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Digital printing is transforming the European laminate flooring industry Increased flexibility with reliable quality
“Those who invented laminate can reinvent it over and over again” – this is the positive, confident motto used by the players in the EPLF, the Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring. For four decades, they have constantly combined modern technologies with creative ideas in order to develop new generations of laminate that are superior to their predecessors in every case. And now, digital printing is proving to be a major innovation driver for the European flooring industry and its suppliers.
Ever since the first laminate floor covering was developed by a Swedish
company in 1977, European specialists have consistently provided key
impetus for innovation. They have gained huge experience over four
decades and this has helped them to follow new paths and to make
each new generation of product a little better than the one before. On
more than one occasion, the use of innovative print technology has
driven major advances in the development of laminate flooring.
The first directly-coated laminate flooring (DPL, Direct Pressure
Laminate) entered the German market at the end of the 1980s. This
nudged laminate flooring products out of the high price bracket, making
them more affordable for everyone. The excellent value for money
secured a global triumph for European laminate and was also the reason
why manufacturers increasingly became involved with this flooring and
were able to continue developments.
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Anke WöhlerPH MEYERWirtschaftsberatungGmbH & Co. KGMittelstrasse 50 33602 Bielefeld, GermanyTel: +49 521 96533 39Fax: +49 521 96533 11Email: [email protected]
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The surface appearance of European laminate floors experienced a
significant leap in quality in the 2000s when synchronous pore printing
(EIR, or Embossed In Register) was developed. While DPL laminates
still had a relatively smooth surface, their realistic appearance and
tangible feel improved their sensory impression; the wood textures and
realistic “V” grooves heightened the feel of real wood. As a result,
European laminate became the master of the rustic furnishing style. Tile
effects, which were becoming increasingly popular, also became more
realistic through the use of synchronous pore printing.
A few years later, indirect gravure printing (i.e. direct printing) came into
use as a quick production process for high-quality multi-colour printing.
For the first time, the decorative surface could be applied directly to the
HDF core using four-colour printing – without the use of decorative
paper. This had the effect of bringing more warmth to the surfaces of the
boards and a new level of authenticity to its look and feel, whilst
reducing the electrical surface resistance. At the same time, this
innovative printing technique meant that long plank dimensions could be
produced whilst avoiding pattern repeats. The attractive wood effects
with their natural colouring and textures could be shown to their best
advantage on these generously-sized planks. Laminate collections were
thus enhanced and offered even greater scope for interior design.
The digital revolution is in full swing
The flooring industry is currently experiencing another technological
boost: the digital revolution is covering all aspects of the development,
production and marketing of laminate, and changing them forever. This
poses new challenges for every player in the field, as the implications of
Contact for press enquiries:
Anke WöhlerPH MEYERWirtschaftsberatungGmbH & Co. KGMittelstrasse 50 33602 Bielefeld, GermanyTel: +49 521 96533 39Fax: +49 521 96533 11Email: [email protected]
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digital printing extend far beyond mere technical implementation. The
potential switch from centralised to decentralised production could result
in ideas for new sales and business models. The skill and expertise of
decor printing companies gained from gravure printing will remain crucial
for digital printing, because their in-depth knowledge will ensure that
digital decor print files will meet the high quality standards required for
print image and colour rendering.
Pattern repeats are a thing of the past
Modern digital printing presses are highly-efficient production systems
with a capability that holds interest for an increasing number of
applications and markets. The advantages of this technology are well-
known: the printing systems receive the necessary data directly from the
computer – without taking a circuitous route via unchangeable printing
plates or impression cylinders. Digital data transfer increases flexibility
throughout the entire process of laminate floor production. It means less
investment in cylinders, reduced make-ready times and minimal storage
costs. Producing new designs digitally significantly reduces the time it
takes to bring products to market. Digital printing enables the speedy
changeover of decor patterns, a quicker reaction to customer requests
and prompt implementation of new decor concepts – for customised
mass production as well as small batches.
By introducing industrial digital printing in their laminate flooring
production, European producers and their suppliers are setting new
standards. It’s thanks to digital printing that “endless decors” can be
manufactured for the laminate industry. Whereas previously the
diameter of the impression cylinder (usually 1,370 mm) determined the
Contact for press enquiries:
Anke WöhlerPH MEYERWirtschaftsberatungGmbH & Co. KGMittelstrasse 50 33602 Bielefeld, GermanyTel: +49 521 96533 39Fax: +49 521 96533 11Email: [email protected]
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repeat length, it is now possible to make decors with extra-long repeats
up to 6,000 mm – that’s a quarter of the number of repeats, a perfect
solution for true-to-nature decor effects and broad planks.
A greater variety of products is possible due to a free choice of sizes and
the far greater choice of colour variations within the collections. The
visual appearance and feel of the surfaces can be varied further by
using textured 3D surfaces or “fully synchronised pores”. In the supply
sector, profile manufacturers have obviously been taking advantage of
digital technology for some time now when printing customer-specific
decors on various core materials such as wood, plastic and aluminium.
Different concepts all leading to one goal
For several years, decor printing companies, machine builders and
flooring manufacturers have been working flat out on a variety of
concepts to develop industrial digital printing for the flooring industry.
One of their objectives for the future is to offer the entire range of
gravure print decors digitally. When creating digital decors, some
companies rely on colour pigments also used in gravure printing, to
ensure adjustability in the classic printing process and potentially avoid
metamerism, when colour effects vary depending on the light conditions.
Representing certain effect colours such as opaque white, gold, mother
of pearl and glitter is still problematic; due to the larger pigment particles,
these cannot be produced on digital printing lines at the present time.
