Simultaneous Ablation & UV Exposure for Digital Plates and Sleeves Ian Hole Director for Market...
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Transcript of Simultaneous Ablation & UV Exposure for Digital Plates and Sleeves Ian Hole Director for Market...
Simultaneous Ablation & UV Exposure for
Digital Plates and Sleeves
Simultaneous Ablation & UV Exposure for
Digital Plates and Sleeves
Ian HoleIan HoleDirector for Market DevelopmentDirector for Market DevelopmentESKOESKO
Established Digital PlatemakingEstablished Digital PlatemakingEstablished Digital PlatemakingEstablished Digital Platemaking
3
Established Digital Flexo Platemaking Process
• Ablative Laser imaging to post processing
UV Main Exposure
Digital Flexo Platewith LAMS coating
Laser
AblationBack Exposure
Conventional Solvent Processing
Thermal Dry Processing
4
Digital Flexo - Status
digitaldigitaldigitaldigital
-Smaller highlight dots and digital consistency -Improved drain in shadow areas giving clean negative print-Stable image throughout print run-Processing not changed for digital plates or sleeves-Dot support issues possible if UV exposure is not well controlled-“Bump Curve” critical to compensate for highlight dot shrinkage on plate- Accepted by many as the way forward in Pack and Labels
14 micron dot
5
‘97 - 13.2 sq. ft
‘95 - 8.3 sq. ft
’99 - 17.4 sq. ft
’00 - 27.7 sq. ft
’02 - 43.1 sq. ft (full image 40” x 30” - 12 minutes)
(sq.ft/hr)at 2000 dpi- any lpi
PLA
TES
AN
D S
LEEV
ES
Digital Ablation through 2005
Advancements in ablation speed and productivity
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Digital Platemaking through 2005
• Advancements in plate processing technologies
– Thermal dry processing, saves time and less distortion to the polymer
– Thermal dry processing has less emission issues
– Extended range of available durometer, thickness and types of polymer
• Minimal changes to plate main exposure
– Point light sources not proven over complete large plate area for dot shape and structure
– Bank lights still need compensation from “Bump Curves” to achieve well-formed highlight dots
– Inconsistency easily possible, wastage expected
Digital Platemaking TodayDigital Platemaking Today
8
Digital Flexo Platemaking Workflow - Today
• Simultaneous Laser Ablation and UV Main exposure
Conventional Solvent Processing
Thermal Dry Processing
UV Main Exposure
Laser
Ablation
9
Digital Flexo dot shape comparison
Simultaneous Digital Simultaneous Digital Simultaneous Digital Simultaneous Digital Digital 2004 Digital 2004 Digital 2004 Digital 2004
+ smaller highlights better formed+ dots have good shoulder support+ long press life due to dot formation+ better ink transfer
- smaller highlight dot possible- improved drain of residues- clean negative print- stable throughout press run- no vacuum / OXYGEN inhibition
14 micron dot 14 micron dot
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Speed development of Flexo Imager family
13.2 sq. ft 1997
8.3 sq. ft 1995
17.4 sq. ft 1998
27.7 sq. ft 2000 TWINBEAM/Optics 25
43.1 sq. ft 2002 POWERBEAM/Optics40
(sq.ft/hr)at 2540 ppi- any lpi
PLA
TES
AN
D S
LEEV
ES
86.1 sq. ft 2005 / Optics 8086.1 sq. ft 2005 / Optics 80 – 50x80=19 minutes
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Why Simultaneous Ablation and UV Main Exposure?
