Xaar launches a new whitepaper on digital braille printing and showcases the Versatex Printbar for accessible packaging at Labelexpo Asia and DPP Berlin.
Xaar recently showcased how digital inkjet technology and its Versatex Printbar can serve as tools for packaging embellishment and accessibility. The company unveiled its latest whitepaper and delivered expert presentations at Labelexpo Asia in Shanghai and Packaging Europe’s Digital Print for Packaging (DPP) Conference in Berlin.
The newly launched whitepaper, titled ‘Implementing braille printing in labelling & packaging with Xaar’s Versatex printbar’, provides a detailed look at how effective braille printing is enabled by digital inkjet technology. The Versatex printbar is designed to produce braille that is both highly readable and fast to print, offering dedicated modes tailored to different production needs.
In High-Build mode, the system delivers dot heights of 200µm at up to 19m/min, ensuring precise spacing for optimal fingertip recognition. For higher throughput, High-Speed Mode prints at approximately 22m/min while maintaining compliance with Marburg Medium standards and ISO 17351. Both modes are ideal for pharmaceutical, packaging, and labelling applications where accessibility and speed are critical.
In Berlin, Neil Cook, representing Xaar at DPP, discussed how high build varnish embellishment supports variable data printing for blind and partially sighted users. He explained that inkjet can apply tactile features with more precision and consistency than analogue methods, particularly when using printhead technologies that handle high viscosity formulations.
At Labelexpo Asia, Shawn Feng outlined the integration of digital capability into analogue lines. He highlighted how the Versatex Printbar provides a modular solution that reduces development time and cost, enabling converters to access premium label markets with high opacity whites and tactile varnish effects.
Neil Cook commented, “Accessible packaging is moving from a niche requirement to an essential part of the brand experience. High build varnish delivered through inkjet provides the accuracy and consistency needed for tactile features while still supporting variable data. It allows converters to meet both creative and regulatory demands in a single process and demonstrates how digital print can have a meaningful impact on the everyday lives of consumers.”
Shawn Feng added, “Converters want to add more value without adding more complexity and that is exactly where digital inkjet is proving its strength. With Versatex we are showing how embellishment and braille can be achieved more flexibly and with far greater control. It gives manufacturers a practical way to adopt digital without disrupting their existing workflow and opens the door to premium effects that brands are increasingly asking for.”