Combination Printing: Revolutionizing Labels with Diverse Techniques & Enhanced Security

Release Date： 2024-06-02 19:12:58 View Count： 0

Combination printing technology, which combines two or more printing methods and post-printing processes into a streamlined production line to complete multiple printing and finishing operations in one pass on paper (or plastic film) substrates, initially found application in the printing of banknotes, securities, and lottery tickets, enhancing replication difficulty and anti-counterfeiting capabilities. After three decades of practice and exploration, its application in labeling has become increasingly sophisticated and is currently undergoing rapid global expansion within the label printing market.

From a technical combination perspective, the rapid development of various printing technologies such as flexo, offset, letterpress, and gravure has led to an increasingly diverse array of combination printing methodologies. Common configurations include flexo + screen printing, flexo + gravure, flexo + offset, flexo + letterpress, letterpress + screen printing, and flexo + offset. Additionally, when combined with post-printing processes, configurations may involve any printing method paired with hot or cold foil stamping, lamination, embossing/debossing, die-cutting, etc., or dual printing processes followed by finishing processes. This versatility in combination printing methodologies ultimately stems from printing equipment suppliers' extensive exploration into modular design, reducing barriers between different units and overcoming past challenges such as synchronization issues now resolved through electronic servo control and high failure rates mitigated by component upgrades.

Domestically, several printing equipment manufacturers have introduced mature, versatile, and advanced label combination printing machines. Notably, at the 2023 All in Print exhibition, Zhongjing Printing Machinery debuted its JDSC 420 Transcend Series flagship combination press, featuring a modular, unit-based configuration suitable for 2 to 10 colors. The machine operates with shaftless drive, automatic registration, and pre-register systems, allowing each unit to select between flexo, offset, screen, or cold foil processes. A standout feature is the addition of a push-in flexo unit, enabling positions for flexographic printing between any units and sharing a single flexo head for cost efficiency and flexible process application. Zhejiang Zhongte, with its SMART-420/560/680 multi-functional web-fed presses, facilitates interchangeable flexo and offset printing for 4 to 12 colors and includes a mobile cold foil unit adaptable to any position based on job requirements. Significantly, more and more suppliers are offering scalable combination printing equipment with expandable hardware (color stations and functional modules) and software, enabling label printers to adapt and upgrade as their business evolves, minimizing costs and broadening their service scope with versatile, competitive machinery.

From a product application standpoint, the diversity of combination printing techniques enriches China's label printing landscape, aligning with the domestic market's demand for premium and intricate labels. For instance, high-end daily chemical and bath product labels often integrate relief, flexo, screen, ink anti-counterfeiting, texture anti-counterfeiting, and QR code security features in a seamless online process, enhancing aesthetics while reinforcing anti-counterfeit measures. Wine anti-counterfeiting labels leverage combination printing to combine relief, flexo, screen, variable data, hot stamping, guilloche patterns, and microtext printing techniques for robust anti-counterfeiting effects.

While the promotion of combination printing technology still grapples with issues such as high equipment costs, ink compatibility challenges, the need for skilled operators, and standardization, the future of the label printing market is undeniably headed towards diversified needs, premium quality, refinement, and enhanced anti-counterfeiting. With ongoing refinement of combination printing techniques, leveraging their complementary strengths, the sector is poised to unleash greater competitive vitality.

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