Asahi Photoproducts announced that All4Labels’ site near Hamburg, Germany, has significantly boosted productivity by installing the CrystalCleanConnect automated platemaking system. Developed by Asahi Photoproducts, ESKO, and Kongsberg, the system has replaced the manual process, reducing errors and scheduling problems.
“CrystalCleanConnect had answers to all these problems,” said Mirco Wilke, head of prepress, flexo printing, at All4Labels Hamburg. “We could connect to our workflow systems, automate the whole process, and minimize the operator’s hands-on work.”
The system, the result of two years of development, automates the entire platemaking process from imaging to plate cutting, reducing steps from 12 to just one. This automation has led to a 90% reduction in dedicated operator time and an average 25% increase in press Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). It also reduces ink usage by 20%.
“A standard platemaking machine with two operators can normally produce 24 plates in an eight-hour shift,” explained Dieter Niederstadt, technical marketing manager at Asahi Photoproducts. “With CrystalCleanConnect, one person’s total operator time is one hour. Everything is automated, from laser imaging to plate cutting, which wasn’t possible before. Additionally, the machine uses water-washable plates certified as carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust, allowing for a solvent-free, more environmentally sustainable production.”
The automated system has proven beneficial, especially for larger operations running multiple shifts. “It is a system that works well in a 24-hour operation,” said Pascal Thomas, director of ESKO’s flexo business. “Because it’s fully automatic, you don’t need much training to operate it. It’s plug and play.”
Flexibility and quality are crucial for All4Labels Hamburg’s customers. “As print runs become shorter, we must always be flexible in our print production and time to market. Quality is also crucial,” Wilke noted. “The fact that CrystalCleanConnect allows us to put our print files directly from prepress into a whole connected system, reduce waste, reduce operator input, and automate the whole platemaking process, are huge advantages.”
The installation was quick, with All4Labels producing plates on the new system after just a couple of weeks of training. “The process was straightforward,” Wilke said.
Asahi Photoproducts will present further innovations at drupa, including the AWP-LOOP™ system, a closed-loop wastewater recycling solution that can recover and reuse 80% of the water used in the plate washing process.