• Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants, so long as it is black.

    Henry Ford

    Back in 2009, we developed the InkBOT - a synthesis of robotic kinematics and digital printing technology. More than 10 years of development work and a multitude of reputable digital printing solutions later, a new technology is created: digital free-form printing. It combines the economic advantages of mass production with the trend of individualization. Today, we support you - from the initial idea to 24/7 production - as a general contractor in taking advantage of the opportunities offered by this unique solution for your company.

Our range of services

Automation and integration of fully automated digital production lines

We build serial production lines for your product by automating existing print machines or by designing value creation chains with an optimal integration of inkjet technology

As a general contractor, we support you in taking full advantage of the benefits offered by inkjet printing technology. We support you from the initial idea by concepts and pre-studies to delivering your 24/7 digital production line. We automate existing printing systems using robotics and integrate them into the process. With robotics as a basis and our know-how in production and logistics, further process steps such as assembly or packaging can be integrated seamlessly and fully automated while still being able to produce individualised products. By working in a value network of competent industry partners, we combine agility with effectiveness and deliver best suiting solution for you.

 

 

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Bespoke machines for industrial printing in 2D, 2.5D and 3D

Our goal: Helping you to create value with inkjet technology! And designing optimal solution by interlinking automation with pre- and post-treatment as well as logistic processes

In the field of bespoke maschines, we represent consistent further development of the entire value chain: from automation, to integration, and to interlinking with pre and post process steps (for example with logistical applications). The unique feature: We can realize highly productive applications for 2D, 2.5D and 3D in industrial inkjet printing. Together we will find the best solution for your specific needs.

Feasibility studies, pre-tests and prototyping

Our clean room of ISO Class 7 with pre-treatment, digital surface printing, and drying along with coating and UV robots provides an excellent environment for feasibility studies to producing near-series prototypes

What do you get when you combine an ISO Class 7 clean room with a pretreatment and printing room, a 6-axis robot with a spray coating or inkjet head, a UV drying robot, a convection oven, and extensive testing equipment with the extensive know-how gained from 12 years of digital printing plant engineering? That's right: Competence center for digital coating. Here, among other things, we can implement full-scale small series production and produce parts ready for installation. The core: a unique high-performance printing machine for 2D, 2.5D, 3D parts. Using this machine, different inks, coatings or other fluids as well as different print-heads can be tested to be applied on freeform-shaped objects up to 1.000mm x 300mm x 150mm

Innovations-Highlight

Digital Coating

The combination of robotics and inkjet with drop-on-demand technology delivers high-quality results even on edges and with complex shapes.

The technology has the advantage that it delivers high-quality results without stretching, even at sharp edges and on complex shapes. Users also profit from the vast applicability: in addition to coatings, colored inks and primers can be applied using the same technology and always with high precision and speed. The digital data set can be modified in milliseconds, enabling to produce varying parts and small batches without set-up costs. The print heads can be arranged in sequence (for multicolor decoration and coating of a component) or placed next to each other (for flexible adjustment of the print width).

Highlights at a glance

Saves resources and energy

No masking required

Rapid process adaption

High profitability through process efficiency

Homogeneous surface coating

High process stability

Innovations-Highlight

Digital freeform printing

Based on a digital print data set, even complex surfaces can be decorated and/or coated directly in digital printing at industry-standard speed and quality

For example, this can be individual decorations with logos in the interior of a car or operating panels of washing machines in different languages. Not only the materials to be printed are variable, also the coating ink can vary in a vast range. Conductive digital printing inks, for example, will fundamentally change how electronics are manufactured in the future. Functional inks for sensors, circuits, and batteries – all can be printed on suitable substrates. These inks can conduct electricity, store data, insulate, change colors and states, or emit light. Industrial free-form digital printing can open up entirely new market access and sales channels.

Highlights at a glance

flexibility

highly digitised process

high precision

individualised production at mass production costs

Your benefits

Flexibility
Elimination of physical printing forms, reduced geometry and low volume dependency due to low fixed costs and optimized warehousing, digital process chain with rapid response and short distribution channels, "just-in-sequence" finishing
Process integration
Precise and partial finish without overspray as well as integration of the following process steps: primer as pretreatment, single- and multicolor decors, haptic decors, varnish as posttreatment, functionalization
Quality
Reduction of geometric limits regarding edge areas, reduction of reject due to elimination of tinsel formation and low run-in process, high precision based on improved edge sharpness
Sustainability
Elimination of transfer foils (compared to in-mold labeling) and therefore less use of resources and foil waste, reduction of operating materials and chemical use, upcycling of components
Brochure Digital Coating
E-mail
Phone
You have a specific request or need further informations?
Please do not hesitate to contact us - whatever you need, we will be glad to help you.
Your contact person:
Dr.-Ing. Tim Spiering
E-mail: robotics@fpt.de
Phone: +49 7520 9513-0
Mo. - Fr.: 8.30am - 4.30pm