Steve Katz, Contributing Editor05.30.23
Flexo platemaking equipment plays a crucial role in the flexographic printing process, as the plates produced by these units have direct impact on print quality and consistency. The equipment utilizes precise imaging techniques, such as laser or digital exposure, and is responsible for maintaining uniformity in print quality, color reproduction, and registration in long print runs or multi-color jobs.
Advances in flexo platemaking equipment have led to gains in efficiency and productivity. Modern, automated equipment has contributed to faster exposure times, improved plate handling and streamlined workflows. Plus, high resolution imaging systems and advancements in plate processing techniques enable the production of plates with finer lines, smoother gradients, and better image definition, resulting in superior print quality.
Flexo platemaking equipment can also contribute to cost savings. By producing high-quality plates consistently, it reduces the need for reprints while minimizing wastage in time, materials and resources.
Here’s a look at some of today’s platemaking technology advancements in the label and narrow web industry that are making headlines.
LED technology offers consistent output for higher quality and lower operating costs with LEDs that are instantaneously stable, which also means that no time is wasted waiting for the machine to warm up. “With increasingly automated production, the flexo prepress industry is looking to LED as the next evolution in platemaking. Unfortunately, the options available have been extremely limited until now,” Rosen continues. “What XSYS is bringing to the market is a completely open and much more efficient hybrid exposing system with higher processing speeds and significant sustainability benefits in terms of less plate waste and lower energy usage.”
The ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 T unit uses high-intensity precision LEDs for the main exposure process, offering exceptional reproduction of even the finest relief elements and highest possible print quality. Suitable for nearly all types of plates on the market, the system eliminates oxygen effects, which allows customers to transition into flat-top dot exposure with standard plates or to process plates with inherent flat-top dot technology. This includes the nyloflex FTV Digital, a new LED optimized plate from XSYS, which is aimed specifically at the high-end flexible packaging segment.
Visitors to the recently expanded XSYS Technical Center and Demo Facility in Charlotte, NC, will soon be able to experience the ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 T live in action. The new unit will be set up in the technical lab to run inline with a ThermoFlexX TFxX 80 imager to demonstrate fully automated plate imaging and exposure in one simple process. This is enabled by a new interface with a rover plate moving system and bridge combined with intelligent plate transport and smart run-off, eliminating all the risks associated with manual handling.
“Having the Catena-E 80 T unit in our demo center will allow people to test their own files and evaluate the operation of the equipment and the high-speed benefits in real time. When they can see the operation up close, they will better understand the fail safes, the design quality, and the engineering that went into the development,” says Eric Gibbs, managing director for plates. “We are excited for customers to bring their own production staff, so they can experience the big operational efficiency gains that are available to them with our very competitive solution.”
Across the border in Canada, two early adopters are harvesting the benefits of ThermoFlexX Catena-E technology. Tempo Flexible Packaging in Innisfil, north of Toronto, Ontario, installed a Catena-E 48 unit and quickly witnessed a big difference in the productivity of the plate room. The company needed to replace an older conventional bank exposure unit that was causing some quality issues. “Right away, the Catena-E solved our problems and there was a dramatic improvement in the print quality,” reports Craig Labossier, print technical services manager at Tempo.
Flexoleed in Montreal, which serves customers in all of the Quebec province, has also recently moved from bank exposure to LED technology. Dominic Desgagnés, technical director, comments, “We are very happy with the stability of the new ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80; the details are sharp, and the plate floors are even. The transition from our old exposure unit was also well executed, and we found the whole process to be quick and efficient.”
For XSYS North America, the arrival of the Catena-E 80 T in the US represents a crucial step in the plan to install a fully automated ThermoFlexX Catena+ end-to-end platemaking line, which is due to be available for live demonstrations at the Charlotte facility later this year. Rosen concludes, “As XSYS, we are investing heavily in operations across the globe to allow customers full access to our wide portfolio of solutions and to give them the opportunity to speak face-to-face with our experts. Now that pandemic restrictions are a thing of the past, it is full steam ahead for XSYS North America.”
CrystalCleanConnect, a joint development between Asahi, Esko and Kongsberg, delivers press-ready plates, from imaging of raw material through cutting on an integrated Kongsberg table. According to Asahi, CrystalCleanConnect reduces the platemaking steps from 12 to one, reduces the need for operator intervention, and significantly reduces waste.
