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FILE PLATE PRINT

Is it just a new method of screening?

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About Flexo Tools

How to Increase Flexo Output Quality

1. First: Plate-making

2. Then: HD Flexo

3. Then: Image retouching

Scalable and repeatable: Flexo Tools dissolves the smoke around Flexo retouching. It’s like having your best operator available on every workstation, every shift

Flexo Tools

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Viewer (Flexo Plate Preview)

● Viewer = consistent QA in DeskPack, ArtPro and PackEdge

● In case a quality issue is detected, often an image needs to be retouched

Flexo Tools puts the same consistent QA tools in Photoshop

and the smart tools to fix the issue it (FlexoClean and FlexoFix).

Nothing (0%)Nothing (0%)

SolidsSolids

Halftones(negative)

Halftones(negative)

HighlightsAnd break-outs

HighlightsAnd break-outs

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Flexo Tools - Flexo Clean

FlexoClean automaticallysimplifies the break-outsEliminating the risk.Works on any image.

FlexoClean automaticallysimplifies the break-outsEliminating the risk.Works on any image.

viewX shows the problem:Scum dots and

noisy break-outsRisk of dirty printing

viewX shows the problem:Scum dots and

noisy break-outsRisk of dirty printing

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Flexo Tools - FlexoFix

● Advanced automatic image quality improvement

● Ideal for photographic images (product shots)

● Restore color saturation

● Restore contrast in the highlights

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And more..

● Object screening

● Microcell

● Smooth vignettes to zero – end at 0,78%

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Balanced dot sizes in the highlights

Dots stay on regular grid, so pattern is not grainy

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Resolution – why 4000dpi?

- The number of tones that can normally be reproduced with a halftone screen is equal to the number of spots in a halftone cell- To have a good quality we need at least 256 tonal steps (for every ink). - To increase the number of tones you must increase the number of spots in the cell.-This means either enlarging the cell (and decreasing screen frequency), or increasing the resolution of the imagesetter.

This relationship can be expressed as follows:

# of tones = (resolution/screenfrequency)2

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Resolution – why 4000dpi?

So for resolution 2400 DPIScreen Frequency: 150 LPI# of tones: (2400/200)2 = 256 -> OK – but it is limit

Of course we have intelligent dithering algorithm but..

- When dots are made of few pixels, they will be jagged.- With some plate making processes, the jagged shape is transferred to plate.- The jagged corners are weak spots on the dot.- These jagged corners can collect ink.

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See the difference – here - small dots…

● 3.5% digital dot, screened at 212 lpi

● Compare the difference between 4000 and 2400 ppi output resolutions:

2400 4000

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But from other side..

Wstawic wyniki wydruku z obniżoną rozdzielczościa

We can use worse materials – see below sample – image 150dpi and 300dpi

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HD FLEXO Screens Installer

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Platemaking..

• Processing steps:①Back exposure②Laser plate imaging③Main exposure ④Washout and drying / thermal process⑤Post exposure

• Influence of the processing steps on the quality①CDI – focus / energy②Exposure o Optimum: 18 mW/cm2 and highero Borderline: 18 mW/cm2 – 16 mW/cm2• Not feasible: < 16 mW/cm2

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How to check platemaking quality?

Target has also AM screens – which is used as referenceUseful is also HI-Fi target – the same for all plates. See reference pictures for DFH67

16px 20px

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0,5% - reference field

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PRINT - 1-colour test

And:InksAniloxTapesPress

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Inks

① UV – • Labels, Folding Carton, Flexible Packaging and others• Recomendable plates: DuPont DFQ, DPN, DPI, DPR, Flint ACE, Asahi DEF• Digital noise should be eliminated from images by using EskoArtwork

FlexoTools (clean below 0,78%)• Round Fogra dot shape should be used for substrates sensitive to mottling

(e.g. paper label stock)

② water based inks –• Corrugated Pre-Print and Post-Print, Folding Carton and others• Recomandable plates:- Corrugated Post-Print: DuPont DPN, DuPont DS2, Flint ART- Corrugated Pre-Print: DuPont DPR, DuPont DS2, Flint ART, Flint ACT- Folding Carton: DuPont DPR, DuPont DPN, DuPont DFQ, Flint ACT• Round Fogra dot shape is recommended

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Inks

③ solvent inks• Flexible packaging and others• Recomandable plates:- Smooth transition to zero– use hard plate - (e.g. DuPont DPR/DFQ, Flint

ACE, Flint FAB, MacDermid RAVE, Asahi DSH )- High solids – use softer plate - e.g. DuPont DS2/DFS, Flint ACT, MacDermid

