Gold Manufacturing and Processing Machinery Design · 2021
Oktoflex Premium Flexographic Printing Press
by Laszlo Nemeth and Denes Varga
- A' Design Award 2021 Gold Winner in Manufacturing and Processing Machinery Design
- Awarded April 15, 2021
- CLIENT: Varga-Flexo Ltd.
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 823,953
- Verification code 777E0BC036 · Verify this award
About Oktoflex Premium Flexographic Printing Press
Oktoflex Premium is a flexographic printing press designed for printing on reeled materials such as paper, BOPP, PET and polyethylene films. The press offers a printing width of 500 to 1200 millimetres and a printing speed of up to 450 metres per minute, and it works with solvent based or water based inks. The machine is built from more than 22,000 parts. Ergonomically arranged control panels and audit areas are integrated into the housing with high contrast, so two operators can work with clear access. The proportions follow the golden ratio and symmetry.
Within the contemporary landscape of industrial design, Laszlo Nemeth's Oktoflex Premium Flexographic Printing Press represents a noteworthy achievement in the synthesis of functional engineering and aesthetic refinement, a work that elevates manufacturing machinery beyond utilitarian purpose into the realm of considered visual expression. The distinctive octagonal central impression drum configuration emerges as the defining formal innovation, breaking from conventional rectangular housing to create a faceted geometric presence that suggests both operational efficiency and sculptural intentionality. The carefully orchestrated chromatic identity employing white, black, and green establishes immediate visual recognition while the linear stripe motifs create elegant horizontal rhythms that unify the extended machine footprint into a coherent compositional whole. Technical accomplishment manifests in the systematic arrangement of eight printing stations visible within the central drum bay, each positioned with meticulous precision that speaks to engineering excellence and operational reliability. The integration of multiple digital interface screens suggests sophisticated process control capabilities, while the modular extension incorporating substrate handling systems demonstrates thoughtful consideration of workflow integration. This work participates in a broader design tradition that recognizes industrial machinery as worthy of aesthetic attention, recalling the modernist appreciation for the beauty inherent in functional form while embracing contemporary expectations for intuitive human-machine interaction. The presence of the human operator figure establishes both scale and operational context, positioning the machine as a tool designed with human factors in mind rather than an intimidating autonomous apparatus. The pristine white surface treatment evokes associations with cleanliness and precision appropriate to applications demanding exacting quality standards, while the emerald green accents introduce vitality and brand distinction without disrupting the professional atmosphere. Viewers might contemplate how this design negotiates the complex relationship between industrial necessity and aesthetic aspiration, considering whether beauty and function represent complementary rather than competing values in the manufacturing environment.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The OKTOFLEX PREMIUM flexographic press is the result of a thoughtful and comprehensive design-based product development project. The final design reflects the 27 years of experience accumulated by Varga-Flexo Ltd. The objective of the design was to find an optimal connection between man and machine in regard to its operation, handling, maintenance and servicing. This formally, visually and functionally integrated system was created in accordance with the principles of Industry 4.0.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- MAIN PARAMETERS
Printing width: 500-1200 mm
Printing length: 300-900 mm
Printing speed: 300 / 450 m/min
Maximum reel diameter: 900 / 1000 mm
Ink system: Solvent based, or Water based
Materials: Reeling materials: PapEr, BOPP, metbopp, gbopp, pet, metpet, cpp, pa, hdpe, ldpe
Operators:2 peolpe - a foreman and an assistant printer - Tags
- flexo, flexographic, printing, press, Varga-Flexo, oktoflex, premium, lasky
- Production Technology
- The machine consists of more than 22,000 parts, not including electronics. We use wide range of materials and manufacturing technologies.
- Design Challenge
- The purpose of the design
The goal is to implement a designed casing machine type, the appearance of which is in line with the high technical content and quality represented by our machines. The feeling of performance and quality can only be authentically conveyed with design tools and high aesthetic value, for this purpose we have designed our new machine. Within the printing industry, we want to offer a slightly forward-looking and attractive alternative for customers. - Project Duration
- The project started in 2015 in Budapest Hungary and finished in January 2019.
- Operation Flow
- In this industry it is all about optimal human machine collaboration. An industrial software is really good if it is almost invisible during use, so it is not a problem to use at all and the operator does not even think about the software itself, but can focus hundred percent on his or her job. The ergonomically arranged and clearly structured control panels together with the audit areas were neatly and with high contrast integrated into the housing. The system comes across as being generally very user friendly.
- Research
- The reason for the development
Within machine builders in general the same trends can be observed. The productivity, quality, and reliability of machines are similar and high, so manufacturers are increasing the automation of their machines, using Industry 4.0 solutions, and focusing on an ever-higher level of design. Design tools have become indispensable. This is also true in the field of industrial software, and now includes the design of related services with a special focus on service. Without design, there is no truly successful product in the industry either. - Inspiration
- There were no inspirations. We used the golden ratio and the ergonomics rules, and we made lot of symmetry for getting more harmonic results.
- Image Credits
- Image #1 : Varga-Flexo Ltd, 2020
Image #2 : Varga-Flexo Ltd, 2020
Image #3 : Varga-Flexo Ltd, 2020
Image #4 : Varga-Flexo Ltd, 2020
Image #5 : Varga-Flexo Ltd, 2020
Video Credits: Varga-Flexo Ltd, 2020 - Patents
- Copyright Varga-Flexo Co. All rights reserved
Colors of Oktoflex Premium Flexographic Printing Press
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Advanced Flexographic Printing Press Systems
We manufacture state-of-the-art flexographic printing presses combining 27 years of expertise with Industry 4.0 innovation. Our ergonomically designed systems deliver exceptional print quality at speeds up to 450 m/min for packaging, label, and flexible material applications worldwide.
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