Gene Martin, agent for Asahi Photoproducts USA, said, “The Asahi water-washable plate has been in the market for 15 years, and we continue to improve its value to the industry and to the environment. In 2022, our AWP-DEW water-washable plate achieved Carbon Neutral certification in partnership with The Carbon Trust, highlighting the company direction to become carbon neutral across all its businesses by 2050.”
The name CrystalCleanConnect is derived from Esko’s Crystal product range, Asahi’s CleanPrint product range, and the connection to subsequent devices such as the Kongsberg cutting table in the print production workflow. The joint development is touted as an industry first, with no VOC-based washout solvents due to the use of Asahi’s AWP CleanPrint water-washable plates, with what the companies say is never-before-seen levels of automation, generating a cut plate that is ready for mounting.
Several units have been installed globally, Martin said, and are making a huge difference for those operations, in sustainability and time to market. “Its ease of operation takes pressure off of flexo companies who are having difficulty in hiring and retaining experienced staff, since its high level of automation enables operation by less experienced personnel,” Martin said.
Matt Francklow, managing director at Creation, explains, “We are delighted to partner with Whitworths and manufacture water-washable flexo plates for its diverse product range. Our work with Whitworths really amplifies an important message – sustainability, value and quality are not mutually exclusive with the support of a dedicated partner like Creation. Developed by Fujifilm, Flenex-FW brings a host of advantages over classic solvent plate technology. Crucially, the plates require less energy to produce than conventional polymer plates, and in an environment where business energy bills are still sky-high, that’s an important benefit to have.
“Print quality and registration are excellent, and a lightning-fast make-ready of just 40 minutes delivers more time on-press and increased productivity. The rubber-based compound of Flenex-FW means a 1% flat-top dot can be achieved without the need for complex systems to eliminate oxygen. This, in turn, means lower dot gain than conventional polymer plates. As a result, the precision is absolute, and the replicability truly impresses,” Francklow says.
In addition to supplying high-performance flexo plates to its customers in the packaging and label sectors, Creation also operates as a “Flenex-FW Center of Excellence.” Believing that hands-on experience is the best way to appreciate the technology, Creation invites printers to see the plates in action at its Daventry headquarters in the UK.
In addition to its water-washable flexo plate technology, Creation also offers a suite of services that helps printers optimize their resources and control costs, including color management and digital
workflow solutions.
Mark Oaten, packaging innovation manager at Whitworths, adds, “As part of our long-term sustainability strategy, we are driving toward true circularity and we dream of a world where nothing goes to waste. The work doesn’t stop with material innovation, however. We knew there would be further opportunities to lower our carbon impact, and as a go-to name in label and packaging prepress solutions, we knew that Creation would be able to help us find those opportunities.”
Last year, DuPont celebrated 20 years of Cyrel FAST platemaking and more than 1,500 installations worldwide. Cyrel FAST is a thermal platemaking system that consists of a thermal processor and a large variety of photopolymer printing plates for flexible packaging, labels and other applications. The Cyrel FAST system aims to offer enhanced productivity and performance while helping to reduce processing costs, time and environmental impact compared to existing solvent methods.
By eliminating the use of solvents – including water – from the platemaking process, the Cyrel FAST system requires no drying time and plates can be ready for print under 45 minutes. Today’s Cyrel FAST system is an achievement of more than 20 years of continuous evolution and investment in the platform and has resulted in more than 1,500 installations globally. DuPont also recently announced the 200th installation of its latest version, the FAST 2000 TD.
The recently launched Cyrel Lightning plate technology received the 2022 FTA Technical Innovation Award. The new Cyrel Lightning plate family is optimized for UV LED exposure units to make full use of this system’s capabilities. The benefits of the plates include a further optimized match between access time and plate performance while not compromising on the print quality.
Previously, exposure settings on LED units often had to be adjusted for either higher quality or shorter access time, DuPont says. The Cyrel Lightning plates challenge this as they were formulated from the ground up with UV LED exposure characteristics in mind. The Cyrel LSH represents the first photopolymer plate of the Lightning family. It is solvent processable and currently available in 045 and 067 gauges.
