83 May / June 2024 - Issue 348 In terms of the solutions available from Mimaki, the manufacturer has several DTO options. Among these is the UJF7151 plus II, which Verbeem says offers a high-end DTO solution in the wider UJF Series. To evolve this technology and its use, Mimaki recently worked with Italian manufacturer GTO’s pad printing machines to create a process to make foil finishes on luxury packaging with what Verbeem describes as “remarkable accuracy, speed, and high levels of customisability” when compared with more traditional lamination padding methods. “The process involves digitally printing a primer layer in Mimaki’s UJF-7151 plus II printer, which acts as a bonding agent, due to its very high levels of adhesion when heated up,” Verbeem explains, adding: “The next step uses GTO’s specialist pad printing machines. Under the pressure of the hot pad, the machine migrates the foil - whether that’s reflective gold, silver, or any other colour or effect – directly onto the product, only leaving it where the UJF-7151 plus II has digitally printed the primer layer.” Looking further into the Mimaki line-up, the manufacturer’s Kebab series offers additional solutions for the UJF series, allowing for printing directly onto cylindrical objects. Using rotary rollers, the Kebab option rotates the object, printing on the entire surface of the cylindrical item, adding yet more versatility to our DTO options. “Innovation is a core principle of Mimaki and we are always looking to improve upon our DTO technology, with plans to release more technology for this space soon,” Verbeem adds. “The quality and speed that can now be achieved printing onto more complex shapes is very impressive. It’s easier than ever for print businesses to be exploring revenue opportunities in this booming area of the market. “DTO printing is also a viable method from a sustainability perspective. There is a shift towards DTO as a way of reducing waste and eliminating the need for shrink sleeves, so products are much more easily recyclable. On top of this, as well as being able to print onto a wider range of media including thicker and cylindrical objects, the UV printing process means lower VOC emissions. So, in an age of great concern around the sustainable credentials of our products, this is another reason why direct-to-object printing is on the rise.” With this in mind, where specifically can DTO help? Makrinos says knowing DTO printing work to target entails knowledge and awareness of broad trends, with personalisation, as well as sustainability and the shift away from singleuse plastics, being topics to keep an eye on. “Certainly, driven largely by those trends, reusable drinkware is riding a www.printmonthly.co.uk With its showroom based in Crewe, Hybrid Services is the exclusive distributor for Mimaki in the UK and Ireland. The company has been exclusively distributing Mimaki technologies since 1996 and offers unique advantages such as first access to the latest Mimaki innovations, product knowledge, technical support, and genuine consumables. A Significant Growth Area Completing our mini round-up of DTO technology suppliers and, coincidentally, another FESPA 2024 exhibitor is Inkcups. Jessica Makrinos, marketing manager of Inkcups, says DTO is a “significant” growth area for inkjet printing, with new applications being developed all the time and an increasing number of print businesses recognising the opportunities in this segment. “Demand for personalised and customised products is a key driver for this growth – with the right technology it is now possible to decorate items such as reusable drinkware, cosmetics, stationery, phone cases, tote bags, candles – you name it – with full-colour, vibrant images, whether it’s a single personalised product or a larger batch,” Makrinos says. ▼ Marc Verbeem, supervisor of product management at Mimaki Europe ► Mimaki bills the UJF-7151 Plus II as a high-end DTO solution in its UJF Series DIRECT-TO-OBJECT PRINTING Developed by Inkcups, the Helix ONE benchtop digital cylinder printer allows users to add cylindrical DTO capabilities to their business Factoid
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