Molded fiber
Production print on formed pulp
- Clamshells, bowls, lids, trays and egg cartons — parts up to 10" tall
- Sharp edges and legible small copy on bagasse and pulp
- Outside, non-food-contact face
Single-Pass · Water-Based Inkjet
XD-AQ
Direct print on pre-die-cut, molded and formed fiber — no plate, no primer, no label, nothing to cure.
The XD-AQ prints high-density CMYK graphics, small copy and codes directly onto finished natural-fiber packaging — die-cut carton blanks, folded and erected boxes, molded fibre clamshells and trays, cup blanks, sleeves and carriers, bags, coasters and thick board — after the part has been converted or formed. 720 dpi at 164 ft/min, belt widths to your spec, robotic load and unload built by EPS.
World-first live demo — PACK EXPO booth W-31050720
dpi resolution
CMYK
process colors
5.4"
print width (137 mm)
164
ft/min (50 m/min)
The ink
High-density color. Water-based ink. Formulated for food packaging.
High-viscosity ink is what makes both possible: it holds pigment at the surface of natural fiber instead of sinking in — with nothing to cure.
Up to 67%
Higher density on coated board†
Versus standard low-viscosity inkjet. On brown kraft and bagasse the gain shows as edge definition — sharp edges, legible small copy, codes that grade.
Nothing to cure
Water-based chemistry*
No photoinitiators, no monomers, no solvent. Nestlé Guidance and Swiss Ordinance compliant, made under EuPIA GMP for non-food-contact surfaces, PFAS-free per the ink manufacturer of record.
†Density: up to 67% higher colour density measured on coated white corrugated liner, versus a standard low-viscosity inkjet ink (Swansea University; Journal of Coatings Technology and Research). Uncoated brown liner measured 6.5–13.6% in the same work. *Ink compliance statements are based on intentionally added substances, per the ink manufacturer of record. PFAS-free per the ink manufacturer of record. Suitability for any specific food-packaging application is determined by the end user. Full Statement of Regulatory Compliance available on request.
Applications
What the XD-AQ prints
Die-cut blanks, folded and erected boxes, formed fibre — printed after conversion, on the part itself.
Folding carton & die-cut blanks
Die it once, decorate it per order
- Prints all four faces of any carton up to 5.4" tall in one pass
- Works on the die-cut blank or the glued flat carton
- Primerless on kraft, SBS and CCNB
Corrugated — finished boxes
Brand-and-code band on the box you already have
- Folded mailers and erected cases up to 10" tall
- CMYK band plus code in one pass — replaces a label
- Kraft, mottled white and coated liner
Paper foodservice
Carryout cartons, bags and pizza boxes
- Decorate stock packaging one case at a time — no manufacturer minimums
- Cup blanks, bag faces, carton faces
- Water-based ink with documented compliance*
Sleeves, wraps & carriers
Blanks to order — no plates, days not weeks
- Coffee sleeves, belly bands, beverage carrier panels
- Kraft or white, printed on the finished piece
- Versioned artwork per account, per season
Why XD-AQ
Every way to decorate natural fibre gives something up. This doesn't.
See it run — PACK EXPO 2026
The world’s first live demonstration of the XD-AQ runs on EPS booth W-31050 at PACK EXPO International, 18–21 October 2026, McCormick Place, Chicago. Bring a part and we’ll talk about printing it.
Also on the booth: ClosurePrint, our high-speed cap and lid decorating system with inline serialized data, lot and expiry printing. Show details, booth location and a free registration code →
Announced at the FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit, Valencia, September 2026.
Every way to decorate natural fibre today gives something up — the tooling, the density, the safety, or the mono-material pack. The XD-AQ is the first option with nothing left on that list.
1 — It prints on the part you already make or stock
Across fibre packaging, decoration is committed before the part exists — on the press sheet, or in the mould. The XD-AQ prints after converting and forming: the die-cut blank, the glued carton, the folded mailer, the erected case, the formed clamshell go on the belt as they are. Non-contact — nothing touches the part but ink.
2 — Water-based ink, formulated for food packaging
Water-based. No photoinitiators, no monomers, no solvent. Compliant for the outside, non-food-contact face of food packaging — Nestlé Guidance, Swiss Ordinance, EuPIA GMP, PFAS-free*.