Up to now, printing digitally on paper resulted in a relatively limited
colour space, when standard decor papers are used. Admittedly, special
inkjet papers allow for more colours but they are much more expensive.
Contact for press enquiries:
Anke WöhlerPH MEYERWirtschaftsberatungGmbH & Co. KGMittelstrasse 50 33602 Bielefeld, GermanyTel: +49 521 96533 39Fax: +49 521 96533 11Email: [email protected]
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Some digital printing lines don’t use paper, however, and the inks are
printed directly on the pre-treated HDF boards. Each of these methods
has its own challenges and poses increasingly tricky problems for
system designers, which take patience and the relevant expertise to
resolve.
As a general principle, it is also important with digital printing to ensure
that the decor papers and colours have good impregnability; after all, the
laminate product will need to comply with all standard requirements at a
later stage – still a difficult task in practical terms.
Integration into the production processes
A major factor when evaluating the economic viability of digital printing
systems is the cost of the print heads and special inks. Up to now, print
heads have made up around one third of the cost of a digital printing
unit. Equally crucial factors are the print speed attainable and the
reliability of the inspection systems for real-time error detection and
correction. One fundamental requirement is that digitally printed decor
papers must be capable of being processed seamlessly within the value
added chain. If, for example, it continues to be feasible to print
conventional print base papers reel-to-reel within the digital printing
process, the next production stages of impregnation and pressing can
be carried out exactly as for classic gravure. The machine should also
allow for problem-free switching between the various print processes, so
that subsequent orders can be executed reliably without much time and
effort needed for changeovers.
Contact for press enquiries:
Anke WöhlerPH MEYERWirtschaftsberatungGmbH & Co. KGMittelstrasse 50 33602 Bielefeld, GermanyTel: +49 521 96533 39Fax: +49 521 96533 11Email: [email protected]
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New techniques for reproducing texture
Three-dimensional surface structures can also be achieved with digitally
printed decors, for the most part using analogue processes. As an
alternative to the classic melamine coating system, a new, compressible
UV lacquer coating system has recently been developed which uses the
laminate producer’s existing press plates. The digitally printed core
boards are treated with a wet lacquer film and are then transported
directly into a high-speed press with press plates to give them the
required texture. Immediately after the pressing process, the surface
structure is fully cured within a very short time using a conventional UV
lamp. After cooling, the plates can immediately be used for further
processing. System designers have pointed out that surfaces produced
in this way have a warmer feel and have superior impact and footfall
sound properties compared with conventional melamine surfaces, and
that they are very resistant to scratches, scuffing and chemicals.
Another newly-developed concept combines industrial digital printing of
decors with digitally-produced synchronous decor textures (EIR, or
Embossed In Register).With the Digital Lacquer Embossing (DLE)
technique, a single-pass digital printing system prints a transparent liquid
medium on a layer of UV lacquer that is not fully cured. The required
textures are produced with the aid of physical and chemical reactions.
These 3D lacquer surfaces comply with the existing quality requirements
for textured surfaces in terms of hardness, bonding and scratch-
resistance.
Contact for press enquiries:
Anke WöhlerPH MEYERWirtschaftsberatungGmbH & Co. KGMittelstrasse 50 33602 Bielefeld, GermanyTel: +49 521 96533 39Fax: +49 521 96533 11Email: [email protected]
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So what will become of gravure printing?
Digital printing for laminate floor production is evolving and making
significant advances. That’s why the experts at the EPLF are confident
that this technique will be a key determining factor in the flooring sector
for the immediate future, although it seems rather unlikely that digital
printing will ever completely replace classic gravure printing. The two
technologies can satisfy different requirements and sales channels, so
they are more likely to exist side by side for the foreseeable future. What
is evident is that digital printing extends printing capabilities. So rather
than becoming an outright substitute for gravure printing in the laminate
sector, it has the potential to be used as an innovative basis for new,
future-proofed product concepts.
www.eplf.com
ImagesImage captionselnd1707_b1:
In 2015, the Interprint Group was the first company in the world to print decorative paper digitally. – Photo: Interprint
Contact for press enquiries:
Anke WöhlerPH MEYERWirtschaftsberatungGmbH & Co. KGMittelstrasse 50 33602 Bielefeld, GermanyTel: +49 521 96533 39Fax: +49 521 96533 11Email: [email protected]
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elnd1707_b2:
As well as printing on decorative paper and foil, there are machines for digital decor printing directly onto the board material. – Photo: Hymmen
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With a single pass line, digital printing inks are applied in one pass. Exact calibration of the print heads gives a perfect printed decor result. – Photo: Balterio, premium brand by UNILIN
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The digital printing process enables new and creative design concepts to be put into practice, such as decors with an optical mix of materials. – Photo: Schattdecor
Contact for press enquiries:
Anke WöhlerPH MEYERWirtschaftsberatungGmbH & Co. KGMittelstrasse 50 33602 Bielefeld, GermanyTel: +49 521 96533 39Fax: +49 521 96533 11Email: [email protected]
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elnd1707_b5:
With the introduction of industrial digital printing, European laminate producers are setting new benchmarks in flooring manufacture. – Photo: Classen
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A particularly colourful digital decor: increased versatility in laminate design. – Photo: Parador
elnd1707_b7:
Interplay of impressions – a digital interpretation: traditional Portuguese cement tiles, known as azulejos, were the inspiration for this decor. – Photo: Surteco
Contact for press enquiries:
Anke WöhlerPH MEYERWirtschaftsberatungGmbH & Co. KGMittelstrasse 50 33602 Bielefeld, GermanyTel: +49 521 96533 39Fax: +49 521 96533 11Email: [email protected]
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elnd1707_b8:
Custom-designed digital print laminate floors are also available in high gloss. – Photo: Kaindl