drupa 2012: Heidelberg Showcases Future Print Applications in the Innovation Gallery
05/02/2012
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Fascinating surfaces create new finishing effects
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Intelligent surfaces from the press - interactive and
smart
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Printing on any surface - including 3D
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Surface drying and digital imaging
At drupa 2012, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will be
showcasing visionary print applications in its Innovation Gallery
in Hall 1 and will thus highlight the areas where it is planning to
play an active role in shaping the future of print. Visitors will
be able to discover four different areas of application. In the
areas of surface finishing and printed electronics, they will see
market-ready products and demonstrations of what is already
possible. As for the other two areas of application - printing on
3D objects and digital imaging - pioneering technologies for the
future will be on display. "Our Innovation Gallery demonstrates
that printed communication has long ceased to be confined to
paper," explains Stephan Plenz, member of the Management Board
responsible for Heidelberg Equipment. Heidelberg believes such
applications offer great potential for manufacturers of branded
goods, advertising agencies, and print media companies and is
looking to enter into dialog with exactly these groups to move
beyond the conventional image of print and provide a glimpse of the
progress being made at its research laboratories. "We are making it
clear that print has a real future and that we will play an active
role in shaping this future. This applies to both conventional and
functional printing and to the printing of decorative elements," he
continues.
As well as discovering the Innovation Gallery, visitors to
the show can also register for the daily presentations in the
"Classroom", which is located in the Services Area of the stand.
Speakers from Heidelberg and other companies will be talking about
the "Outlook for 2020 - The Future of Print", covering topics such
as inkjet, printed electronics, new business models, and the
environment.
Fascinating surfaces create new finishing effects
One application that sets products apart from the
competition in traditional sheetfed offset printing is already set
for market launch. In the "Fascinating surfaces" section of the
Innovation Gallery, the "Cristala" creative concept will
demonstrate how existing drip-off coating equipment can be used to
produce new finishing effects. Specially prepared prepress data
creates structured surfaces with a strongly accented gloss effect
that is quite unique in the sheetfed offset industry. Structured
coatings create different gloss effects depending on the angle of
inclination and the direction of viewing. Examples of surfaces with
geometric lines, textures, ornaments, and contone images and
typographical samples will also be on display at the trade show.
Intelligent surfaces from the press - interactive and smart
Many applications in the area of functional printing are
still little more than visions for the future. Printed, intelligent
surfaces called touchcodes that Heidelberg will be showcasing in
the Innovation Gallery in the form of interactive printed ID cards
with an integrated electronic structure are one example of an
application that has already reached the market-ready stage.
Placing a touchcode card of this kind on an iPad opens an app or
web browser that offers access to specific content. The card
therefore serves as a copy-protected license for electronic
information in protected or closed applications, for example, thus
building a bridge to mobile terminals. Unlike conventional QR
codes, there is no need to take a photo using a smartphone. The
touchcode acts as a paper key and is simply placed on the display.
Heidelberg is presenting this touchcode technology in cooperation
with Printechnologics GmbH from Chemnitz.
Yet another new application from Heidelberg is the "Smart
Shelf", which delivers ideas for the packaging shelf of the future.
In this case, both the folding carton and the surface of the shelf
are equipped with printed electronic components to communicate the
fill level of the shelf, for example. This technology can also be
used with point-of-sale applications for interaction with the
customer.
Printing on any surface - including 3D
The "Decorative printing on any surface" section of the
Innovation Gallery will give interested visitors the opportunity to
discuss possible applications for printing on any curved surface.
Although the development from 2D high-productivity industrial
printing to 3D is still in its infancy, work in this area has
already begun. The focus here is on how everyday objects such as
furniture, sports goods, and toys, and industrial products such as
architecture and facades can be decorated with customized and
reversible designs.
Surface drying and digital imaging
The "drying and structuring surfaces" section of the
Innovation Gallery is devoted to new dryer technologies and
systems, including energy-efficient UV LED dryer modules and a
laser drying technology that heats only the ink and not the
substrate, which is advantageous from a process engineering
perspective. The major benefit is that it is possible to
dramatically cut the waiting times between press and postpress.
The display also features a visionary laser module concept
that enables the partial drying or structuring of surfaces. This
digital multi-channel module opens up further potential future
applications in the area of digital imaging.
Figure 1: The "Cristala" creative concept paves the way for
new surface finishing effects that generate strongly accented gloss
coatings. The printed record exhibits fine structures on the
substrate that look and feel as though they have been embossed.
Figure 2: "Smart Shelf" ideas for the packaging shelf of the
future involve the use of packaging with imprinted, electronically
active components.
Figure 3: The new DryStar UV LED energy-efficient dryer for
the Speedmaster SX 52 will be available by end of 2012.
For further information about the company and image material,
please visit the Press Lounge of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG at
www.heidelberg.com.
Heidelberg at drupa 2012
Today's print media service providers are faced with a
dynamic and challenging market. Companies that want to achieve
success in an environment of this kind need to optimize their
business models by seizing on market trends in the industry and
using them to their advantage.
During drupa 2012, from May 3 to 16, Heidelberg will be
showcasing in Hall 1 an extended portfolio of products and
solutions that have been developed specifically for the latest
market requirements. The trade show presentation, held under the
banner "Discover HEI", will center on lean production (HEI
Productivity), green printing (HEI Eco), web-to-print (HEI
Integration), short-run-printing (HEI Flexibility), differentiation
through coatings and special effects (HEI Emotions), the future of
packaging printing (HEI End), and gaining an edge through the
latest know-how (HEI School). The company is exhibiting solutions
that enable print shops and postpress businesses to meet the latest
market requirements in full.
www.drupa.heidelberg.com
For further information, please contact:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Public Relations
Hilde Weisser
Phone: +49 (0)6221 92-5066
Fax: +49 (0)6221 92-5069
E-mail:
hilde.weisser@heidelberg.com
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