Manufacturers can save time and money by bringing their label production in-house with Primera technology label printers.
Primera’s new line of specialty printers for label printing allows manufacturers of various sizes to bring products to market more quickly and produce top-quality labels at an affordable price. The new line of printers includes: the entry-level LX Series Color Label Printers, the fully digital CX1000 Color Label Printer, the CX1200 Digital Color Label Press, and the FX1200 Digital Finishing System.
“The LX-Series color inkjet label printers are for short run, roll-fed label media,” explains Peter Chalmers, product manager of Primera. “The CX1000 is a color-laser label printer for in-house production of high-grade medium-run labels; and the CX1200 and FX1200 are for short- to long-run printing and digital finishing of any shape or size label on-demand.”
Chalmers also explains how the FX1200 is a digital finishing system that laminates labels and die-cuts them into any shape using steel, carbide knives. “Manufacturers can laminate, digitally die-cut, slit, and rewind to multiple finish rolls for use on label application systems.”
Each product varies for volume or the needs of the companies. A lot of companies are doing very short runs that require private labels or specific branding, which would require the LX400 or LX900 printers. “Short-runs are typically between one and two thousand labels at a time,” explains Chalmers.
The LX400 is the entry-level option available to manufacturers. It includes one dye-based color ink cartridge (CMY), and produces high-resolution (4,800 dpi), professional quality labels ideal for short-run, prototype, and specialty product needs.
The LX900 is Primera’s fastest inkjet printer, producing up to 4.5” of labels per second. It has four separate ink cartridges (CMYK) to enable as-needed color replacement.
The replaceable print head produces sharp text, vivid graphics, and photo-realistic printing.
The LX400 and LX900 inkjet products use water-based ink that is not as durable as toner-based products.
Print in High Volumes
“Many customers have higher volumes, which require the printing capabilities of the CX1000 or CX1200 units,” says Chalmers. The CX1000 is designed for in-house production of professional-grade, pre die-cut labels produced by end-user manufacturers.
“CX1000 printers can produce between 50 to 5,000 labels at a time,” says Chalmers. Capable of printing on any laser-qualified label material – including pressure-sensitive plain papers, white and clear polyesters, vinyl, and more – the CX1000 printers deliver a high 2,400 dpi resolution, and print up to 16.25 feet per minute. Labels printed from the CX100 are extremely durable and provide UV, scratch, and water resistance.
“An ideal range for the CX1200/FX1200 would be label jobs that range from 100 to 10,000+ at a time,” explains Chalmers. “And that is still in a low- to mid-level label production range.” This particular printing and digital finishing system provide manufacturers with a 100 percent digital output of any size or shape. They don’t require plates and mechanical dies, which makes them an ideal solution for manufacturers who are looking for ways to controls costs and deliver products to market more quickly.
The CX1200 improves manufacturer agility, enabling quick design changes and facilitating production of small or large quantities of photographic quality labels. “The CX1200 is ideal for wine and coffee manufacturers; breweries and distilleries; chemicals, and also print and label houses, and sign and banner shops for promotional items,” explains Chalmers. “There really is a wide range of customers that are using Primera’s machines.”
Materials
Both the CX1000 and CX1200 have roll-to-roll fed input and output. The LX400 and LX900 have roll-fed input with optional external rewinders that manufacturers can use for label applicators or label application systems. The maximum outer-diameter input of the CX1000 is 8”, while the CX1200 has an outer diameter of 12”. “The actual roll on the CX100 can vary between 450 to 500 feet; on the CX1200 it varies between 1,050 to 1,250 feet,” says Chalmers.
With the LX900, manufacturers need to print on inkjet coated or inkjet receptive materials that have a special coating on them. With the CX1200, many different materials can be used without any special coating, but some materials will require a special laser coating, like satins, vinyls, and certain polyesters.
Primera’s new product line of specialty printers offer manufacturers and service bureaus of any size a solution to control their costs and deliver their products to market more quickly and efficiently.
Filed Under: Rapid prototyping