Based on the Development of Cigarette Packaging to Improve Gravitational Marking Coping Ability (Part 2)

Second, rely on technological innovation, improve response capacity

The gravure printing process has its unique advantages in the processing of cigarette labels, but it also has significant limitations. This is an indisputable fact. It is suitable for long-term products, not for multi-species, small-batch orders; suitable for printing of conventional inks and metallic inks, but not for printing of large-size inks. Therefore, increasing the applicability of gravure printing to materials is an important way to broaden the advantages of gravure printing. In recent years, we closely follow the pace of tobacco integration, seize brand concentration, increase the output of single brand, achieve the favorable opportunity of large-scale production, rely on technological innovation, increase the length of “g”, and strive to expand the adaptability of intaglio printing. Improve the production efficiency of cigarette labels and actively respond to the development trend of cigarette packaging.

1. Rely on joint research to broaden the advantages of gravure

In view of the limitations of gravure printing, in 2002 we conducted continuous gravure printing tests on the effects of some screen processes and achieved remarkable results.

Large pearl printing, the original screen process expertise. Due to the limitations of gravure plate number, channel control, printing coverage, leveling effect, and drying form, unit gravure printing has been difficult to effectively get involved. However, due to the efficiency of screen printing, it has been unable to meet the needs of large brands of cigarette factories. We aimed at this “bottleneck” and joint efforts with Qingdao Yuncheng plate making company. After dozens of trials, we achieved 60-120μm pearlescent on-line gravure printing equivalent screen effect, and screen-printed Qingdao cigarette factory in a southern enterprise. "Fragrance Hadmen" has achieved gravure online production so far, the annual output of 200,000 large boxes.

In 2003 we applied this technology to the printing of "80 Hadmen" cigarette labels. Due to the color matching of the cigarette label, the range in which the amount of pearl ink is allowed to vary is very narrow. In the early days of printing, there was a high scrap rate, a lower number of printing revolutions, unstable production, and tight supply. In response to this situation, we organized timely joint venture groups such as Qingdao Yuncheng Platemaking Co., Ltd., Shanghai Hemao Co., Ltd., and Qingdao Shuncheng Co., Ltd. to comprehensively improve the printing plate, scraper, paper, bead oil, and printing process. Get very good results. This year, the supply volume is about 200,000 large boxes. It can be said that gravure large grain pearlescent printing process is a major printing feature of Qingdao Lima Dun Packaging Co., Ltd.

2. Increase technology research and development to enhance the effect of printed products

With the integration of grades, in the case where the output of the four types of cigarettes has increased and the profitability is not high, we have improved the sensory quality of the gravure labels, that is, without changing the substrates, reducing the cost of supporting materials, and allowing low-grade tobacco trademarks. There are middle and high-grade effects as our focus.

At present, one of the common problems in the gravure marking is that, when the metallic ink (gold or silver) is primed, when the other color ink is printed, there is a problem that the color ink adheres badly to the metallic ink. When the cigarette is packaged, the bottom corner of the soft pack is whitened. In severe cases, the ink will fall off with the film when the gold pull wire is disassembled.

To solve this problem, most printing companies need to import related products from abroad. The price is expensive, and the printing brightness of smoke labels is general. In order to solve this problem, our research group has continuously developed a set of combination formulas through continuous experiments, and the printing effect is very significant. The printing effect on gray-white board paper and coated paper is close to UV glazing, and the indexes of flexibility, folding resistance, solvent residue and adhesion are greatly improved, exceeding the printing effect of imported products.

3. Improve process details and increase production efficiency

With the expansion of the production of gravure markings, the contradiction of insufficient processing capacity has become increasingly prominent. If you purchase equipment, the first cycle is too long, and the second is to increase manufacturing costs. Perfecting the details of the process, tapping the potential of the equipment, and increasing the production efficiency are also an urgent issue before us.

To accomplish this task, we set up several topics, organized separately, and proceeded synchronously:

● Gravure printing group:

- Printing plate: In close cooperation with Qingdao Yuncheng Plate Making Co., Ltd., all improvements were made in terms of machining accuracy, interval diameter increment control, and 1° chamfering.
- Paper: Intensified inspection of physical and chemical indicators for storage, and made clear provisions for paper production sequences.
——Circular press cutter: Actively communicate with manufacturers to improve the inspection standards for imported tool assembly.

Through a series of scientific and meticulous work, the efficiency of our gravure printing equipment has been greatly improved: BOBST's DR55 line bumps and die-cuts produce “Fragrance Hadmen” at speeds of up to 240 m/min, more than in the past. Increased 15%; Shangbang NL650 used our self-researched combination formula to produce "Ruyi Hadmen" printing speed has reached 127 meters / min, production efficiency than the original increase of 44%.

