Rarely discussed at technical conferences on packaging and labels, inkjet Braille printing was highlighted by Xaar in Germany and China. In Berlin, at the Digital Print for Packaging (DPP), and in Shanghai during Labelexpo Asia, Xaar defended a digital approach to accessibility, with its new Versatex print bar.
To mark the occasion, the British printhead manufacturer published a white paper entitled Implementing braille printing in labelling & packaging with Xaar's Versatex printbar . This document describes how to generate legible Braille dots on labels and packaging, in compliance with ISO 17351 and Marburg Medium standards, using varnishes deposited in relief via inkjet, for blind and partially-sighted people.
At the DPP, Neil Cook, Strategic Marketing Manager at Xaar, detailed the capabilities of the Versatex system, capable of producing 200 µm dots at 12 m/min (High-Build mode) or 25 m/min (High-Speed mode) while maintaining character geometry. According to him, inkjet enables more precise and consistent deposition than traditional techniques, with proven compatibility with high-viscosity varnishes with a high particulate load.
Versatex also enables the integration of variable data, reinforcing the interest of digital for regulatory labeling in the pharmaceutical sector, one of the areas most concerned by Braille requirements.
In Shanghai, Shawn Feng, Xaar's Sales and Applications Development Manager for Asia, focused on the integration of the Versatex module into analog lines. Presented as a ready-to-use solution, the print bar makes it possible to add Braille, as well as relief varnish or opaque white, without reconfiguring the entire chain.
