Revolutionising Corrugated Packaging Printing with Xaar’s Game-Changing Technology

The opportunities for corrugated packaging printing are changing, and inkjet technology is at the heart of this transformation. Our Aquinox printhead combined with Nazdar's high viscosity water-based inks, is making waves by delivering flexo-quality, vibrant colours and low costs per print in a single pass – with the many benefits of digital printing’s flexibility and personalisation. 

Technology & precision built-in

Xaar’s Aquinox printhead can handle fluids with viscosities of up to 1000 centipoises (cP) at ambient temperature (100 cP at jetting temperature), but what does that mean for you? It means brighter colours, deeper whites, and sharp details thanks to minimal ink absorption across different substrates. Whether you’re printing on uncoated or unprimed boards, the results are stunning.

Rough and uneven corrugated surfaces often present a real challenge for print quality. Not anymore. Whether it’s a brand logo or detailed product info, Xaar’s technology ensures it looks perfect. 

Speed, savings, and sustainability – a triple win

We understand that time is money – whatever industry you are in – and corrugate printing is no different. That’s why our technology works seamlessly with high viscosity water-based inks developed by Nazdar, at industry production speeds for even the quickest corrugated packaging lines. This dramatically lowers the cost per job and total cost of ownership - making digital printing an increasingly attractive option for manufacturers.

High viscosity inks also remove the need for primers on uncoated boards. This eliminates a major step in corrugated packaging production lines and means lower costs, faster production, and less material usage – all working to improve sustainability for corrugated packaging manufacturers. Since these inks penetrate the substrate less, they minimise substrate impact and reduce drying energy consumption, allowing for lighter weights board to be used and more sustainable overall. With Environment and Innovation being two of our four sustainability pillars, enabling reductions in materials and energy through inkjet technology brings key benefits to both us and our clients.  

Backed by independent review   

In an independent study, Swansea University’s peer-reviewed research, conducted by Dr Chris Phillips and Professor Davide Deganello, evaluated Nazdar’s high-viscosity aqueous ink, jetted using our Aquinox printhead. Published in the ‘Journal of Coatings Technology and Research,’ the study compared high-viscosity inks with conventional formulations. It found a 67% boost in colour density on coated white substrates and a 13% increase on uncoated brown boards, yielding better opacity and colour vibrancy results without additional processing. High-viscosity inks also matched the intensity of conventional inks but required less volume, resulting in lower energy consumption and faster drying times.

With super bright colours and efficient drying, our technology ensures every print is both vivid and cost-effective.

Tough, reliable, and built to last

As we mentioned, corrugate packaging is not known for its smooth or even surfaces, presenting a real challenge to ensuring quality print results.

The Aquinox printhead’s higher throw distance prevents accidental collisions with even the most challenging corrugate substrate. And with our TF Technology keeping the nozzles constantly ready, you’ll never have to worry about blockages from cardboard dust or downtime during production starts and stops. Pair this with a reliable Megnajet fluid management system, and you’re guaranteed consistent, sharp edges every time. 

The future of corrugated printing

In short, inkjet enabled by Xaar’s technology is rewriting the rules of corrugated packaging printing. Combining the intrinsic advantages of digital printing - such as impactful colours, reduced cost per print, and sustainability benefits - this innovation is unlocking new opportunities and setting a new standard for the corrugate industry. With the added benefits of customisation and improved efficiency, Xaar's technology is redefining what's possible for users and opening the door to exciting possibilities in print.