3 — Density and fidelity standard aqueous ink can’t reach
High-viscosity pigment holds at the surface instead of sinking into the fibre. Up to 67% higher density on coated white liner versus low-viscosity inkjet†, and 6.5–13.6% on uncoated brown — where the visible gain is edge definition. Type as small as 3 pt stays legible depending on substrate; edges stay sharp on bagasse and kraft; codes grade.
4 — Nothing to cure, coat or add
No primer, no bonding agent, no lamp, no label, no adhesive. Ink on fibre — one material. In the EU and UK, a label adds a second material and an adhesive that the PPWR recyclability grade scores; direct print does not.
5 — Short runs, many SKUs
No plates, run of one. Seasonal, versioned, private-label — changeover is a file selection, not a makeready.
The trade-off, side by side
Natural fibre is abrasive, absorbent, indirect food contact, short-run — and expected to recycle as one material. Here is where each decoration option breaks:
| ANALOG flexo · litho · screen | AQUEOUS INKJET standard low viscosity | UV INKJET energy cure | LABELING printed label applied | XD-AQ high-viscosity aqueous | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abrasive surface rough and loose | Breaks here Abrasive surfaces wear contact tooling | — non-contact | — non-contact | Breaks here Rough surface — poor, uneven label adhesion | ✓ nothing touches the part |
| Open, thirsty fibre unsealed and absorbent | — viscous ink, laid on | Breaks here Ink wicks in — washed out, low-density print | — uncured ink absorbed into the fibre | — prints on the label, not the fibre | ✓ viscosity holds it out — full density |
| Indirect food contact porous fibre, no barrier layer | — compliant ink sets exist | — water-based, no cure step | Breaks here Density improves — but uncured components migrate through porous fibre | — compliant label stocks exist | ✓ water-based, formulated for food packaging |
| Short runs, many SKUs seasonal and versioned | Breaks here New plates and makeready per version | — no plates, run of one | — no plates, run of one | — digital labels handle short runs | ✓ no plates, run of one |
| Nothing added to the pack mono-material, PPWR-graded | — ink on fibre, one material | — ink on fibre, one material | — ink on fibre, one material | Breaks here Second material, adhesive and liner waste — graded down under PPWR | ✓ ink on the fibre — one material |
Why fibre, why now
- Run lengths have collapsed. Seasonal, versioned and private-label work keeps shrinking runs below where plates and makeready pay — the jobs converters turn away today.
- EU PPWR is in force since 12 August 2026. Every pack is graded for recyclability; labels, adhesives and inks are scored, and a harmonised sorting label becomes mandatory. Direct print keeps the pack mono-material.
- US rules push toward fibre. Foam foodservice bans in 12 states plus DC, and PFAS bans in Illinois (including inks and labels) and Maine, move packaging to exactly the natural-fibre formats the XD-AQ prints.
†Density: up to 67% higher colour density measured on coated white corrugated liner, versus a standard low-viscosity inkjet ink. Swansea University; published in the Journal of Coatings Technology and Research. Uncoated brown liner measured 6.5–13.6% in the same work.
*Ink compliance statements are based on intentionally added substances, per the ink manufacturer of record. PFAS-free per the ink manufacturer of record. Suitability for any specific food-packaging application is determined by the end user. Full Statement of Regulatory Compliance available on request.
