Post-press surface treatment technology and equipment market demand analysis
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First, Overview
Post-press surface treatment is becoming more and more important in packaging production. The success or failure of current market competition depends to a large extent on the packaging of goods, and the quality of post-printing surface treatment determines the quality of packaging. Therefore, we can say that post-press surface treatment is an important technical means to improve the packaging grade and strengthen the competitiveness of the commodity market.
Common post-press surface treatment technologies are:
1. The surface is coated with wax. Mainly for the packaging to withstand a certain amount of moisture and moisture, used to be used for the packaging of fresh meat and agricultural by-products. This is done by the wax coating process on the curtain coater.
2.Laminating. After the packaging product is printed, a plastic film such as propylene is applied to the surface of the printed matter, and the adhesive is heated and pressed to bond them together to form a printed or plastic printed product.
The film can be divided into a coated film and a precoated film. That is, the coated film is coated with a binder at the time of operation, and then hot pressed to obtain a finished product. The pre-coating film is prepared by pre-coating the adhesive on the plastic film, and drying and winding, and only needs to be hot pressed when covering the surface of the printed product. They are completed on ready-to-coat straw and pre-coated straw.
3. Glazing. The glazing is a layer of colorless transparent coating on the surface of the printed printing (or spray, printing). After leveling, drying and calendering, a thin and uniform transparent bright layer is formed on the surface of the printed matter. It is done by a glazing machine and a calender.
4.Calendering. Calendering is a modification process after glazing a printed matter, and some directly calendering directly on a high-grade paper product. The calendering of the printed matter is because the gloss is not ideal after the natural smoothing and drying, and some fine prints must be calendered. The equipment used is a calender, and many calenders are used in conjunction with the glazing machine.
5.Other special processing techniques. In recent years, there have been many special post-printing treatment technologies for prints, and development and people are faster. Commonly used are surface coating (also known as spray), surface matte (also known as sanding, that is, grinding the sand evenly on the surface of the printed matter), embossing, embossing (concave) or simply pressing. All of these new post-press finishing techniques have been seen on high-end packaging for everyday use. Especially in fine crafts and cigarette packaging.
Second, technology development and demand
1. Packaging and post-printing surface treatment technology has become a meeting point for many disciplines and technologies
The post-printing technology has shifted from the traditional waxing or coating to the cross-over technique of combining the surface features of the print with the mechanical features. Conventional waxing does not produce a change in the form of the print (before surface modification), and only the wax is applied to the surface of the print after application.
2. New materials are constantly being applied to surface finishing
As people's requirements for print quality and decorative performance increase, many new materials are applied to the surface finishing process of printed matter. The new materials that are widely used in the finishing of printed materials are mainly various performance monologues.
Ink and various coatings. The rapid development of printing science and technology has made printing completely change the traditional concept of reproduction. Modern printing is a combination of technology and art. It is based on the high-tech-based information process, and more is to use high-tech means to make printed materials more It has a beautifying effect. The material basis for this beautification effect is the special performance ink and less material. For example, photocurable coatings have been used in the finishing of printed surfaces to replace traditional waxing and laminating. For example, imitation gold, imitation silver ink and paint have been used instead of hot stamping. In particular, some high-end tobacco and alcohol, high-end cosmetics and high-end gift clothing emphasize the exquisite packaging effect. Some traditional decorative inks and coatings are difficult to meet the requirements, and new decorative inks and coatings have more stringent requirements. It requires high productivity, good printing adaptability, fast drying speed, high gloss, high hiding power, good adhesion, durable wear, safe use, no netting (hole), easy to clean, No pollution and other properties. In response to these performances and requirements, UV-curing imitation inks have recently been introduced at home and abroad, and are widely used in high-grade tobacco and alcohol, gifts, greeting cards, invitations, calendars, business cards, advertisements, art paintings and other high-end packaging boxes (bags). For a long time to come, new special inks and coatings are still the focus of research on surface finishing materials.
3. Post-press finishing technology and equipment update speed
Post-finishing finishing technology has developed rapidly. Past surface coatings have long been surfaced, and surface coatings have been replaced by surface glazing (glazing) not long ago. Since the general glazing drying in the past is heated by a far-infrared heater (or a normal heater), there are disadvantages such as a slow rate of formation and easy deformation of the product. Recently, UV-curable coatings and inks have been rapidly promoted and applied, and there is a tendency to gradually replace the film and infrared heat-curing coatings.
