Digital Printing The case for hybrid presses
In a market where technology advances at a pace, narrow web converters are being asked to choose between flexo and digital print technology to best serve their customers. But one manufacturer believes it’s possible to have the best of both worlds and has numerous successful installations to prove it.
Ben Luly is Product Manager at Mark Andy
A
ccording to Ben Luly, product manager at US based Mark Andy, the simple answer is: ‘the right choice is the one that provides the right
solution!’ This will depend on current and future needs, as far as they can be predicted, and relates to the type of work being undertaken, not least in terms of run length.
He points out that far from being seen as
confl icting technologies, fl exo and digital should be seen as complementary, with each off ering its own unique benefi ts. As a manufacturer that can off er roll-to-roll digital, digital/fl exo hybrid and fl exo print technology, Mark Andy can be entirely transparent in its assessment of converters’ requirements and the best direction in which to steer them. “Flexibility is important as it allows you to react quickly to changes in market demand, and automation helps by reducing the time taken to produce a job – but it all comes down to securing the lowest cost-to-print,” he explains.
Flexibility is key here. Converters need technology that allows them to be agile with their production capability. Most have a varied book of work. This might include multi-SKUs that use the same die, or reverse print capability on short run shrink sleeves, or multi-layer construction, and very often a demand for compliancy. “Throw in a variety of substrates, run lengths and fi nishing/ embellishing options and you begin to grasp the nature and size of the issue,” he adds. The term ‘crossover point’ is one that is often heard in the debate of fl exo versus digital. It refers to the job quantity at which it is equally profi table to produce on either type of press. So, what are the drivers in this calculation? According to Luly, there are six: make ready time, machine rate, operator rate, total time to print, total cost to print and total throughput per shift. “It’s vital that you know and can quantify each of these accurately if you are going to make a sound economic decision on future investment,” he explains. So, why consider a hybrid? It’s always a good idea with new technology to investigate its background and development. Digital history began with slow offl ine roll-to-roll presses operating at just under 8m/ min. These toner-based engines were soon joined by faster inkjet models and over the years speeds have increased markedly to a point where digital printing is no longer the bottleneck it once was. This is where hybrid makes perfect sense because the print process is now at the same
speed as the inline converting that typifi es the narrow/mid web sector. “This also now changes the crossover point calculation too, which at 9,000 metres or more, covers many, if not most label jobs,” he says. Taking advantage of the hybrid’s lowest cost to print capability includes using fl exo for the spot or fl ood colours, with customisation performed digitally and all jobs converted inline to save time and money. Mark Andy has three separate fl exo platforms, each serving diff erent sectors of the market from entry-level to top-level high-speed models in web widths from 330mm to 660mm. “We have toner- and inkjet-based digital engines that can be built into proven fl exo platforms to create a hybrid from simple to sophisticated. And to make the investment as future-proof as possible, we off er a digital retrofi t option for certain existing fl exo presses, while new hybrids are modular in design to allow for changing their specifi cation later if requirements alter,” he says. Crucially, digital now off ers speed and tech- appeal. He concludes: “Sometimes it’s just a case of getting the job out quickly, even if it’s not the most cost eff ective – digital is best at this. The technology also appeals to the younger computer-minded generation, and we all know how diffi cult it is to fi nd skilled fl exo operators these days!”
www.markandy.com
24
November 2025
www.convertermag.com
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