What is Hybrid Printing?
Hybrid printing is done using a hybrid label press, carving work, and applying the tendency to combine different aspects of different types of label presses. It combines the capabilities of analog and digital printing technology. It combines the functionality and reliability of the flexographic press style with the creative opportunities offered by digital printing. It does this by combining the best features of its kind to perform the required performance.
Advantages of Hybrid Printing
To understand how hybrid printing is powering the label printing industry, let’s see how this technology differs from traditional approaches to label printing.
1. Advanced Features: Hybrid presses combine a set of advanced features to allow companies to customize their printing runs. These include:
- Advanced user interface with touchscreen operation
- Remote operation with pre-programmed print settings and push-button activation
- Single-color and four-color options
- Ability to choose web width
- Built-in UV drying system
- Printing and Overvarnish Equipment
- Single-color rotary flexo head for pre-coating
- Inline system for machining and finishing
2. Robust Construction: As you can see, some of these features are classic strengths of digital printing, while others are commonly associated with flexographic printing. Hybrid presses have the same robust construction as flexographic presses and can integrate a range of optional features and upgrades within a compact print housing. Low running cost and easy maintenance. At the same time, because hybrid presses are fully digital machines, they can be easily integrated with your IT infrastructure for a seamless transition between design, layout, and print.
3. Greater Flexibility: Hybrid presses allow label printing businesses to accommodate a wider range of applications. Expanded the digital color gamut to include colors outside the CMYK range. Hybrid printing technology allows you to add specialty inks to your production line or enhance the appearance of your labels. Hybrid printing offers the flexibility to transform products inline, decorate and finish in one pass.
4. Reduce Complex Jobs: Hybrid machines support ‘on-the-fly’ changes between complex jobs with full variable data imaging capabilities. Production and printing using hybrid technology significantly reduce operating costs and digital consumables costs. This cost reduction is achieved through impasto for filling areas and facilitating the digital processing of composite images.
5. Increased productivity: One of the most obvious benefits of hybrid technology is increased production speed. Hybrid printing lets you get more done in less time. Perfect registration from print to cut also facilitates increased speed. most tasks. Automated labeling, finishing, coating, packaging, cutting, and more. As a result, labor costs for each printing department are greatly reduced. The new machines are also less time-consuming and require less skill to operate.
Hybrid machines can also process more jobs in less time. As a result, you can process multiple jobs at the same time and serve a wider range of customers. This makes it possible to flexibly undertake a large number of short runs and reduce production costs for large runs.
Which one is the best flexographic, digital, or hybrid printing system?
In the field of flexible packaging printing, digital printing has long been considered suitable for short runs and test runs. This is because, unlike flexography, digital does not require plates. It also produces high-quality prints.
However, while it is more economical to use digital for short runs, flexo is still the norm for large jobs. Using digital saves money on placemaking in the short term, but digital assets cost more than flexo presses, and digital has higher operating costs.
Entry into hybrid printing presses. It’s the best of both worlds, combining the economics of flexography with digital automation.
Process automation saves a lot of time. As soon as one job finishes, the next one can start. Hybrid machines often include several features that speed up workflows, such as:
A range of advanced customization features, including print settings that can be pre-programmed before execution and activated at the touch of a button
Automated labeling, finishing, coating, cutting, and packaging to reduce labor costs and print times
Integrated production with hybrid printing allows him to transform, decorate and finish the product in one pass
In addition to these benefits, the hybrid system features an extended color gamut and facilitates the use of specialty inks. Better Quality, Greater Versatility.