Miraclon has received the prestigious FTA Technical Innovation Award for PureFlexo Printing. Accessed through the Kodak FLEXCEL NX Print Suite, the technology addresses and controls unwanted ink spread to allow a wider operating window in printing, thus maximizing efficiency, repeatability and overall performance on-press. As one of only three Technical Innovation Award recipients, and the only recipient in the Prepress Graphics Category, it underscores the impact that PureFlexo Printing can make – and has already been making – in driving increased uptime for converters.
PureFlexo Printing utilizes Miraclon’s patented advanced plate surface patterning technology to resist the tendency of ink to spread during printing. Available only on the FLEXCEL NX System and focused primarily on printing with solvent inks on film, it brings a wider operational window regardless of line screen, with compound savings from fewer unscheduled press stops each day, reduced downtime and delays, and faster color setups.
Joe Tuccitto, director of education at FTA, says, “Miraclon should be very proud of this outstanding achievement. At a time when businesses are taking an extra hard look at maximizing efficiency and minimizing costs, PureFlexo Printing proves to be an innovation that can make a real impact across the whole production process.”
“We’re honored to receive this FTA Technical Innovation Award, which signifies the importance of innovations that can have a big impact across the flexo value chain,” comments Reid Chesterfield, chief technology and innovation officer at Miraclon. “PureFlexo Printing is being utilized to streamline efficiency and addresses the root cause of issues that result in unscheduled press stops and impact customers’ financial bottom line. The proven productivity benefits it brings to the print production process should be an important consideration for flexo trade shops and converters.”
Advances in flexo platemaking equipment have led to gains in efficiency and productivity. Modern, automated equipment has contributed to faster exposure times, improved plate handling and streamlined workflows. Plus, high resolution imaging systems and advancements in plate processing techniques enable the production of plates with finer lines, smoother gradients, and better image definition, resulting in superior print quality.
Flexo platemaking equipment can also contribute to cost savings. By producing high-quality plates consistently, it reduces the need for reprints while minimizing wastage in time, materials and resources.
Here’s a look at some of today’s platemaking technology advancements in the label and narrow web industry that are making headlines.
ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 T launches in US
XSYS has announced the market launch of the ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 T exposure unit in the United States. “The arrival of Catena-E is extremely timely, because the flexo industry is facing pressing needs for higher definition imaging, increased speeds, and more sustainable ways of making photopolymer printing plates,” says Dan Rosen, sales director, national accounts for North America. “On the back of having thoroughly tested this innovative technology throughout Europe, Asia, and Canada, where we have seen tremendous success, I’m very pleased to say that XSYS is now bringing Catena-E to the US.”LED technology offers consistent output for higher quality and lower operating costs with LEDs that are instantaneously stable, which also means that no time is wasted waiting for the machine to warm up. “With increasingly automated production, the flexo prepress industry is looking to LED as the next evolution in platemaking. Unfortunately, the options available have been extremely limited until now,” Rosen continues. “What XSYS is bringing to the market is a completely open and much more efficient hybrid exposing system with higher processing speeds and significant sustainability benefits in terms of less plate waste and lower energy usage.”
The ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 T unit uses high-intensity precision LEDs for the main exposure process, offering exceptional reproduction of even the finest relief elements and highest possible print quality. Suitable for nearly all types of plates on the market, the system eliminates oxygen effects, which allows customers to transition into flat-top dot exposure with standard plates or to process plates with inherent flat-top dot technology. This includes the nyloflex FTV Digital, a new LED optimized plate from XSYS, which is aimed specifically at the high-end flexible packaging segment.
Visitors to the recently expanded XSYS Technical Center and Demo Facility in Charlotte, NC, will soon be able to experience the ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 T live in action. The new unit will be set up in the technical lab to run inline with a ThermoFlexX TFxX 80 imager to demonstrate fully automated plate imaging and exposure in one simple process. This is enabled by a new interface with a rover plate moving system and bridge combined with intelligent plate transport and smart run-off, eliminating all the risks associated with manual handling.
