The mid-web segment has a new benchmark. With DIGIFAST20000, Prati redefines the standards of printing and digital finishing for labels, flexible packaging and folding cartons, taking speed, intelligence and versatility to the next level
Designed to address the challenges of a market increasingly driven by short runs and just-in-time production, DIGIFAST20000 combines high performance, maximum flexibility and a modular architecture, creating a highly efficient system capable of optimizing lead times, costs and quality.
With this machine, Prati expands its portfolio from narrow-web to mid-web applications, opening up new business opportunities for the finishing of digitally printed jobs up to 760 mm wide on a broad range of substrates from 12 to 450 microns, with speeds of up to 70 m/min in semi-rotary mode and 400 m/min in full rotary mode.
Configurable in near-line or offline stand-alone mode, DIGIFAST20000 is ideally suited to flexible and dynamic production environments, combining speed, modularity and maximum operational efficiency. Today, finishing plays a key role in helping end users stand out in the market, enabling them to add tangible value to their products.
The machine has been completely redesigned in terms of setup, safety and performance to increase converter productivity. This version retains the strengths of the previous model while further enhancing performance in both rotary and semi-rotary operation.
Listening to customers, delivering solutions
“DIGIFAST20000 is the result of years spent listening and working side by side with the people who operate printing machinery every day. I designed it for those seeking a solution that is not only fast, but truly capable of working in synergy with its operator. Every automation feature, every detail, from registration to job changeovers, comes from real-world experience and practical production needs. I wanted it to be stable, reliable and easy to use, even when operating conditions are less than ideal. This machine embodies expertise, technology and passion. The truth is that building a good machine was not enough: I wanted to create something that restores value and dignity to the work of the people who use it every day”, says Michelangelo Mascellaro, Show Room Manager at Prati.
DIGIFAST20000 is one of the most intuitive and automated solutions available on the market. Indeed, the flexo unit features automatic ink setup and automatic adjustment of printing parameters through an electronic control panel. The machine processes a wide range of materials, including flexible packaging, pouches, sleeves, SA labels and cartonboard, with several finishing options such as registered white, protective UV or water-based varnish, and digital embellishment. It is also particularly well suited to food packaging applications.
DIGIFAST20000 is the ideal platform for converters and carton manufacturers looking to differentiate themselves and enhance the value of every production run, paving the way towards the future of mid-web production.
Face to face with Chiara Prati, CEO & CSO of Prati
DIGIFAST20000 was developed in collaboration with HP. Can you tell us more about the project?
“DIGIFAST20000 was developed by Prati in close partnership with HP to address the growing adoption of digital printing in the flexible packaging and mid-web label sectors. The project was officially launched in 2019 alongside the evolution of the HP Indigo 20000 platform dedicated to digital flexible packaging production. The objective was to provide a solution fully integrated with HP Indigo digital presses, capable of operating both inline and offline while reducing setup times, waste and production costs for short-run and customized jobs. Today, DIGIFAST20000 can operate both inline and offline with the HP Indigo 200K, the latest evolution of HP’s platform for the mid-web flexible packaging market, ensuring seamless integration between digital printing and converting and embellishment processes.”
What makes this solution so modular and flexible?
“Its modularity and flexibility stem from a single-platform architecture designed to integrate multiple finishing and converting technologies within the same production line. DIGIFAST20000 can be configured according to customer requirements, combining varnishing, spot or full-web printing, lamination, embellishment, roll-to-roll and roll-to-sheet processing, as well as applications for self-adhesive labels, IML, shrink sleeves, wrap-around labels and cartonboard. This modular architecture allows the machine to evolve alongside market demands and future production requirements. New converting and finishing processes can be added over time without replacing the entire line, protecting the original investment while ensuring maximum operational flexibility.”
You also collaborated with other companies during the machine’s development. For example, the digital print bar was developed together with the U.S.-based company JetFX. What types of effects can be achieved?
“The JetFX system integrated into DIGIFAST20000 is an advanced digital embellishment solution that enables the high-precision application of varnishes, primers and selective coatings directly onto the printed substrate. Thanks to this technology, users can create a wide range of decorative and functional effects, including spot varnishing, tactile effects, digital cold foil, Cast & Cure and other high-value finishing applications. Combined with the inline lamination module, the system delivers premium embellishment effects without the need for traditional plates, ensuring maximum production flexibility, reduced setup times and cost-effective operation even for short runs, personalized jobs and variable-data campaigns.”
