IPT digital recently converted its first Mark Andy 2200 series printing press, turning the standard printing platform into a hybrid digital/flexo machine. The company has already completed multiple installations of its JFlex870 digital conversion system on other types of presses, including Aquaflex, Comco and Nilpeter machines.

“From the beginning, our vision was to design a universal mounting platform so we could install the JFlex digital ink jet system on all sorts of different lines of presses,” says Peter Kuschnitzky, president of IPT digital. “The addition of the Mark Andy line to our list of installed machines confirms this innovative and cost-effective concept.”

From un-crating to print test, the installation of the JFlex870 took only 1½ days followed by 3½ days for training, maintenance and rip operation. Thanks to the universal mounting platform, the only modification required was an adjustment to the Mark Andy’s mounting brackets. This significantly reduced engineering time and costs to the customer who was quickly up and running labels on a newly-transformed hybrid digital/flexo machine.

Engineered and manufactured by RDP Marathon of Montreal, the JFlex system on the Mark Andy also features the latest firmware allowing for installation of a new totally integrated variable data package. The Variegator VDP provides support for over 40 bar codes including 2D bar codes, imports data from industry standard CSV format, includes auto number features and much more.

The JFlex870, a high speed 225 fpm, high resolution 1600 x 1375 dpi digital ink jet system, mounts onto an existing press platform and requires no direct electrical connection. An encoder reads the speed of the press and a gap sensor, after the diecutting station, insures print to die register. The system comes standard with a computer cabinet to house all computer and data flow aspects and the only requirement is to allow the JFlex system access to a customers’ network to download print files.