Xaar reinforced its position as a global leader in industrial inkjet technology as it unveiled its latest whitepaper and delivered two expert presentations on opposite sides of the world. Taking stage at Labelexpo Asia in Shanghai and Packaging Europe’s Digital Print for Packaging (DPP) Conference in Berlin, Xaar showcased how digital inkjet and its Versatex Printbar is a powerful tool for packaging embellishment and accessibility.
Central to both sessions was Xaar’s newly launched whitepaper, titled ‘Implementing braille printing in labelling & packaging with Xaar’s Versatex printbar’, which provides a detailed look at how effective braille printing is enabled by the latest digital inkjet technology.
In Berlin, Neil Cook presenting at DPP, offered an in depth look at how high build varnish embellishment can support variable data printing for blind and partially sighted users. Neil highlighted the opportunity that digital inkjet provides for accessible packaging, an area where legislation, brand expectations and consumer needs are becoming increasingly aligned. He explained how inkjet can apply tactile features with more precision and consistency than analogue methods and emphasised the importance of printhead technologies that handle high viscosity and particle rich varnish formulations with ease.
“Accessible packaging is moving from a niche requirement to an essential part of the brand experience. High build varnish delivered through inkjet provides the accuracy and consistency needed for tactile features while still supporting variable data,” said Neil. “It allows converters to meet both creative and regulatory demands in a single process and demonstrates how digital print can have a meaningful impact on the everyday lives of consumers.”
At Labelexpo Asia, Shawn Feng outlined the challenges converters face when integrating digital capability into analogue lines and showed how the Versatex Printbar provides a ready to use modular solution that reduces development time and cost. From high opacity whites to tactile varnish effects and compliant braille printing, Shawn highlighted the versatility of the platform and its ability to help converters access fast growing premium label markets.
“Converters want to add more value without adding more complexity and that is exactly where digital inkjet is proving its strength. With Versatex we are showing how embellishment and braille can be achieved more flexibly and with far greater control,” said Shawn. “It gives manufacturers a practical way to adopt digital without disrupting their existing workflow and opens the door to premium effects that brands are increasingly asking for.”
The Versatex printbar solves the challenge of producing braille that is both highly readable and fast to print, offering two dedicated modes tailored to different production needs. In High-Build mode, it delivers dot heights of 200µm, rated most comfortable by blind readers, at up to 19m/min, ensuring crisp, well-shaped cells with precise spacing for optimal fingertip recognition.
For higher throughput, High-Speed Mode prints at approximately 22m/min while maintaining compliance with Marburg Medium standards and ISO 17351, producing dots with no compromise on geometry or legibility. Both modes consistently deliver clean, repeatable Braille characters, making Versatex ideal for pharmaceutical, packaging, and labelling applications where accessibility and speed are critical.
To find out more and download the full whitepaper, visit the Xaar website at: www.xaar.com/campaigns/braille-campaign/