The 20 ink-head Polare dispenser is designed for both high- and low-viscosity inks and will be revealed at Labelexpo 2015 in Brussels, Belgium from 29 September to 2 October.
Like existing ink dispensers it works with computerised and colour management systems but will also be a modular system, allowing the same basic unit to deliver offset viscosity inks and low-viscosity UV flexo inks through ink cartridges, rather than ink having to be transferred from its container into the machine. Sun Chemical said the system had been designed to deliver the exact amount of ink required, minimising waste and maximising production output.
Sales and marketing director narrow web and screen Jonathan Sexton said the Polare, a collaboration with and built by Italian manufacturer Inkmaker, was “about getting more flexibility and also in dispensing ink for offset”, as well as driving ink sales.
“There are not many solutions for offset dispensing. Ours is simpler, smaller and more cost-effective.”
He said that Polare would have “unique features and is at an interesting cost point for the market” but added that Sun Chemical did not want to reveal more details until September.
Sun Chemical will also release an upgraded version of an older product, SolarFlex Neutron White, that was launched in 2013. The SolarFlex UV Flexo opaque white to launch at the show will be a low-migration ink that complies with food packaging regulations.
Sexton said that this was one of three growth areas his company was targeting, alongside LED and low-energy mercury UV inks, and the ongoing drive to cut costs and improve efficiency.
“We see a lot of opportunity in UV flexo. We’ve been very successful in bringing to the market these new whites,” he said.
“Currently the biggest growth is in HUV printing which uses a lower energy mercury lamp. LED is growing more slowly, there are only about 10 or 20 installations in the UK. We are in at the beginning.”
Sun Chemical’s digital inkjet division SunJet will also be at the show demonstrating its latest UV curing inks.
Sexton said “nobody was panicking” about the implementation next year of EU legislation that will restrict the use of mercury in industry, because it is thought this will not apply to printers using mercury vapour curing lamps, but that the market was slowly moving in the direction of UV curing using LED lamps.
The SunColourBox colour management system, anti-counterfeiting products, special effect inks and coatings and the SunLase laser marking coating solution will be among the range of other products shown at Labelexpo.