“Having the Catena-E 80 T unit in our demo center will allow people to test their own files and evaluate the operation of the equipment and the high-speed benefits in real time. When they can see the operation up close, they will better understand the fail safes, the design quality, and the engineering that went into the development,” says Eric Gibbs, managing director for plates. “We are excited for customers to bring their own production staff, so they can experience the big operational efficiency gains that are available to them with our very competitive solution.”
Across the border in Canada, two early adopters are harvesting the benefits of ThermoFlexX Catena-E technology. Tempo Flexible Packaging in Innisfil, north of Toronto, Ontario, installed a Catena-E 48 unit and quickly witnessed a big difference in the productivity of the plate room. The company needed to replace an older conventional bank exposure unit that was causing some quality issues. “Right away, the Catena-E solved our problems and there was a dramatic improvement in the print quality,” reports Craig Labossier, print technical services manager at Tempo.
Flexoleed in Montreal, which serves customers in all of the Quebec province, has also recently moved from bank exposure to LED technology. Dominic Desgagnés, technical director, comments, “We are very happy with the stability of the new ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80; the details are sharp, and the plate floors are even. The transition from our old exposure unit was also well executed, and we found the whole process to be quick and efficient.”
For XSYS North America, the arrival of the Catena-E 80 T in the US represents a crucial step in the plan to install a fully automated ThermoFlexX Catena+ end-to-end platemaking line, which is due to be available for live demonstrations at the Charlotte facility later this year. Rosen concludes, “As XSYS, we are investing heavily in operations across the globe to allow customers full access to our wide portfolio of solutions and to give them the opportunity to speak face-to-face with our experts. Now that pandemic restrictions are a thing of the past, it is full steam ahead for XSYS North America.”
Esko and Asahi team for CrystalCleanConnect
Asahi Photoproducts, a specialist in flexographic photopolymer plate development, attended EskoWorld 2023 in Orlando, FL, USA, where experts explained the Asahi sustainability strategy and its achievement of Carbon Neutral Certification for AWP plates. Here, they discussed the benefits of the new CrystalCleanConnect platemaking solution.CrystalCleanConnect, a joint development between Asahi, Esko and Kongsberg, delivers press-ready plates, from imaging of raw material through cutting on an integrated Kongsberg table. According to Asahi, CrystalCleanConnect reduces the platemaking steps from 12 to one, reduces the need for operator intervention, and significantly reduces waste.
Gene Martin, agent for Asahi Photoproducts USA, said, “The Asahi water-washable plate has been in the market for 15 years, and we continue to improve its value to the industry and to the environment. In 2022, our AWP-DEW water-washable plate achieved Carbon Neutral certification in partnership with The Carbon Trust, highlighting the company direction to become carbon neutral across all its businesses by 2050.”
The name CrystalCleanConnect is derived from Esko’s Crystal product range, Asahi’s CleanPrint product range, and the connection to subsequent devices such as the Kongsberg cutting table in the print production workflow. The joint development is touted as an industry first, with no VOC-based washout solvents due to the use of Asahi’s AWP CleanPrint water-washable plates, with what the companies say is never-before-seen levels of automation, generating a cut plate that is ready for mounting.
Several units have been installed globally, Martin said, and are making a huge difference for those operations, in sustainability and time to market. “Its ease of operation takes pressure off of flexo companies who are having difficulty in hiring and retaining experienced staff, since its high level of automation enables operation by less experienced personnel,” Martin said.
Creation helps Whitworths with solvent-free prepress
Creation Reprographics has helped Whitworths, a dried fruit, nuts and snacks brand, support brand-wide sustainability by going solvent-free in its flexible packaging prepress. Aiming to further reduce the carbon impact of its packaging, Whitworths has moved its flexible packaging designs to water-washable Fujifilm Flenex-FW flexo plates, manufactured by Creation. Eliminating the need for solvents in prepress, Flenex-FW plate technology reduces energy use requirements and removes harmful VOC washout.Matt Francklow, managing director at Creation, explains, “We are delighted to partner with Whitworths and manufacture water-washable flexo plates for its diverse product range. Our work with Whitworths really amplifies an important message – sustainability, value and quality are not mutually exclusive with the support of a dedicated partner like Creation. Developed by Fujifilm, Flenex-FW brings a host of advantages over classic solvent plate technology. Crucially, the plates require less energy to produce than conventional polymer plates, and in an environment where business energy bills are still sky-high, that’s an important benefit to have.
