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Cutting-Edge Plate Ablation & UV Exposure for Digital Flexo - Overview and Advancements

Learn about simultaneous laser ablation and UV exposure technologies for digital flexo plates and sleeves, including advancements, productivity benefits, and environmental advantages. Discover how this innovative process reduces waste, improves print quality, and streamlines plate production. Explore the benefits and applications of this cutting-edge technology for flexographic printing.

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Cutting-Edge Plate Ablation & UV Exposure for Digital Flexo - Overview and Advancements

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  1. Simultaneous Ablation & UV Exposure for Digital Plates and Sleeves Ian Hole Director for Market Development ESKO

  2. Established Digital Platemaking

  3. Conventional Solvent Processing UV Main Exposure Thermal Dry Processing Established Digital Flexo Platemaking Process • Ablative Laser imaging to post processing Laser Ablation Digital Flexo Plate with LAMS coating Back Exposure

  4. Digital Flexo - Status -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 digital 14 micron dot

  5. PLATES AND SLEEVES ‘95 - 8.3 sq. ft (sq.ft/hr) at 2000 dpi- any lpi ‘97 - 13.2 sq. ft ’99 - 17.4 sq. ft ’00 - 27.7 sq. ft ’02 - 43.1 sq. ft (full image 40” x 30” - 12 minutes) Digital Ablation through 2005 Advancements in ablation speed and productivity

  6. 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

  7. Digital Platemaking Today

  8. Conventional Solvent Processing Thermal Dry Processing Digital Flexo Platemaking Workflow - Today • Simultaneous Laser Ablation and UV Main exposure Laser UV Main Exposure Ablation

  9. Digital Flexo dot shape comparison Digital 2004 Simultaneous Digital 14 micron dot 14 micron dot - smaller highlight dot possible - improved drain of residues - clean negative print - stable throughout press run - no vacuum / OXYGEN inhibition +smaller highlights better formed + dots have good shoulder support + long press life due to dot formation + better ink transfer

  10. 8.3 sq. ft 1995 (sq.ft/hr) at 2540 ppi- any lpi 13.2 sq. ft 1997 17.4 sq. ft 1998 PLATES AND SLEEVES 27.7 sq. ft 2000 TWINBEAM/Optics 25 43.1 sq. ft 2002 POWERBEAM/Optics40 86.1 sq. ft 2005 / Optics 80 – 50x80=19 minutes 86.1 sq. ft 2005 / Optics 80 Speed development of Flexo Imager family

  11. 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

  12. The Technology (patented) - Liquid cooled mercury capillary source - Pre focused UV reflector

  13. The Technology for Plates OPTICS • Fixed distance from plate surface

  14. The Technology for Sleeves OPTICS OPTICS • Automatic lamp distance adjustment for sleeve repeat sizes • NO Productivity loss for ALL sized sleeves (same as plates)

  15. Benefits from the technology

  16. Time Reduction of Platemaking process - before Solvent CTP Imaging,UVexposing,processing,drying,finishing 1.Color 2.Color 3.Color 4.Color Thermal CTP Imaging,UVexposing,processing,(no drying),finishing 1.Color 2.Color 3.Color 4.Color time

  17. Time Reduction ofPlatemaking process - after Solvent CTP Imaging/UVexposing,processing,drying,finishing 1.Color 2.Color 3.Color 4.Color Thermal CTP Imaging/UVexposing,processing,(nodrying),finishing 1.Color 2.Color 3.Color 4.Color time

  18. 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

  19. 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. Productivity - Digital Flexo vs Direct Engraving Solvent CTP Imaging/UVexposing,processing,drying,finishing 1.Color 2.Color 3.Color 4.Color Thermal CTP Imaging/UVexposing,processing,(no drying),finishing 1.Color 2.Color 3.Color 4.Color Direct Engraving 1.Color 2.Color 3.Color 4.Color time

  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

  22. The Results on Press

  23. Press Dot Gain comparison PRINTED DOT 100% 90% Analog 80% 70% 60% 50% Simultaneous Digital DGC curve 40% 30% Bank Light Digital 20% 10% 0% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 FILM DOT % Dot Gain from Digital is 50% less than analog plates and more predictable Even less Dot Gain from Simultaneous plates

  24. 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?

  25. One application for this technologyImproved workflows - Corrugated and Label Market

  26. PlatePatcher – workflow example - tradeshop PRESS Including plate processing • 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 100% mounting time & perfect register on press UV lamp reduces Main exposure time 10-15% polymer XL-Table PlatePatcher CDI 70% cutting time saving 10% plate saving Plot slug positions Mounting 90% time saving *.map

  27. PlatePatcher workflow example – label printer PRESS • 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 UV lamp eliminates time - 15 minutes 70% cutting time ID plotting on back of plate 10-15% Polymer saving XL-Table Post-Mounter PlatePatcher CDI Position file cuts mounting time – 10 minutes per color

  28. www.esko.com Ian.Hole@ESKO.com

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