- Possibility for targeted UV light simultaneous with ablation giving higher productivity, less total process time
- Rotating plate/sleeve addresses the light exactly perpendicular and very close to polymer surface brings perfect exposure of fine highlight dots
- UV light emission is exactly consistent across ENTIRE plate/sleeve surface for highlights and shadows
- Easily adapted for plates or sleeves of any size
- Reduced handling brings labor down and polymer savings up
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The Technology (patented)
- Liquid cooled mercury capillary source- Pre focused UV reflector
13
The Technology for Plates
- Fixed distance from plate surface
OPTICS
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The Technology for Sleeves
- Automatic lamp distance adjustment for sleeve repeat sizes- NO Productivity loss for ALL sized sleeves (same as plates)
OPTICS OPTICS
Benefits from the technologyBenefits from the technology
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time
Time Reduction of Platemaking process - before
Imaging, UVexposing, processing, drying, finishingSolvent CTP
1.Color
2.Color
3.Color
4.Color
Thermal CTPImaging, UVexposing, processing, (no drying), finishing
1.Color
2.Color
3.Color
4.Color
17
time
Time Reduction of Platemaking process - after
Imaging/UVexposing, processing, drying, finishingSolvent CTP
1.Color
2.Color
3.Color
4.Color
Thermal CTPImaging/UVexposing, processing, (no drying), finishing
1.Color
2.Color
3.Color
4.Color
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Elimination of polymer waste – in detail
• Elimination of waste through Plate to Plate consistency from more digital control of process – UV light exposure was always analog
• Elimination of polymer waste through reduced polymer handling within process
– No carrying of large (thick) plates to and from a UV frame
– Once Ablated/UV is exposed, plate image is fixed, damage to mask layer is irrelevant, does not affect the final plate/sleeve image
• Strong dot shoulder structure from perpendicular light gives support to small isolated highlights
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Perpendicular UV light forms better dots than Bank Light
• As UV bank-light is being delivered to the plate, oxygen is being depleted thereby shrinking the dots – Digital Technology
• What would happen if you could deliver greater amounts of UV to the photopolymer in shorter periods of time? Is oxygen depletion still sharpening the dots?
• Targeted amounts of UV delivered to the photopolymer at exactly 90 degrees to the polymer
• Highlights and fine line detail gets almost ALL the light necessary to form a strong dot –
Very reduced “Bump” exposure necessary (max 1-3% range)
• Targeted amounts of light EVENLY delivered to ALL parts of the polymer surface
• Good quality dots across entire tonal range with good shoulder support
20
time
Productivity - Digital Flexo vs Direct Engraving
Imaging/UVexposing, processing, drying, finishingSolvent CTP
Direct Engraving
1.Color
2.Color
3.Color
4.Color
1.Color2.Color
3.Color4.Color
Thermal CTPImaging/UVexposing, processing, (no drying), finishing
1.Color
2.Color
3.Color
4.Color
21
Summary of Cost and Productivity Benefits
• Reduction in platemaking process time with SIMULTANEOUS ablation and UV main exposure
• Elimination of waste through Plate to Plate consistency from more digital control across more of the process (no analog exposure frame)
• Elimination of polymer waste through reduced process steps and handling
• Reduced Bump Curve plus an extended tonal range – because plate is almost linear
• Use with Solvent or Thermal / Plates or Sleeves
• Productivity and quality increased even more versus Direct Engraving
The Results on PressThe Results on Press
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Press Dot Gain comparison
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
FILM DOT %
PRINTED DOT
Analog
Bank Light Digital
Dot Gain from Digital is 50% less than analog plates and more predictable
Even less Dot Gain from Simultaneous plates
Simultaneous Digital DGC curve
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Benefits on Press
• This Simultaneous UV dot holds up well on long runs
- at least the same as Bank Light UV plates
– strong dot formation means press impression has same impact
• Same shaped dot brings all printing advantages of Digital Flexo
• Indications of higher Ink Transfer from Simultaneous UV dot
– Why?
One application for this technology
Improved workflows - Corrugated and Label Market
One application for this technology
Improved workflows - Corrugated and Label Market
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• Workflow (Savings in RED)
• PlatePatcher for optimization of separations
• Mylar on table register pins, plot “slug” positions
• Cut and Mount “slugs”
• Using pins on CDI drum, load mylar carrier (with plate “slugs”)
• Image, UV expose on CDI
• Process plates on carrier sheet
• Attach press barstrips on XL table & onto press
PlatePatcher – workflow example - tradeshop
XL-Table
CDI
PlatePatcher
*.map
10-15% polymer
70% cutting time saving10% plate savingPlot slug positionsMounting 90% time saving
PRESS
Including plate processing
100% mounting time& perfect register on press
UV lamp reduces Main exposure time
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• Workflow (Savings in RED)
• PlatePatcher for optimization of separations
• Imaging on CDI – ablation and UV together
• Thermal processing
• On XL table plates face down for pen ID plot on back of plate
• Cutting of separations on XL table (still face down)
• Collating separations into work job tickets
• Send to Mounting dept.
• Automatic mounter will use camera position data from graphics file
PlatePatcher workflow example – label printer
XL-Table Post-Mounter
CDI
PlatePatcher
10-15% Polymer saving
70% cutting timeID plotting on back of plate
PRESS
UV lamp eliminates time - 15 minutes
Position file cuts mounting time – 10 minutes per color