“Print quality and registration are excellent, and a lightning-fast make-ready of just 40 minutes delivers more time on-press and increased productivity. The rubber-based compound of Flenex-FW means a 1% flat-top dot can be achieved without the need for complex systems to eliminate oxygen. This, in turn, means lower dot gain than conventional polymer plates. As a result, the precision is absolute, and the replicability truly impresses,” Francklow says.
In addition to supplying high-performance flexo plates to its customers in the packaging and label sectors, Creation also operates as a “Flenex-FW Center of Excellence.” Believing that hands-on experience is the best way to appreciate the technology, Creation invites printers to see the plates in action at its Daventry headquarters in the UK.
In addition to its water-washable flexo plate technology, Creation also offers a suite of services that helps printers optimize their resources and control costs, including color management and digital
workflow solutions.
Mark Oaten, packaging innovation manager at Whitworths, adds, “As part of our long-term sustainability strategy, we are driving toward true circularity and we dream of a world where nothing goes to waste. The work doesn’t stop with material innovation, however. We knew there would be further opportunities to lower our carbon impact, and as a go-to name in label and packaging prepress solutions, we knew that Creation would be able to help us find those opportunities.”
Two decades of DuPont Cyrel platemaking
Last year, DuPont celebrated 20 years of Cyrel FAST platemaking and more than 1,500 installations worldwide. Cyrel FAST is a thermal platemaking system that consists of a thermal processor and a large variety of photopolymer printing plates for flexible packaging, labels and other applications. The Cyrel FAST system aims to offer enhanced productivity and performance while helping to reduce processing costs, time and environmental impact compared to existing solvent methods.By eliminating the use of solvents – including water – from the platemaking process, the Cyrel FAST system requires no drying time and plates can be ready for print under 45 minutes. Today’s Cyrel FAST system is an achievement of more than 20 years of continuous evolution and investment in the platform and has resulted in more than 1,500 installations globally. DuPont also recently announced the 200th installation of its latest version, the FAST 2000 TD.
The recently launched Cyrel Lightning plate technology received the 2022 FTA Technical Innovation Award. The new Cyrel Lightning plate family is optimized for UV LED exposure units to make full use of this system’s capabilities. The benefits of the plates include a further optimized match between access time and plate performance while not compromising on the print quality.
Previously, exposure settings on LED units often had to be adjusted for either higher quality or shorter access time, DuPont says. The Cyrel Lightning plates challenge this as they were formulated from the ground up with UV LED exposure characteristics in mind. The Cyrel LSH represents the first photopolymer plate of the Lightning family. It is solvent processable and currently available in 045 and 067 gauges.
Miraclon has received the prestigious FTA Technical Innovation Award for PureFlexo Printing. Accessed through the Kodak FLEXCEL NX Print Suite, the technology addresses and controls unwanted ink spread to allow a wider operating window in printing, thus maximizing efficiency, repeatability and overall performance on-press. As one of only three Technical Innovation Award recipients, and the only recipient in the Prepress Graphics Category, it underscores the impact that PureFlexo Printing can make – and has already been making – in driving increased uptime for converters.
PureFlexo Printing utilizes Miraclon’s patented advanced plate surface patterning technology to resist the tendency of ink to spread during printing. Available only on the FLEXCEL NX System and focused primarily on printing with solvent inks on film, it brings a wider operational window regardless of line screen, with compound savings from fewer unscheduled press stops each day, reduced downtime and delays, and faster color setups.
Joe Tuccitto, director of education at FTA, says, “Miraclon should be very proud of this outstanding achievement. At a time when businesses are taking an extra hard look at maximizing efficiency and minimizing costs, PureFlexo Printing proves to be an innovation that can make a real impact across the whole production process.”
“We’re honored to receive this FTA Technical Innovation Award, which signifies the importance of innovations that can have a big impact across the flexo value chain,” comments Reid Chesterfield, chief technology and innovation officer at Miraclon. “PureFlexo Printing is being utilized to streamline efficiency and addresses the root cause of issues that result in unscheduled press stops and impact customers’ financial bottom line. The proven productivity benefits it brings to the print production process should be an important consideration for flexo trade shops and converters.”
