KBA and Vinfoil develop compact cold foil system

Koenig & Bauer (KBA) and Vinfoil have developed a trimmed down version of the ColdFoil Infigo SF110 module already used in the German press manufacturer’s sheet-fed offset press range in order to facilitate cost-effective packaging decoration.

The Micro SF110 GF has been conceived as a simple-to-handle, compact alternative for high-quality foil transfer, with which the growing demand for stylish product refinement can also be satisfied by users on a tighter budget.

KBA and Vinfoil said that the market for gloss foil transfer is growing, with more and more brand owners looking to use finishes and effects, such as metallic, to achieve an exclusive appearance, while the ability to produce such results in-line using an offset press is ‘more efficient and cost effective’.

The duo said that the ColdFoil Infigo SF110 module has been an integral part of the KBA sheet-fed offset product range for a number of years, and is already by print companies all over the world. Packaging printers all over the world have integrated modules as part of their Rapida sheet-fed offset presses to realize high-quality foil applications in-line, KBA said. It added that many are using the system on a daily basis, and at printing speeds up to 18,000sph.

However, it is now aiming to serve the market for printers who would like to offer gloss foil transfer, but do not have enough corresponding jobs to work with cold foil every day. As such, the Micro SF110 GF is intended for printers whose job structures require occasional production with cold foil refinement.

To achieve this goal, the Micro SF110 GF module has been designed as a compacter, space-saving version of the ColdFoil Infigo SF110 but to offer the same quality, robustness and reliability.

This includes the positioning of the foil reels, up to 10,000m, above the printing units (pictured, below) , and the ability to run at the production speed of the Rapida press platform.  

Lightweight tensioning and friction shafts are driven by a servo motor selected specifically for the Micro SF110 GF, which permits exact synchronization of the foil web to the running speed of the press.

Rapida presses with the ColdFoil Micro SF110 GF module are also fitted with a crane for handling of the full and empty reels (pictured, below).

Vincent van der Heijden, the founding father of manufacturer Vinfoil, said: ‘We are naturally using certain proven elements of the Infigo in the Micro version, but the Micro is otherwise a new development from the ground up.’

KBA’s Johannes Naumann said: ‘We have been working with Vinfoil for many years. The cold foil systems meet and even exceed our expectations with regard to speed and performance.

‘KBA has a very strong standing on the packaging market. With the new compact system, we are able to offer our users real added value – an extremely modern, high-performance cold foil system.’

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