Miraclon, home of Kodak Flexcel Solutions, unveiled its PureFlexo Printing innovation at its inaugural Mraclon Innovates virtual event.
PureFlexo Printing enables Kodak Flexcel NX System users to produce high-quality flexo print within a wider operating window by controlling unwanted ink spread in ways never seen before.
Designed specifically for wide web solvent ink on film applications, PureFlexo Printing maximizes press efficiency, repeatability and overall performance while enabling printers and prepress providers to experience cleaner print, stable colour and a better bottom line.
Emma Schlotthauer, Chief Marketing Officer at Miraclon, said: “Brand consistency and eye-catching flexible packaging is increasingly important.
“Printers need solutions that help them meet the ever-expanding demands of graphic reproduction, without needing to operate at less-than optimum production speeds or risking press downtime from continual adjustments and unscheduled stoppages.
“A wide print latitude is the key to profitable production. PureFlexo Printing addresses a core technical issue – unwanted ink spread – which helps to widen print latitude and reset the quality-efficiency balance.”
Printers get the best out of their press machinery when they have the flexibility to run uninterrupted. They need wide latitude (also referred to as the operating window) and a robust process to manage production efficiently, as a narrow latitude means small changes can push a print run out of acceptable quality. By resisting unwanted ink spread, PureFlexo Printing gives printers the power to keep the press running with a low risk.
Ms Schlotthauer adds that PureFlexo Printing and the reduction of unwanted ink spread has major financial benefits for both printers and pre-press providers: “If an unscheduled press stop to clean plates takes about 10 minutes, and with a typical billable press rate of around $700/hour you can easily start doing the math about the financial benefits in eliminating some of these stops.”
“With lower dot gain and significantly reduced ink buildup during a run, PureFlexo Printing not only brings a more predictable match to a press color profile, it also reduces the need to stop the press to clean plates,” adds Dr Anderson. “This results in much greater production efficiencies while producing a high-quality result. The complete prepress and printing process becomes more efficient.”
The benefits of PureFlexo Printing are felt throughout the value chain. Printers report that greater resistance to common production issues means that challenging work can now be produced more consistently and with greater uptime. Notably, Flexcel NX Plates with PureFlexo Printing can typically use a softer mounting tape without compromising image reproduction. This helps reduce voids and the need to overimpress – further increasing plate life.
Prepress providers can break the cycle of chasing color, retouching and remaking plates. Trade shops report a significant reduction in image retouching and file preparation prior to proof due to a more linear response, and a more accurate press to proof match.
“The launch of our core Flexcel NX Technology in 2008 helped to elevate flexo printing to compete head-on with other printing processes and addressed the inconsistencies traditionally associated with flexo,” said Ms Schlotthauer, putting Miraclon’s rich heritage of innovation into perspective.
“PureFlexo Printing is the next step in unlocking the full potential of the Flexcel NX System, enabling flexible packaging printers to lead the charge in pushing the boundaries of flexo printing within a controlled, sustainable manufacturing environment.”