DuPont, Esko and Kodak make flexo platemaking more robust

Dupont, Esko and Kodak had their task cut at the LMAI Conference 2015. Like all the meetings they would have had with the labeler and trade shops, these three specialists, best known for their flexo platesetters, processors and plates, spent the allocated time telling the audience to open their wallet to cut cost, up production and get the best results using the latest technology that’s on offer.

20 Jul 2015 | By PrintWeek India

According to Thillai Ganapati, flexo business development Asia, Esko, the mega trends indicate that there’s a need to use greater design elements to increase shelf appeal of labels, even as buyers are seeking limited editions, targeted campaigns and personalisation on global scale.
 
“Labels are becoming shorter in runs, they are needed just in time, and the focus is on reducing waste,” said Ganapati.
 
But how does one do that? “Simulate spot colours on press and standardise the press, he said Ganapati was talking about Equinox. “The benefit of Equinox is in the cost and quality. There is no need for cleaning of ink stations resulting in less time in job changeover. It also makes smaller runs viable while combining different jobs on the same web.”
 
DuPont’s global marketing director for packaging graphics, electronics and communication Chris McArdle, made a comparison with the analogue and the digital platemaking technologies. “The analogue technology was very complex and productivity too was low. In 1995, when digital came into flexo pre-press, it marked a quantum leap in the way plates were processed. The complexities were lower and productivity saw an increase.”
 
Further developments resulted in DuPont introducing the flat top dot built into the plate technology, further refining it with surface technology. “With this technology (the digital Cyrel range of plates) we wanted the dots to come down, to almost zero,” said McArdle. “The new technology is less complex, is highly productive and is compatible with solvent as well as thermal imagers,” he said.
 
Not one to be left behind, Vidhu Gautam, regional business manager and business development for Kodak in his presentation – Elevate flexo, unlock your next generation advantage, subtly hinted at who the developer of flat top dot technology was. “Kodak introduced the Flexcel NX digital flexographic plates that not only improved the quality of print throughout the full tonal range but also expanded the colour gamut that could possibly be achieved.”
 
He added, “We have focused on our industry experience to help our customers meet their goal.”
 
All the three presentations, however, focused on getting the flexographic industry to take advantage of cutting-edge technology that digital platemaking and plates offer.