With the package coding industry becoming ever-competitive and specialized, it is important to examine all methods to discern what is best for your business. Toward this end, computer generated stencil printing is a method that should not be overlooked. Here we’ve provided an overview of what computer generated stencil printing can do, basic capabilities of this type of equipment, and costs to help you determine if this method will help realize your package printing objectives.
What is Computer Generated Stencil Printing? This is a printing process that takes a computer image, transfers that image to a film, and creates a stencil of that image on the film. The substrate used is primarily corrugated cases, which is moved between a print cylinder and an impression roller in order to transfer the image onto this substrate. The process of burning a stencil and mounting it on the cylinder takes less than seven minutes. Clean-up and maintenance is easy and waste is reduced.
What Does it Work Best For?
- This is an ideal process in terms of cost savings versus using pre-printed corrugated cases, kraft bags, or labels, especially if these labels are then added by hand.
- It is good for short print runs or frequently changing projects, including contract packaging or private labeling, found in an in-demand print environment.
What Type of Capabilities Does it Offer?
- With the help of a re-stacker, this process can print two case panels at the same time.
- Thanks to the integration of an inkjet coder, the system can accommodate variable coding.
- The speed averages 60 cases per minute while the stencil film can last through approximately 5,000 impressions.
- With the assistance of an automatic bundle inverter/inserter and a second printing system, faster production times can be achieved.
How Much Does it Cost? The costs vary with equipment costs for full carton printing, ranging from $39,000 to $70,000 while the operating costs for two-panel printing are $0.02 per case, on average. In Summary The main points in this blog post are:
- Computer Generated Stencil Printing transfers a computer image onto a film to create a stencil that is then applied and re-applied to substrates that are primarily corrugated cases.
- This is an ideal process in terms of cost savings versus using pre-printed corrugated cases, kraft bags, or labels, especially if these labels are then added by hand.
- The capabilities of the process can be enhanced by other equipment with the stencil printing, including a re-stacker, inkjet coder, and/or an automatic bundle inverter/inserter and secondary printing system.
- Costs vary, depending on the functionality needed.
