While digital printing is making sizable gains in the packaging segment, there are obstacles that still need to be overcome.

By: David Savastano
Editor
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 Source: Xeikon

Digital printing is quickly becoming a leading technology for packaging, particularly in labels and corrugated. However, ink industry leaders say there still is plenty of work to do to bring inkjet into the mainstream in packaging.Paul Edwards, VP of the Digital division at INX International Ink Co., said that when looking outside of corrugated/narrow web and labels, there are challenges that need, and in many cases, are being addressed.

“Packaging applications often address food-related products,” Edwards said. “Thus, ink products face regulatory challenges, and regulations are dependent upon global geography and the packaging materials in question.
 

“For example, some containers are considered barriers to migration and some are not,” Edwards said. “Therefore, ink and coating technology must consider and address these regulatory requirements in terms of achieving indirect food contact status and ensuring factors such as odor are addressed, as well as the potential for migration. This is a significant factor within the world of flexible packaging as the substrates and applications are so many and varied.

Edwards observed that for conventional flexible packaging printing, solvent-based inks are mostly used, which differs from digital printing.“Alternatives such as water and low migration UV/electron beam technologies are also used, but to a lesser extent,” Edwards added. “In digital printing, it is commonly considered that water-based inks are the future for flexible packaging. However, even with water-based inks, you must ensure the components are suitable for indirect food contact.“You also have the technical challenges of providing an ink with good adhesion to the packaging materials. They must work reliably without blocking the inkjet heads and dry as quickly as possible, even though there is much more ink applied in a digital process than conventionally,” Edwards said.

Edwards pointed out that another growing area of interest is digital 2-piece can printing, although in the United States, the aluminum can is considered a barrier
“One does need to consider the potential for the ink on the outside of the can to encounter a consumer’s lips or mouth, as well as the possibility the can’s contents may pass over the image before being consumed,” Edwards said. “UV inks are the ideal choice for this application, but they need to be designed to pass both the regulatory constraints of the region (such as Nestle/Swiss), and the relevant migration tests which are very challenging in this application.

“Overall, there are many other challenges to consider both in the design of the printing system and the inks and coatings,” Edwards concluded. “Companies such as INX are addressing these challenges by providing their customers with technical solutions which will drive digital adoption across these application sectors.”

Christine Russell, VP commercial – USA, FUJIFILM Ink Solutions Group, noted that one challenge is formulating water-based inks for filmic substrates because of the hydrophobic nature of plastics.

“Achieving adhesion involves creating a good chemical interaction with primers, or directly with the substrate,” said Russell. “In addition, as print speeds are being driven higher, inks need to dry faster, so the formulator’s challenge is to create an ink that dries rapidly on the substrate without drying in the printhead, which would compromise performance and could even cause printhead failure. Using Fujifilm’s highly stable pigment dispersions gives formulators the flexibility to work with the diverse range of additives, surfactants and co-solvents required to achieve these properties.”

Russell added that another challenge is when printers want to progress from digital as a complementary process to full substitution of analog print.“Wide-width, high-speed digital print systems involve huge investments, and it is difficult to achieve the same ROI versus high run length established systems. Inkjet robustness is yet to prove itself at that scale,” Russell pointed out. “Fujifilm is working in all areas of inkjet technology to drive progress. In addition, digital often requires a change in workflow, not just the hardware investment. Companies have to make a conscious decision to be digital.”

Danny Mertens, marketing manager, Flint Group Digital, pointed to ink performance (like adhesion or migration), cost of equipment, and regulatory hurdles, adding that some segments are still heavily optimized for analog economics.

Haim Levit, HP’s SVP and division president of HP’s Industrial Print Organization, said that several challenges persist, including:
• Adoption barriers in packaging: While technology has matured, traditional converters may resist change due to capex sensitivity or established analog infrastructure.
• Substrate compatibility and durability: Some packaging formats demand specific coatings or barrier properties not always optimized for digital.
• Workflow integration: For high-volume packaging, digital systems must seamlessly integrate with finishing and logistics operations to realize full benefits.
• Total cost of ownership: While digital offers savings on setup and speed, the per-unit cost on long runs remains higher than flexo or gravure, requiring a clear ROI case.
• Education and ecosystem maturity: More widespread understanding of digital’s capabilities and investment in training and ecosystem partnerships is needed for scale. Communities like Dscoop play a critical role in this effort, fostering learning and collaboration across HP’s 22,000+ member ecosystem.

Simon Daplyn, product & marketing manager, Sun Chemical, noted that one major challenge for adoption of digital printing is the evolving regulatory, compliance and governmental initiatives that drive changes in substrates, inks and fit standards of the final package.

“Particular challenges exist for food printing markets where there is a push to use aqueous inks to meet food contact requirements,” Daplyn said. “These aqueous inks are often printed onto non-porous materials, which presents a challenge for drying and adhesion, alongside chemical compliance.
“In many cases, these challenges can be managed by incorporating primers, coatings or over-print varnishes designed to work with water-based digital inks to deliver the best application performance. As the ink forms part of the final package, it is imperative it can meet each of the brand’s regulatory, design and performance requirements,” he added.

“Another challenge is the impact of sustainability regulations on many base substrates,” Daplyn said. “Substrates have shifted to more eco-friendly materials, like mono-material film in flexible packaging, increased use of fiber-based packaging and emerging materials such as bioplastics and biodegradable or compostable solutions. As these changes meet the market, digital inks must adapt to ensure continued quality performance.”
 

Via:https://www.inkworldmagazine.com/exclusives/the-challenges-ahead-for-digital-printing-packaging/