At present, the variety specifications of China's packaging and printing finishing surface finishing machinery equipment have been diversified, and the number has reached more than 100 kinds. In the past, some major models and models were imported. After years of digestion and absorption, most models have been designed and produced by themselves. With the application and promotion of high-tech, some old-fashioned equipment and processes have been gradually eliminated. For example, surface waxing equipment and processes are gradually replaced by laminating or glazing processes, so the curtain-flow wax coating machine is basically at In a stagnant state, few manufacturers reproduce.
With the diversification of printed products, especially the small and medium-sized handicrafts, the use of various exquisite small gifts is increasing, which makes some small printing equipments and accessories have a broad market and form a new type of application field. Such as multi-functional glue (spray) machine has become a hot commodity on the market. The functions of this type of glue machine include: speed adjustment, humidity and pressure control, liquid crystal display, pre-calibration function, bottoming equipment, general glue and cold heading adjustment. Some glue machines can also achieve color hot stamping and mounting. They can achieve the desired results in posters, inkjet prints, leaflets or large maps. In addition, there are other printers with origami binding, bar code label printers, etc., which have also entered the market in batches and become post-printing processing equipment.
Third, the problem analysis
1. Technical and performance issues
In China, there is still a considerable gap between the printing and printing surface finishing technology and equipment, compared with the developed countries in the world, especially in the automation, compatibility and adaptability of related technologies and equipment. From the perspective of technology and equipment applications, we are still in the initial stage. Like the technical problems of laminating equipment, domestic equipment and adhesives still have some problems in different degrees, such as deformation problems, durability problems, separation of membrane and base paper, etc., and there is no ideal solution. There are also glazing and glue-spraying technologies and equipment for packaging and printing surfaces, which have become the mainstream of packaging surface finishing technology and equipment in foreign countries, and our mainstream is still surface coating, all of which are still to be solved.
2. Device model size problem
Because many modern products rely on characteristics and individuality to win in the competition, and the selling period of a product is getting shorter and shorter, the replacement is getting faster and faster, and it is unlikely that enterprises engaged in packaging surface finishing will reach a large scale. More depends on SMEs to complete. Therefore, while the device is improving reliability, the device model tends to be more and more small-sized to adapt to market changes.
3. Energy saving problem
Printing equipment includes post-press processing equipment, the main energy consumption is its transmission and heating system, while the energy consumption accounts for a larger proportion of the heating (drying) system. Heating and drying are mostly electric heating. In the past, many equipments were heated by ordinary electric heating tubes (wires), which have high energy consumption and high cost. Energy saving and cost reduction are the goals of the company from start to finish. Now, some equipment has been adopted and advanced heating and conduction methods, such as chemical thermal fluid, infrared heater, ultraviolet heater and so on.
4. Functional and adaptive issues
Different materials have different properties and effects. As above, some use plastic substrates, some use paper substrates, and some use synthetic substrates. This does not require equipment to meet the glazing of these substrates and achieve the desired effect. In addition, for the polishing liquid, it is water-based, oily, solvent-based and the like. In addition, a new type of coating liquid with special properties has emerged, so the finishing equipment should be able to meet the finishing requirements of these materials, which requires extensive adaptability of the equipment. In addition, for enterprises to require as little equipment and space as possible, complete as many finishing operations as possible to reduce processing and storage costs. Therefore, multi-functional glazing calenders, laminating glazing machines, calendering concave forming machines, glazing die-cutting machines, and the like have appeared one after another.
5. Reliability problem
Reliability is the first consideration for any packaging and printing equipment. The fierce competition in the market requires equipment to be quickly adjusted according to customer's product requirements, replacing different components and mechanisms, and can be easily operated and reliably controlled and operated to improve processing accuracy and high efficiency.
Surface finishing technology has been applied to a variety of non-professional fields. Such as various types of daily necessities, stationery, decorative items, handicrafts, etc., many people use no professional skills, the operation is not as handy as professionals. This requires mature technology and reliable equipment. Reliability is an important guarantee for the extension and penetration of packaging and finishing equipment and technology into other industries and fields.