● Hot set:

- Positioning hot: Through the joint research with the laborers of HG Image, the surface pore water permeability of the water-based varnish and the hot-scalability of the hot-melt adhesive were improved respectively, and good results were obtained. The speed of positioning hot, which was originally performed on large grain pearls, was increased from 3,200 sheets/hour (ten edition) to 6,200 to 6,500 sheets/hour, and the efficiency was improved by 100%.

- Plain hot: Under the support of Tianjin Youheng Company, we made some adjustments on the company's hot stamping machine so that the surface hot speed reached 6000 sheets/hour, which exceeded the maximum hot stamping speed of the equipment of 5,500 sheets/hour.

After our continuous improvement in the details of the process, the potential of the equipment has been greatly brought into play. According to the latest forecast, Qingdao Lima Dun’s acquisition plan for large-scale printing equipment can be postponed for two years. This provides the ultimate cost control.

Third, actively carry out anti-counterfeiting of smoke labels, looking forward to new anti-counterfeiting technology

As Qingdao Lima Dun Company is a professional cigarette label printing company mainly engaged in gravure printing, it has experienced the national tobacco labeling process for 10 years. In the past 10 years, we have adopted various anti-counterfeiting measures on different cigarette labels in many tobacco factories, such as:

Anti-counterfeit design patterns: optical color pattern effect and so on.

Combination printing processing anti-counterfeiting: the same kind of cigarette labeling uses gravure, offset printing, silk screen, bronzing and other combination production processes.

Printing materials anti-counterfeiting: The use of positioning laser pattern paper, a variety of light, special ink temperature changes.

Special anti-counterfeiting after-printing process: positioning hot stamping, plate pattern hot stamping, two-dimensional embossing and so on.

At the beginning of the use of these technologies, it could indeed create bright spots and give consumers a refreshing feeling, which played a good role in protecting and promoting the brand. However, over time, these technologies have largely shifted from anti-counterfeiting to decorative. Once these anti-counterfeiting measures are adopted, they will be difficult to replace, resulting in a situation in which manufacturing costs remain high. This has brought great helplessness to our tobacco label printing companies.

Below, combined with work experience, discuss the personal views and suggestions on the status of anti-counterfeiting of tobacco labels.

1. The effectiveness of anti-counterfeiting materials should be questioned. Due to the widespread popularity of anti-counterfeiting technology and materials, coupled with the drive of economic interests, many anti-counterfeiting materials are widely sold. Anti-counterfeiting materials are available to everyone, which facilitates our production and provides conditions for counterfeiters. If these are low-grade anti-counterfeiting materials that are widely used and understandable, there are still obvious problems with newer technologies, such as: molded laser rainbow holographic technology. This technology can reflect the dazzling three-dimensional appearance in products. Patterns, different angles can have different effects, it can be said that there is a good anti-counterfeiting effect. But now there are many units that can produce molded plates to undertake business externally. The procedures are extremely irregular, and the laser patterns we use can be easily copied without encryption. Although the effects are slightly different, due to the holographic rainbow glory Uncertainty, so that ordinary consumers can not distinguish between authenticity.

2. The variability of the anti-counterfeiting of the combined printing process will result in the instability of the product quality and increase the cost of anti-counterfeiting. At present, the more fashionable is the combined printing of smoke labels, which takes multiple processes, multiple processes, and superimposed printing, and is repeated. The more complex the process is, the more people can't copy it. In fact, this is a misunderstanding. Moderate process changes are justified, but too complicated will enqueue them. Because each process, each process has its reasonable consumption and error, consumption superposition, error accumulation, not only the cost up, and the quality of printed products can not be guaranteed. Proofing is very beautiful, but the scale of production is more error. The same batch of cigarettes produced in the same batch, in the color difference, overlay accuracy and other aspects of change, which also creates a lot of space for counterfeiters, the final product may appear true and false indifferent situation.

3. The professionalism of pattern design anti-counterfeiting has limited public security. Numerous pre-press anti-counterfeiting specialities are too strong for ordinary consumers to identify.

At present, this kind of anti-counterfeiting situation is discussed from the perspective of cigarette label printing: First, the equipment of our tobacco label printing enterprises is not a professional anti-counterfeiting printing equipment, and extreme printing may lead to a decrease in the effect and a rising cost; second, the first-line anti-counterfeiting technology lags behind, and the market operates. irregular. Our regular producers and counterfeiters use almost the same technology, making it difficult for consumers to discern; Third, second-line anti-counterfeiting technology must be used to identify professional tools, too cumbersome, difficult to promote, there is no indication of sexuality; Fourth, the high degree of pursuing cigarette bag security, It may lead to the development of luxury products and artwork, which may cause excessive packaging.

In packaging and printing, it is feasible to use existing equipment and technical means to achieve supplementary security. However, after all, we are not a security printing company. The stacking of existing anti-counterfeiting measures will not produce qualitative changes. Therefore, it is recommended that cigarette anti-counterfeiting can be considered as a separate packaging accessory, just like cigarette labels, gold wires, and films, and they are independent and prominent. Such as foreign stamp tax security, both intuitive and professional. Let the smoke