Following the FTA Fall Conference, Flint Group opened its doors in Charlotte, NC, USA to attendees looking to learn more about the flexographic printing process. Nearly 40 guests visited Flint Group on October 30, 2019, where they were treated to an informal open house and a barbecue lunch.

Networking and product presentations were hallmarks of the event, which also celebrated the new state-of-the-art Charlotte Technical Center. This location opened a little over a year ago.

Flint Group experts were on-hand to detail the benefits of the company’s latest technology, including nyloflex Xpress Thermal Processors FIV (42 x 60”) and FV (50 x 80”), a ThermoFlexX 80 S imager with Nanoscreen technology, and a rotec ECO Bridge with an enhanced air flow system designed for easier and faster sleeve mounting.

“It’s an informal event where our technical experts are on-hand to showcase our wide range of products,” said Terri Stewart, director of marketing and insides sales, Flexographic, at Flint Group. “We want people to experience thermal like they’ve never seen before.”

The nyloflex Xpress Thermal Processors on display feature lower maintenance and reduced operating costs, due to improved infrared heating technology and zoned lamp cartridges.

“We don’t need a chiller, as we’re able to develop a plate at normal temperatures,” explained P.J. Fronczkiewicz, product manager - Flexographic Products at Flint Group. “We don’t need a way to handle vapors because we just don’t generate them, and the electricity concerns of our machines versus our competitors is about 88% less. We use 12% of the energy to power and perform the same functions. So, we’re very happy with the results.”

Flint Group’s thermal flat-top and round-top dot plates generate excellent cleanout between dots and reverses for producing consistent solids and fine details. In addition to energy savings of 88%, Flint Group cites minimum maintenance with normal uptimes of 99.7%.

“Once we developed our thermal platemaking technology, we kept that as the core formula for all our plates in the portfolio,” said Fronczkiewicz. “For 90% of our plates, it’s the same melting behavior and the same resistance. The one big difference that you may get from plate to plate is the plate’s natural resistance to swell, due to the ink components.

“The big difference between our technology and the other suppliers has to do with how we’re heating up the plate,” he adds. “What’s different about ours is the wavelength of the infrared that we’re using. We try to be a little bit smarter. Instead of trying to overcome heating issues by chilling the plate, we said, ‘Maybe is there a smarter way for us to manipulate the heating by using a more selective heating of the photopolymer.’”

According to Flint Group, its processing technologies produce plates with solvent-like quality, with the imaging to finishing process taking around 45 minutes.

“A lot of the negative perception of thermal involves what existed early on and people were left with that lingering memory, and that’s what gets passed on through the years. But I would say all the plate manufacturers are aware of those challenges and they’ve taken steps to overcome those issues, because there were some issues historically when the technology first came out,” noted Fronczkiewicz. “A lot of what we’re doing today is helping dispel those notions.”

For more pictures from the event, click here for a slideshow.