DMAX, Asahi DSF).• For hard plates use screens from either the Flexibles Low Volume (LV) or

Flexibles Medium Volume (MV) section

Comment: Flint prepare new series for HD Flexo – see samples

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Anilox

1. UV inksand water based inks - Anilox-LPI 5 x Job-LPI (and for excellent highlights cell volume < 5 cm3/m2 (3 BCM/in2)

2. Solvent inks - Anilox-LPI 6 x Job-LPI

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Tapes

- Use harder tapes to improve solids, use softer tapes to improve highlights- Use a tape that is as hard as possible for best combination of good solid inkdensity and good highlight printing (and that still avoids bouncing)- For combination of solids and screens:o hard plates should be mounted with medium-hard tapeso softer plates should be mounted with medium-soft tapes- Plates containing only solids and linework (no screens) should always be mounted with hard tapes (e.g. for spot color or white printing)- When you are facing bouncing on the press, this often can be reduced by softertape (especially on wide-web presses)- Paper adhesive label stock requires softer tapes to prevent mottling- Never re-use tape for high quality prints (although most printers do so)

Sample : 5 different tapes for the same plate

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Press - overimpression

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High Detail Sharpness

Smooth and high contrast shadow without visible “edges”

1% homogeneous grey printed with CMY:Very homogeneous printout despite CMY usage clearly shows the superiority of Perfect Highlight screening.

Perfect Highlight Step wedges:0,5% in file 2% in print1% in file 3% in print2% in file 5% in print3% in file 9% in printTotal 10 grey values print with less than 10% with excellent tonal dynamics Perfect contrast in Highlights

Vignette to zero:Smooth vignette transition to zero

No need to compensate CT:0,5% in CT prints with only 2% density. No need anymore to bump up CT (no loss of image contrast!)

EskoArtwork: HD Flexo - Sample

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EskoArtwork: HD Flexo

File %

Print% in Cyan wedge

Circular

Perfect

Highlight

8,0% 28% 18%

7,0% 26% 17%

6,0% 24% 15%

5,0% 23% 14%

4,0% 22% 11%

3,0% 22% 9%

2,0% 21% 5%

1,0% 19% 3%

0,5% 17% 2%

Screen: Perfect HighlightTM and Circular

Imager: CDI Spark 2530 HighRes optics

Plate: DuPont DFQ (Thermal plate)

Press: Gallus RCS 330

Anilox: Cyan: 420L/cm, depth 11µm, volume 3,1cm³/m², 60°Magenta: 420L/cm, depth 11µm, volume 3,1cm³/m², 60°Black: 320L/cm, depth 16µm, volume 4,7cm³/m², 60°Yellow: 320L/cm, depth 16µm, volume 4,6cm³/m², 60°

Ink: UV Ink (Flint)

Substrate: POPP White Gloss, Primer 60µm (Intercoat)

Technical Details

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High contrast in highlights and shadows:Black is used to increase shadow details but does not lead to sharp edges when running to zero (transition shadow highlights

High detail sharpness with smooth transition to zero

Smooth and High contrast shadow without visible “edges” even when black is running to zero

Perfect Highlight Step wedges:0,5% in file 2% in print1% in file 3% in print2% in file 5% in print3% in file 9% in printTotal 10 grey values print with less than 10% with excellent tonal dynamics Perfect contrast in Highlights

Vignette to zero:Smooth vignette transition to zero

No need to compensate CT:0,5% in CT prints with only 2% density. No need anymore to bump up CT (no loss of image contrast!)

EskoArtwork: HD Flexo

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EskoArtwork: HD Flexo

File %

Print% in Cyan wedge

Circular

Perfect

Highlight

8,0% 28% 18%

7,0% 26% 17%

6,0% 24% 15%

5,0% 23% 14%

4,0% 22% 11%

3,0% 22% 9%

2,0% 21% 5%

1,0% 19% 3%

0,5% 17% 2%

Screen: Perfect HighlightTM and Circular

Imager: CDI Spark 2530 HighRes optics

Plate: DuPont DFQ (Thermal plate)

Press: Gallus RCS 330

Anilox: Cyan: 420L/cm, depth 11µm, volume 3,1cm³/m², 60°Magenta: 420L/cm, depth 11µm, volume 3,1cm³/m², 60°Black: 320L/cm, depth 16µm, volume 4,7cm³/m², 60°Yellow: 320L/cm, depth 16µm, volume 4,6cm³/m², 60°

Ink: UV Ink (Flint)

Substrate: POPP White Gloss, Primer 60µm (Intercoat)

Technical Details

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