
Flexo stations and ink saving
The user-friendly flexo stations fit the Tau RSCi’s available printing widths of 330, 420 or 510mm and are equipped with a slide in/out carriage to aid loading and unloading of the ink pan, pick-up and anilox roller. With the new flexo stations, Durst unlocks potential new and profitable business scenarios for its customers.
A new Ink Save Mode allows Tau RSC platform users to reduce ink costs by an average of 12 percent on a CMYK press.
This cost-effective boost will enable more jobs to be shifted to digital production. The operator can choose printing either in best match mode or with the special save ink mode. Durst’s Workflow Label software then utilises image analysis and colour management to re-calculate the original colour percentages, resulting in lower overall ink consumption.
Automatic maintenance is now a standard feature, avoiding downtime and reducing service costs. Automatic cleaning of the print heads is carried out contact-free by the integrated maintenance unit, which also prevents possible damage. The process is intelligently controlled and smoothly integrated into the workflow.
Higher uptime, more stability
With this new function, uptime increases, a more stable print quality is achieved and less ink is wasted because fewer purging cycles are needed. Durst equips every new Tau RSC / RSCi printer model with additional IT security hardware. These new developments are also retrofittable to existing Tau 330 RSC and RSC E installations, providing additional value to legacy presses.
Durst has over 250 Tau installations worldwide, of which close to 130 comprise Tau RSC platforms, with many clients owning multiple machines printing in industrial environments 24/7. Thomas Macina, Durst Group’s Global Sales Manager for Labels & Flexible Packaging, says: “All our customers can count on Durst’s innovation and the continuous development of RSC technology as a platform for continued successful growth in the label and packaging printing industry.”
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