Features
- Prints finished, formed parts — clamshells, bowls, lids, trays, carriers, egg cartons — with 10" of part clearance
- Non-contact: nothing touches the abrasive fibre surface but ink
- Primerless on bagasse, molded pulp, kraft and coated board — no coating station, nothing to cure
- Eight Xaar Aquinox printheads with continuous ink recirculation at controlled temperature and viscosity — prints intermittently, part by part, without nozzle dry-out
- Changeover is a file selection — job queue on a touchscreen HMI, no mechanical adjustment
- Product-detect sensor triggers each image; crash detection ahead of the heads
- Bulk ink supply with level sensing — refills while printing
- Robotic load/unload designed and built by EPS; optional inline lot/date coding
Specifications
| Print width | 5.4 in (137 mm) — unlimited print length in the transport direction |
|---|---|
| Print speed | 164 ft/min (50 m/min) at 720 × 720 dpi |
| Resolution | 720 dpi, variable greyscale droplet |
| Color | CMYK process color |
| Printheads | Eight Xaar Aquinox printheads (2 × CMYK) |
| Ink | High-viscosity water-based pigment; continuous recirculation |
| Part clearance | 10 in — formed parts pass under the heads |
| Belt width | To customer spec |
| Transport | Servo-driven grooved conveyor; product-detect; crash detection |
| Ink supply | Bulk, with level sensing and auto refill — refill while printing |
| Control | Industrial PC, touchscreen HMI, job queue, remote diagnostics |
| Options | Robotic load/unload (built by EPS); lot/date code inkjet |
| Environment | 65–85 °F; 35–65% RH, non-condensing |
| Price | $345,000 / €299,000 |
Where it wins
Built for the plants that make and stock fibre packaging
Folding carton converters
Short, versioned carton orders carry make-ready, tooling and a 10–15 day promise. The XD-AQ prints the blank you already die-cut — die it once, decorate it per order, same day.
Corrugated sheet plants & co-packers
Customers ask for versioned mailers and coded cases that today ship brown, one-color or labeled. A CMYK brand-and-code band on the finished box — in your plant.
Molded fibre producers
Decoration in molded fibre today means in-mold labeling or a pressure-sensitive label. The XD-AQ prints the formed part directly — clamshells, bowls, lids, trays — at production duty.
Foodservice manufacturers & distributors
Custom print below manufacturer minimums doesn't exist today. Decorate stock cartons, sleeves, carriers and boxes in-house, one case at a time — seasonal, versioned, private-label.
Who this fits
Is your part an XD-AQ part?
The XD-AQ is a finished-part decorator. If your part passes these checks, send it to us — we'll print it and send it back.
Right fit when
- The face you print is flat — a carton blank, a clamshell lid, a tray land, a carrier panel, a cup blank, a bag face, a coaster
- The graphic fits a 5.4" band running the length of the part — most centered logos, panels and code blocks do
- The part is 10" tall or shorter
- The surface is porous fibre — bagasse, molded pulp, kraft, coated board, pulpboard
- You're printing the outside, non-food-contact face
- The work is short, versioned or late-stage — artwork that changes per batch, customer or season
Not sure which technology fits your line?
Five questions about your manufacturing environment. We recommend the optimal EPS process and platform — with no sales call required.
Take the Decoration Optimizer →Common questions
Is 5.4 inches of print width enough?
Ask a different question: what is the shorter dimension of the graphic you actually buy? Print length is unlimited and the part can run in either orientation, so a centered logo, a panel, a band or a code block almost always fits — clamshell lids, carrier panels, egg-carton tops and cup blanks fit outright. If you need edge-to-edge art on a face wider than 5.4″, this isn’t the machine — and we’ll tell you so.
How is this different from standard water-based inkjet?
Viscosity. Standard low-viscosity aqueous ink wicks into open fibre — pigment sinks below the surface and the print goes washed out. The XD-AQ jets high-viscosity water-based ink that holds at the surface: up to 67% higher density on coated liner, sharper edges and legible small copy on bagasse and kraft — with the same water-based chemistry and nothing to cure.
Can it print food packaging?
The XD-AQ prints the outside, non-food-contact surface of fibre packaging. The inks are water-based — no photoinitiators, no monomers, no solvents — compliant with the Nestlé Guidance Note on Packaging Inks and the Swiss Ordinance, manufactured under EuPIA GMP for non-food-contact surfaces, and PFAS-free per the ink manufacturer of record.*
*Ink compliance statements are based on intentionally added substances, per the ink manufacturer of record. Suitability for any specific food-packaging application is determined by the end user. Full Statement of Regulatory Compliance available on request.
What can't it do?
Full-face art wider than 5.4″, non-porous surfaces (plastics, foil, film-laminated board — those are our UV direct-to-object platforms), contoured or tapered walls like cup sidewalls, spot colors and foil embellishment, and long identical runs where flexo or offset wins on unit cost. We’d rather tell you before you buy than after.
Send us your part.
We print it on the XD-AQ and send it back, so you can judge density, small copy and codes on your own substrate.