Transcript Corrugated Post-print: Conventional or Digital?

Corrugated Post-print:
Conventional or Digital?
Dan Rosen
Accounts Manager
BASF Printing Systems
BASF
A Frequently Asked Question:
With CTP growing rapidly in other flexo
markets, are there any benefits to using
CTP in Corrugated Post-print?
• Does it improve workflow?
• Does it make better plates?
• Does it yield better print capability?
Indeed, CTP Is Growing Rapidly
Installation of Laser Systems - World wide
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Do The Benefits Of CTP
Apply To Corrugated?
Some Qualifying Comments
• This is a real world discussion:
– B flute, not E flute or micro flute boards
– Kraft and mottle white, not “high holdout” specialty
liners
– Average presses with standard aniloxes
– Thicker plates (.155”), not ultra-thin with foam
– Line Screens in the range of 42, 65 and 85 LPI
Just One Commercial…
BASF
Yes, We Have
The Digital Plates!
62°
ACE DII
58°
FAH DII
42°
ART DII
32°
FAC DII
0°
10°
20°
30°
40°
Hardness
50°
60°
70° Shore A
End Of Commercial.
BASF
CTP Handling
• Today's laser imagers are well suited for
thicker photopolymers (.125” - .250”)
• RPMs are now lower, high throughput
• Plate loading & gripper bars are
improved
• Vacuum assist is very effective
• Ergonomic designs allow for single
operator loading of very large plates
Let’s Look At A Few Aspects:
• The standard points about film
elimination
• Pre-flight workflow, Mounting
• Imaging / Printing – “where the rubber
hits the road”
• Summary
Let’s Look At A Few Aspects:
• The standard points about film
elimination
• Pre-flight workflow, Mounting
• Imaging / Printing – “where the rubber
hits the road”
• Summary
Film Elimination With CTP
• No films to file or strip
• No dings, dust, or film quality issues
• Set-up of plate exposing is simple
A big plus, since most platemaking
for corrugated involves large films
that are difficult to handle.
Image Layout
• Some strong advantages to using digital
layout – compared to traditional film stripping
• Some aspects of digital layout can be done
with film image setters today
• Other aspects, such as last minute image
changes, plus pre-mounting techniques are
better suited for CTP
The Following Three Slides Are
Courtesy of Esko Graphics
PlatePatcher Software For
Post-mounted Jobs
• Post-mounting support for corrugated workflow
– Automatic reduction of full-format jobs with scattered
images - into patches, saving polymer
– Automatic generation of cut marks – for higher/easier
accuracy
– Parameter file sent to cutting & post-mounting video
devices
– Decreases post-mounting time
PlatePatcher Software For
Post-mounted Jobs
• Time savings opportunity:
– Allows for accurate post mounting using
coordinates from the graphics file… less guessing
• Workflow description:
– Job File PlatePatcher  Datafile (plate cutting)
 CAD CAM table  Datafile (positioning)  Post
Mounting Device
Video / Electronic
Mounting Device
Productivity In Pre-Mounting
Images Before Platemaking
• Unimaged polymer pieces pre-mounted on the carrier sheet
using templates generated by the job file
–
–
–
–
NO “image” mounting, ONLY blank pieces
Laser imaging time managed by “Superskip” software
Image placement on the mount is digital-perfect
Normal plate processing on the carrier, die sealer added
afterward
– Best on large mounts
* Used at Rudolf,
Schawrtz and Tiesen
The Print Test…
BASF
Team Involved
• BASF Printing Systems: Plates, Data, &
Reporting
• Fox Valley Technical: Printing
• Schawk Chicago: File Prep., Platemaking,
Mounting, & Data
Materials & Conditions
• BASF’s nyloflex FAC Conventional & Digital
• Imaged on Esko 5080 Power Beam
• Mounted on 30 pt. Carrier with 2 mils tape and
underpacked with 90 mils foam
• Printed on FVTC Workhorse Industries 3-color press
with a Harper 400 line, 3.8 bcm anilox roll
• Menasha Corp. KLA white & Kraft b-flute substrate
• INX Brite II Process Black ink @ 9.7 ph and 24s with
#4 DIN
• Speed was 50 sheets / minute
• Ran @ equal SIDs and Impression levels
Image Target Designed
Image Target Designed
Keeping Things Fair…
BASF
Light Scattering
Light (UV)
Light (UV)
Vacuum film
Film base
Silver emulsion
Release layer
Black mask
Relief layer
Relief layer
Scattering area
Scattering area
Conventional plate
Digital plate
Dot Reduction From O2
UV Light
Black mask
ablation
Polymer
Dot Reduction From O2
O2
O2
O2
O2
Ø conventional
Ø digital
O2
O2
Dot Reduction From O2
We Worked To Make All Dots
Physically Equal On The Plates
File
Film
=
=
=
=
Plate
Plate
In Other Words, A 10% Dot Is
The Size Of A 10% Dot
Mask
File
Plate
Measured Dot Physical Surface
Diameters On Plates
65 LPI Physical Dots
100
90
80
% Specified
70
60
Conventional
50
Digital
40
30
20
10
0
2
5
10
20
30
40
% Size
50
60
70
80
The Print Results…
BASF
Solid Ink Density Comparison
Solid Ink Density
1.24
Density Value
1.22
1.2
1.18
1.16
1.14
1.12
Kraft
Conventional
Kraft Digital
White
Conventional
White Digital
Side By Side Comparisons
Side By Side Comparisons
Side By Side Comparisons
Digital
Conventional
Side By Side Comparisons
Conventional
Digital
Dot Gain: 42 LPI White
42 LPI Mottle White
100
90
80
% Printed
70
60
Conventional
50
Digital
File
40
30
20
10
0
2
5
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% On File
80
90
92
94
96
98
Dot Gain: 65 LPI White
65 LPI Mottle White
100
90
80
% Printed
70
60
Conventional
50
Digital
File
40
30
20
10
0
2
5
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% On File
80
90
92
94
96
98
Dot Gain: 85 LPI White
85 LPI Mottle White
100
90
80
% Printed
70
60
Conventional
50
Digital
File
40
30
20
10
0
2
5
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% On File
80
90
92
94
96
98
Dot Gain: 42 LPI Kraft
42 LPI Kraft
100
90
80
% Printed
70
60
Conventional
50
Digital
File
40
30
20
10
0
2
5
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% On File
80
90
92
94
96
98
Dot Gain: 65 LPI Kraft
65 LPI Kraft
100
90
80
% Printed
70
60
Conventional
50
Digital
File
40
30
20
10
0
2
5
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% On File
80
90
92
94
96
98
Dot Gain: 85 LPI Kraft
85 LPI Kraft
100
90
80
% Printed
70
60
Conventional
50
Digital
File
40
30
20
10
0
2
5
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% On File
80
90
92
94
96
98
Side By Side Comparisons
Digital
Conventional
Summary of Advantages
• Filmless Output, Layout And Imaging
• Possibilities For Imposition Digital Mounting
• Ability To Hold Finer
– Highlights
– Shadows
– Fine Type & Reverses
• Less Dot Gain on 85, 65, even 42 LPI White
• Marginal Print Improvement on Kraft
This was one test. Many more should be done!
Thank You!
Dan Rosen
Accounts Manager
BASF Printing Systems
[email protected]
BASF