Canon announces corrPress iB17 for industrial scale corrugated packaging printing

Packaging Solutions

In line with its intention to become a leading force in digital labels and packaging production, Canon has announced the corrPress iB17, a next generation inkjet press engineered for industrial scale corrugated packaging production. Capable of digitally printing up to 8000 m2 per hour (15 million m2 per year), the iB17 delivers offset like quality directly onto corrugated boards up to 1.7 metres wide with water based inks and primer for indirect food contact.

The highly automated corrPress iB17 enables cost efficient short to medium length runs with ultra fast turnaround times and requires fewer operators and lower skill levels. Designed for seamless integration into existing production environments, it offers outstanding productivity and digital flexibility, and extends the economic benefits of digital printing far beyond traditional short run applications.

Building on Canon's proven expertise and experience in commercial digital printing and following the development roadmap presented as a concept at drupa 2024, the iB17 will address the evolving needs of corrugated converters that face increasing pressure to deliver shorter runs with more variants, faster turnaround times and premium quality, and all without compromising cost efficiency. 

Supported by automated printhead cleaning and quality control systems, the press minimises operator intervention while maximising production efficiency. The system’s design also reduces waste through efficient print on demand and eliminates the use of printing plates and chemicals. Unlike conventional technologies, the machine does not produce contaminated water, which then has to be filtered or released into the wastewater system.

Featuring high performance 1200 dpi piezo printheads and specially formulated, water based pigment inks and primer, which provide an extended colour gamut with CMYK and later OVG, the iB17 achieves pre-print offset like quality in the post print process. This improves production efficiency by eliminating the traditional lamination step while reproducing vibrant, accurate and consistent colours, sharp text and precise detail on both coated and uncoated topliners at rated speeds. The system also uses an advanced spot primer that ensures optimal ink adhesion and colour reproduction across the full range of corrugated materials. The ink is jetted onto the board immediately after the primer application without any drying in between, minimising the impact of drying on the board and contributing to a highly reliable production process.

The sophisticated Canon drying technology in the corrPress iB17 has been optimised to minimise corrugated board stress and energy consumption and to increase production efficiency. Covering approximately 80% of retail packaging applications, the system supports coated and uncoated boards up to 1.7 metres wide and 1.3 metres long, and ranging from 1 to 8 mm thick, at a linear speed of 80 metres per minute. Unusually for a digital corrugated press, Canon owns all the key components in the printing process – printheads, inks and drying – enabling it to optimise the system’s performance more easily. This high level of integration and synchronisation will result in exceptional levels of productivity and reliability.

Duncan Smith, country director, production at Canon UK and Ireland, commented: ‘Corrugated converters face rising demands for shorter runs, more variants and faster turnaround without compromising quality or cost. We are thrilled to now announce the Canon corrPress iB17 – a digital corrugated press that empowers converters to respond to the changing demands with agility and unlock growth. For Canon, the corrPress iB17 marks a major milestone in our journey to becoming a key player in the packaging industry and we are especially excited that EMEA customers will be the first to benefit from this innovation. Although we are new to corrugated, we bring many years of collaborative innovation from industrial scale commercial print and will combine our digital expertise with converters’ value chain knowledge to drive progress in packaging together.’