The new OnyxRACE CI flexo press by Uteco not only offers peak performance and compact robustness but also offers maximum sustainability.
Following the successful 2022 launch of its forerunner, OnyxGO, Uteco is set to wow the market once again in early 2024 with the debut of its new CI flexo press for medium to long runs: OnyxRACE. This launch marks another leap forward in Uteco’s vision for a future of printing characterized by innovation, sustainability and superior performances.
Most sustainable with ESG oriented technologies
Alongside productivity, sustainability has now established itself as a crucial aspect globally. Uteco is committed to implement ESG-oriented features in its products in consideration of both environmental and social issues.
Equipped with Active Pack technologies for energy savings and consumable materials consumption reduction, and Dynamic Pack features designed for the operators’ safety, OnyxRACE is committed to maximize both sustainability and ease of use. Active Pack consists of Active Dry, Active Ink, and Active Start: with these technologies, Uteco’s customers can achieve energy consumption savings of up to 50 percent, reducing operational costs and improving the sustainability of the printing process.
- Active Start reduces machine start-up times, improving the efficiency of the production process. Active Start requires less than three minutes for automatic pressure and register setup, minimizing material waste and generating just 8 metres of wastes at each start-up.
- Active Dry reduces the amount of energy required to dry the ink, up to 50%, adjusting the drying power according to the printing characteristics and ink coverage detected on each printing unit, further increasing energy efficiency.
- Active Ink reduces solvent consumption at each washing cycle up to 40% thanks to new positioning of the inking stations and optimized piping circuits. Moreover, it reduces inking pumps’ energy consumption by up to 60% by optimizing the inking pumps’ cycles, according to the ink coverage of each station detected by Active Start.
Together, these technologies can help save up to 300,000 euros per year, making the investment in a machine equipped with Active Pack extremely cost effective.
Most compact and robust
OnyxRACE is available in different configurations, with 8 or 10 colours and printing repeat of 850 mm or 1200 mm. Its max printing speed of 600 m/min makes it ideal for medium and long runs. With an extremely reduced operational space and a total footprint of less than 80 sqm, OnyxRACE optimizes the space inside the plant. In the fast-paced world of printing technology, where innovation is relentless and demands are ever evolving, the concept of “value over time” stands as the cornerstone of OnyxRACE’s design philosophy. From the ground up, every component is meticulously crafted to not just meet the immediate needs of today’s dynamic industries but to increase durability over time. In this respect, the Bounce Void technology contributes to the robustness of OnyxRACE by fully controlling vibrations during the printing process; this design not only ensures a consistently exceptional print quality but also significantly extends the machine’s lifespan.
A most versatile design
Supporting various substrates and inks, OnyxRACE can be configured with special kits for specific applications. This includes the Water based kit; the Water and Solvent based kit, for combining both water and solvent based printing; the Paper & Cardboard kit for tensioning adjustment and web threading mechanism designed to menage heavy materials; the Tropicalization kit for cooling systems and substrates treatment adjustment to manage production sites set in warm areas; the Aluminium kit, to treat aluminium substrates; and the Altitude Kit, an advanced system designed to enhance the performance and safety of electrical panels operating at high altitudes.
The OnyxRACE is an extremely adaptable machine concept that can be optionally extended with Downstream
Printing Units (DSU). These DSU, such as the DSU types Roto, Flexo and Hybrid Roto+Flexo, offer a wide range of finishing options
Additional downstream units (DSU)
In the ever-evolving landscape of printing technology, OnyxRACE is not merely a printing machine but a customizable powerhouse that opens doors to a myriad of applications and specialized substrates. Its downstream features include Uteco’s most effective DSU types of Roto, Flexo and Hybrid Roto+Flexo, to achieve diverse finishes ranging from functional coatings like lacquering/ OPV, anti-scratch/scuff coating, barrier varnish and anti friction varnish; embellishment coatings like matt or glossy finishes, soft or paper Touch, spot UV varnish or rough paint; and adhesives for cold or hot seal applications.
A maximum degree of automation
SleeveBOT is a fast-moving, state-of-the-art robot for automatic sleeve changeovers, offering high-quality automation for safety and repetition. The system is equipped with Uteco’s patented gripper system allowing full adaptability to any sleeve size and, thanks to its Robotics Automation Technology, ensuring process quality, robustness, and repeatability regardless of the operators’ skills. SleeveBOT supports a safe working environment, as it is not necessary to handle heavy sleeves on elevated platform from high above ground position. Most easy and safe to operate OnyxGO already offered incredibly innovative features, such as the Dynamic Cockpit, set to manage the whole machine from a floating HMI, adjustable according to the operators’ height, and the Dynamic Drying Boxes, toolless and fully removable to facilitate the CI Drum cleaning. In addition to this, OnyxRACE is also provided with the Dynamic Pack, further expanding these innovations with several new features:
- Dynamic Tension automatically identifies the correct tension for the material in use.
- Dynamic Pressure Roller applies the sleeve on the pressure roller, making it easily replaceable in less than one minute and accessible for safe and impeccable cleanings.
- Dynamic Web Threading allows to automatically thread the web throughout the whole machine, from unwinder to rewinder with central drum included, without manual operations.
- Dynamic Doctor Blade optimizes the ink flow thanks to dynamic dumpers positioned on the sides of the doctor blade. The crossbar stays on the machine, but it can be removed for cleaning or maintenance purposes.
- Dynamic Door opens the doors to the printing unit automatically. The system is simple and safe, being activated by sliding the foot on the bottom of the doors.
Redefining the limits of flexo CI printing
With OnyxRACE, Uteco redefines the limits of flexo CI printing, offering a ground-breaking product in terms of speed, sustainability, compactness, robustness, versatility, and automation. Uteco is ready to shape the future of printing, one step at a time, guided by the vision of a more sustainable and innovative industry.
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