Save time on short-run printing jobs with an open ink system

Printers who work with presses focused on large-volume repeat print runs are facing challenges.

As brand owners are looking for ways to distinguish themselves from competitors, they want to make products with variation, special effects and designs that stand out on the shelf. Therefore, the demand for shorter run jobs is growing.

This requires a flexible ink solution.

An operator-focused, open ink system on your press can be helpful to meet the demand for short-run printing jobs, and save plenty of time and money 

One advantage of an open ink system compared to a closed one: it’s easier to clean. Not only does an open ink system have less parts, the ink tray also contains pins where you can place the meter roller, making it easier to clean and save time.

Low ink capacity of 250 ml

As said, label converters face an increasing number of short-run print jobs. Therefore, they often need only small amounts of certain Pantone colors. An open ink system has a low ink capacity of 250 ml to 1 liter, which provides the benefit of not wasting ink.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to add larger amounts of other colors. For process colors that are used often, ink pumps can be added allowing operators to use up to 5 liters of ink.

Easy to mix inks

Another advantage of an open ink system is the capability to mix inks, for instance, during test runs with the end customer. The open ink system makes it easy to instantly mix inks or add some to get the right color, so your customer can see the result right away.

Slide out ink drawer

A slide out ink drawer saves the operator a lot of time and is more ergonomically-friendly. They don’t need to lean into the press to change ink -  it’s designed to easily pull out the anilox and ink tray. This provides an easier ink change and saves time during job changes.

Did you know, that it only takes a minute to change a print job? The video below shows how.

All MPS presses can be equipped with a slide out ink drawer. Would you like to know more about our open ink system, or other MPS printing solutions designed for the latest trends in the printing industry? Feel free to contact me or your local MPS representative!