Xeikon has launched CX300, a new digital label press based on next-generation Cheetah 2.0 technology offering shorter lead times and more product diversification to address current market needs for increased versatility, productivity and quality of production.
‘The Xeikon CX300 delivers exceptional application versatility, designed to achieve the highest possible OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and is even more productive than the very successful Xeikon CX3 first generation of Cheetah presses,’ said Filip Weymans, vice president of marketing at Xeikon. ‘Today’s investments need to deliver results. Printing speed is an important factor but combining that with a low OEE would not deliver the value printers and label converters are looking for. With Cheetah 2.0 technology, we have focused on combining high production speeds with a high OEE, ultimately resulting in maximum sellable output.’
The CX300 is a 330mm (13”) label press that can offer production capacity of over 50.000 square meters per month in a single shift operation. It can reach printing speeds of up to 30m/min (98ft/min) and web width between 220mm (8.6”) and 512mm (20.3”) wide using a LED imaging head operating at 1200x3600 dpi delivering offset/gravure image quality. The full-colour press is equipped with five print stations, including CMYK and single-pass opaque white but can also support colour gamut expansion, custom or security colours.
Based on next-generation Cheetah technology, it can operate in a three-shift operation and still deliver high value work. According to Xeikon it will fit specifically into strong growing end-use markets such as food and pharmaceuticals as its dry toner technology offers required food safety. The Cheetah toner also incorporates the recently announced QB technology, making it future-proofed against upcoming legislation and regulatory requirements.
The new machine also targets converters using challenging substrates such as natural structured papers in wine and spirits, craft beer, luxury food, health and beauty who will benefit from high-quality full-colour printing and single-pass opaque white toner. The Xeikon CX300 can also be used to produce heat transfer labels, in-mold labelling, wet glue, wraparound labels, and cartons.
Xeikon’s fleXflow process enables the new press to produce flexible pouches, combining dry toner printing with thermal lamination to deliver a laminated construction with quick turnaround times and increased sustainability driven by the fact that there is no solvent used during either printing or laminating. Xeikon fleXflow is driven by the X-800 digital front end and includes an innovative inline thermal lamination process.
‘The Xeikon CX300 can be the cornerstone of digitising label manufacturing,’ added Weymans. ‘Its built-in technologies enable label converters to address current and future industry demands: connectivity, responsiveness, flexibility and scalability. We believe the Xeikon CX300 can be a valuable addition to any label shop floor and the spark that ignites a digitisation process that is unmatched in the industry.’
The new press is going to be commercially available from the beginning of April 2020.
