Page 57 - Glass Machinery Plants & Accessories no. 1-2019

These sample “Arty Gin” bottles highlight a main
strength of O-I: Expressions, in that not only can
these images be applied directly to the packag-
es, but each image can be printed using different
colours. It’s a level of customization previously
unavailable through other packaging services

aging in a variety of shapes and
sizes, and with flexibility for the
number produced. Their printing
technology offers a vast range of
colour and design options with
a speed that allows producers to
rapidly adapt to changing market
conditions.
The innovative new service
is the result of the company’s
investment in “direct2glass” digi-
tal printing, which makes con-
tactless direct printing possible
through a “Drop-on-Demand”
process. This means the devices
only generate an ink drop when it
is required, and the UV inks used
are perfect for fast curing with
greatly lowered imperfections in
production lines.
O-I: Expressions is expected
to be available for commercial
production around mid-2019 in
Europe and shortly thereafter in
the US, but already their cata-
logue of available options can be
found online at https://glass-cat-
alog.com/ee-en/innovations/o-
i-expressions. There, produc-
ers can filter through the many
options based on the intended
use, size and glass colour, help-
ing them to find the perfect blank
canvas to work on. Whether they

The wraparound image printed on Bella Vita lemonade creates a
rolling pastoral canvas depicting an Italian village

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