DuPont Packaging Graphics Announces Two New Flexo Digital Workflows for the Corrugated Industry
New Systems Eliminate Mounting and Reduce Fluting Associated with Digital Plates
DuPont Packaging Graphics has announced the introduction of two new digital “in position” offerings designed to enable and accelerate the ongoing transition to a fully digital workflow and computer to plate (CTP) systems in the corrugated industry. DuPont, working closely with EskoArtwork, created several new digital Cyrel® plates that more fully utilize the enhanced hardware and software tools from EskoArtwork. The result is an integrated workflow system that offers enhanced print quality and production efficiencies compared to analog and liquid platemaking and mounting. The systems are on display at drupa 2008, Hall 8B, Stand B23.
Both digital “in-position” workflows eliminate the use of film, offering a productive, cost effective method of producing consistent, high-quality flexographic printing plates. Corrugated tradeshops can turn jobs around more quickly by eliminating film retrieval and the hours of manual film stripping required for a single multi-color project. In addition, digital plates require less exposure time and the plate main exposure is simplified, eliminating the need to use film, pull vacuum, and prep and clean negatives.
“The flexible packaging industry has realized that digital workflows offer substantial economic advantages such as reduced material and labor costs,” said John McCooey, global marketing manager, DuPont Packaging Graphics. “Our objective has always been to advance flexography across all packaging segments and we have worked hard to provide tools specific to the needs of the corrugated industry. Whether they’re producing a basic brown box or a four color process retail end cap, corrugated tradeshops and printers now can take advantage of the benefits of a fully digital workflow.”
Using the new flexo digital workflows also allow corrugated tradeshops to eliminate film storage areas to better utilize plant space. Platemaking defects such as dust and dirt or those resulting from human error are reduced with the digital “in-position” workflows, as is the need for film handling, and retrieval.
Corrugated tradeshops using either of the DuPont digital “in-position” workflows can increase staff and space utilization due to the elimination of traditional mounting methods, increase their sheet plate raw material yield and reduce solvent consumption and stillbottoms generated from processing unimaged plate area. In addition, imaging “in position” offers nearly perfect registration so proofing can be less time-consuming.
The two complementary “in-position” workflows have been designated as “cut & peel” or “slugs in-position” by DuPont. The “cut & peel” workflow uses a lightweight, one-piece plate in which only the imaged area of the plate is processed. This unique strippable plate is mounted and imaged with a Cyrel® Digital Imager (CDI), then sent to an EskoArtwork Kongsberg automated cutting table or hand-cut with a hot knife. The unimaged floor area is peeled from the plate’s base polyester layer to minimize weight and reduce processing time and polymer loading of washout solvent. After processing, the lead edge pin strip is clipped into position and the finished image carrier is sent to press.
The “slugs in-position” option allows for the use of small pre-mounted plates, commonly referred to as slugs, on standard image carrier material to minimize the amount of photopolymer waste and eliminate the need for time-consuming post-mounting. Page layout data is used to generate a slug cutting guide for the EskoArtwork Kongsberg cutting table, which automatically cuts slightly oversized plate slugs from a raw digital Cyrel® plate. The table will then quickly produce a simple slug location guide, which will be used for alignment. A punched carrier sheet is mounted on the table and the appropriate slugs, pre-coated with sticky back, are aligned to the guide and pressed into place on the image carrier. The carrier sheet, with the plates in position, is then imaged in a CDI on a pinned drum, main exposed and processed. A lead edge pin strip is clipped into position and the finished carrier is sent to press.
Both workflows will be commercially available in 2008.
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DuPont Packaging Graphics @ drupa images
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DuPont Packaging Graphics @ drupa press conference
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June 3, 2008
DuPont Packaging Graphics (http://www.packaging-graphics.dupont.com) is a global leading supplier of flexographic printing systems in digital and conventional formats; including Cyrel® brand photopolymer plates, Cyrel® FAST processing equipment, Cyrel® round sleeves, mounting and finishing products
DuPont (http://www.dupont.com) is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food, building and construction, communications, and transportation.
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