May 11, 2011
It’s a South African first for Shereno Printers in Boksburg, proud owners of the very latest Scodix1200 UV DigitalEmbossing Press, supplied by Kemtek Print Solutions.
Kamal Singh and Niran Singh with Gavin van Rensburg, MD of Kemtek Print Solutions (right), in front of the Scodix1200 press.
For 45 years, Shereno Printers, based in Boksburg and Pretoria, has provided its customers with a broad range of premium quality print solutions, produced on its global-standard lithographic and, more recently, digital printing technology.
Co-owners Niran and Kamal Singh continue to upgrade Shereno’s printing capabilities, in order to improve its product offering and competitive edge and the company’s most recent acquisition is the very latest Scodix1200 UV DigitalEmbossing press.
The Scodix1200 was launched at the Ipex 2010 in the UK, and was tipped as the star of the show by industry pundits. This latest inkjet technology, pioneered by Scodix in Israel, has recently changed the paradigm on book cover printing and many other applications where added value effects help to increase impact and drive sales – one of the most popular techniques currently used is UV clear ink combined with blind embossing, to highlight the title, the author, a graphic or perhaps the sumptuous dribble of chocolate on the cover of a cookery book.
Before the Scodix1200 FinalTouch solution there were two methods to produce a raised glossy effect of UV and embossing. Firstly, and expensively, the use of two post processes after printing, one to apply and cure the varnish and the second to create the raised effect. The second process was thermography, which has found fortune in specific markets such as greetings cards and invitations.
Rather than the expensive or unpredictable two-stage processes of UV/embossing and thermography respectively, the Scodix1200 FinalTouch uses a single-stage inkjet process to apply UV-cured ‘Scodink’. Scodink is a unique material because its properties allow deposition of up to 70µm, to create a raised effect without the material ‘running’ or losing definition. For this reason, fine details can be reproduced with ease.
According to Ziki Kuly, VP of marketing at Scodix, the Scodix1200 facilitates high relief, fast drying and different print effects all with the overriding requirement of product reliability. ‘Our biggest challenge was to ensure we designed a press that could pass relatively viscous material through very small nozzles without clogging or misfiring. The system has the potential to extend the capabilities of the traditional alternatives to 3D print enhancement. The inkjet droplet size means that halftone clear ink can be produced with detail not previously possible,’ explained Kuly.
The extended capabilities of the Scodix1200 are also Variable Data Printing (VDP) of the 3D clear ink, which allows operators to create personalised products or short-run versions.
Digital print has made VDP much more accessible but what was missing, up until last year, was a low cost and efficient way to add another level of impact to digital print which matched the effects available through traditional means.
With the Scodix1200 FinalTouch it’s possible to add dramatic impact to a short-run book cover, to provide subtle personalisation to a mailer or give a gift card an extra lift, either personalised or overall. Scodix has developed a versatile digital embossing solution for a wide range of applications from commercial jobbing to cosmetics packaging.
The eco-friendly press performs digital embossing effects on demand with variable density, gradations and a high gloss level. Capable of applying either glossy or matte effects on selective areas, the Scodix1200 adds tangible depth, texture and a whole new dimension to images and text to litho- and digitally-printed sheets.
‘The Scodix1200 press will change the way our customers see print,’ stated Niran Singh, co-owner of Shereno Printers. ‘It replaces conventional embossing and offers top-quality print and texture, never seen before, in short or longer runs. It’s a whole new experience for customers and the creative opportunities are endless.’
Ziki Kuly believes that the technology to support new design trends is key in today’s digital world, ‘We are constantly influenced by print. It drives our emotions, our shopping habits, and even our wives’ choice of fragrance. As a company, our mission is to help the influencers – the designers, brand managers, publishers – to enhance the engagement with print. Scodix1200 increases print’s impact with increased relevance, shorter turnaround times and greater financial viability – a digital solution for an increasingly digital world.’
The Scodix1200 is ideal for business applications like folders, brochures, leaflets, business cards, inserts, labels, etc; consumer applications such as invitations, greeting cards, calendars, photo albums and bookjackets; and industrial applications like packaging for the personal care industry, cosmetics and healthcare.
Additionally, the Scodix1200’s clean, green process eliminates plates, moulds, chemicals and solvents, significantly reducing overall energy usage and embosses a broad variety of substrates ranging from 135 – 500 g/m2 on a large range of printable formats including B2 and A3 – digital and analogue printing output.
There is also a fully-illustrated feature article in our Online Features section published in April, explaining the Scodix FinalTouch solution. To see this, just click on the headline below:
The changing face of book printing
Scodix FinalTouch adds new levels of impact in the trend towards short run books, where the first point of engagement for a purchaser is a book’s cover…
About Kemtek Imaging Solutions
Kemtek is a comprehensive supplier of raw materials and equipment to the printing industry in Southern Africa. Its key distribution in addition to Agfa Graphics includes Flint Photopolymer plates, Komori presses, HP Indigo digital presses and materials, Screen workflow, computer-to-plate and digital printing presses, EskoArtwork software and hardware systems, Duplo finishing systems, as well as Scodix digital embossing presses and materials. Kemtek has five branches throughout South Africa, as well as an Export Department reaching into Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.
For more information on Kemtek Imaging Systems visit: www.kemtek.co.za or simply click on the Kemtek banner or sponsor logo links on our Home page.
© Graphic Repro On-line, 6 May 2011.