V-Shapes, an innovative supplier of vertically integrated products and services for convenient, hygienic and sustainable single-dose packaging, has announced the launch of the V-Shapes VS dflex nearline reel-to-reel printer for printing the top layer of its unique single-dose sachets that are opened with a single gesture using one hand.

This compact, professional-grade printing system, powered by Memjet DuraFlex, makes it easy to print flexible packaging on site, eliminating the need to outsource printing or to tie up other printing equipment in the plant, especially for shorter runs of customized sachets. VS dflex inks were designed for food packaging and specially formulated for quick drying after printing, allowing the substrate to be ready for use with the V-Shapes ALPHA fill and seal packaging/converting machine. The VS dflex touch screen interface makes it easy for operators to efficiently manage the printing process with minimal training required.

“We have always had an objective of making high-quality printing available for our packaging/converting machines, to meet customer demand for faster time to market, personalization and more,” says Christian Burattini, CEO of V-Shapes. “We accomplished that earlier this year with the integration of the TrojanLabel T2 high volume digital label press into our V-Shapes PRIME single-lane packaging machine, and we have plans to integrate in-line printing into our six-lane ALPHA machine as well. But for those ALPHA machines already in the field or that will be acquired prior to the availability of inline printing, we have developed VS dflex, a more productive reel-to-reel printing solution that makes it easier for packaging converters/fillers to accomplish the complete manufacturing process for our unique single-dose sachets under one roof with a compact footprint. In this configuration, the bottom layer of substrate is printed inline in black only.”

The VS dflex reel-to-reel nearline printer takes advantage of the speed and image quality of Memjet’s DuraFlex multicolor A3+ printhead and water-based pigment inks, along with the advanced features and color management capabilities of the ColorGATE Packaging Productionserver, a RIP and color management solution for industrial packaging printing to deliver high quality, color-accurate printing at 1600 dpi at a speed of up to 27.4 meters per minute (90 feet per minute). It uses certified recyclable substrates, either sourced from industry leader SIHL or with V-Shapes proprietary materials. “Our strategic partnership with SIHL is particularly valuable thanks to the ability to print very high quality with aqueous ink and no pre-treatment on SIHL Artysio laminates,” adds Burattini. “They also have our specific materials stocked in Germany and the US to ensure fast and timely delivery.”