The company, based in Cologne ( Brescia ) – Italy, recently produced a flexo press really remarkable for a very specific application to show their superior technical capability already shown producing over 200 machines ( majority are flexo presses ).

We are talking about the well known model “ QUICKFLEX “ with 8 printing units with NC, needle bearings linear guides, ball bearings screws, stepping motors and PC supervision to storage and re-use all job parameters including final printing pressure, and of course with sleeves changeover in the press for repeat and anilox sleeves.

It looks nothing special, but this press has been sold to print an extremely difficult film to be processed in any printing equipment: stretch PVC @ very low thickness ( 12 and 17 microns ! ).

The Bonardi’s designers were obliged to solve a wide range of technical issues, in order to satisfy the complexity of such a project.

But not only has been required to unwind and print properly the stretch PVC, but to get two lanes at winding station.

The stretch PVC will be utilised for fresh food, mainly chicken and meat. Unique features of stretch PVC are enormous elongation under load and clarity but overall the elastic memory: it is the only perfect solution for specific application.

A typical example: if a consumer in a shop try with a finger the consistency of a product packed by stretch Pe, he will leave an in-print on the film, giving the idea that the product has been mistreated.

Under the same circumstances, using stretch PVC the undesired effect will disappear soon, thanks to the unique elastic memory.

Indeed the small “ crater “ created by the pressure exercised by a finger will not last and in a matter of seconds will totally disappear leaving the package with own integrity and perfect appeal !

On the other end, it is difficult to print such a material, extremely elastic and subject to a remarkable neck-in on TD, effect that obviously must be limited to a minimum. The quick accumulation of static electricity generates a tendency to adhere easily to any surface in contact with, including the central drum.

The buyer, a well know Russian converter, in order to enlarge the press versatility, decided to have built in the facility to print the usual films for flexible packaging such as LDPE, BOPP, Pet and similar, making the project ever more complex !

A lot of specific technical solutions have been introduced to process the stretch PVC, but here for obvious reasons of secrecy, we mention few of those:

-         Surface unwinding mode

-         Large utilisation of non traditional, hi-tech materials, such as carbon fiber

-         Center/surface turret winding equipped with 4 pivoting air shafts to enable quick release of the small printed reels             

Design and production of the electric cabinet, including software have been made in house by own technical team, utilising SIMATIC S7 PLC and digital driver.

Looking to the picture you can recognise the happiness of the Bonardi’s Team and most important the satisfaction of the Managing Director of NOVOPLAST, Mr Korneev and his Technical Manager Mr Rogov.

Performances of this unique model with stretch PVC:         

-         Double lane flexo printing ( two different subject ) on top of a solid white background

-         Web width @ unwinder 840 mm                

-         Special inks solvent based ( such as used on gravure presses, but modified for flexo ), supplied by SUN CHEMICALS

-         Continuos production of the two lanes of reels with a meterage of 1500 ml

-         True production speed rated @ 200 m/min. and over

-         Stretch PVC supplied by LINPAC ( FRANCE ) type PREMIUM L IM 12 microns

The excellent cooperation with SUN CHEMICALS and a qualified Italian producer of specific plated generated not only a good printing quality but, a truly outstanding resistance to rub-off and no failure under 200 % elongation, properties really appreciated for stretch PVC.  

An other success of BONARDI SRL, now moving to show a new designed 10 col. gearless.