Contiweb developed its Digital Fluid Adapter to significantly improve the quality of digitally printed products
Contiweb, a specialist in state-of-the-art technologies for printing, advanced drying and web-handling, announces the launch of its Digital Fluid Applicator (DFA), a standalone remoistening applicator for digital web presses, developed to significantly improve the quality of digitally printed products. Based on the popular Contiweb Fluid Applicator for heatset web offset applications, the DFA is an innovative and user-friendly system, which uses tap water and a surfactant to intelligently and very precisely remoisten the paper on digital web presses. Silicone can also be added as an option, decidedly advantageous if inline finishing is being employed.
“Common quality issues such as loss of signature flatness, growth of cut books, curling and broken folds are overcome with our new DFA system. Furthermore, damage on the printed surface due to friction from inline finishing modules can be overcome by the integrated siliconizer,” explains Rutger Jansen, chief executive officer at Contiweb, adding, “There may be a perception in the market that digital inkjet printing does not require remoistening, however the process generates high temperatures during drying, resulting in significant loss of moisture and diminished quality of the printed matter, a difficulty we’ve been determined to resolve.”
The Contiweb DFA mixes tap water and a surfactant within the system, which is then continuously circulated, rather than using specially treated deionized water. The amount of remoistening can be adjusted quickly to suit requirements, and due to a sophisticated control system, are steadfastly consistent. The system ensures constant coverage, even with changing press speeds, and can be set differently for each side of the paper if desired. Settings can also be saved, slashing set-up times for repeat jobs.
“The Contiweb team has developed a Plug and Play system that is compatible with digital web presses from all well-known manufacturers. Using economical, easy-to-access tap water, with high performance pure silicone, the Contiweb DFA will provide a step-change in the quality of digitally printed products. I’m very much looking forward to seeing the results for our customers,” concludes Jansen.
2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India
Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and
multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.
The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry.
While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately
their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book
printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.
The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.
Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.
Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.
Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.
