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Corrugated Post-print:
Conventional or Digital?
Dan Rosen
Accounts Manager
BASF Printing Systems
BASF
A Frequently Asked Question:
With CTP growing rapidly in other flexo markets, are there any benefits to using CTP in Corrugated Post-print?
• Does it improve workflow?
• Does it make better plates?
• Does it yield better print capability?
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Installation of Laser Systems - World wide
Indeed, CTP Is Growing Rapidly
Do The Benefits Of CTPApply To Corrugated?
Some Qualifying Comments
• This is a real world discussion:– B flute, not E flute or micro flute boards– Kraft and mottle white, not “high holdout” specialty
liners– Average presses with standard aniloxes– Thicker plates (.155”), not ultra-thin with foam– Line Screens in the range of 42, 65 and 85 LPI
Just One Commercial…
BASF
10° 20° 30° 40° 50° 60° 70° Shore A0°
32°
42°
58
62°
Hardness
°
Yes, We Have The Digital Plates!
ACE DII
FAH DII
ART DII
FAC DII
End Of Commercial.
BASF
CTP Handling
• Today's laser imagers are well suited for thicker photopolymers (.125” - .250”)
• RPMs are now lower, high throughput• Plate loading & gripper bars are
improved• Vacuum assist is very effective• Ergonomic designs allow for single
operator loading of very large plates
Let’s Look At A Few Aspects:
• The standard points about film elimination
• Pre-flight workflow, Mounting
• Imaging / Printing – “where the rubber hits the road”
• Summary
Let’s Look At A Few Aspects:
• The standard points about film elimination
• Pre-flight workflow, Mounting
• Imaging / Printing – “where the rubber hits the road”
• Summary
Film Elimination With CTP
• No films to file or strip
• No dings, dust, or film quality issues
• Set-up of plate exposing is simple
A big plus, since most platemaking for corrugated involves large films that are difficult to handle.
Image Layout
• Some strong advantages to using digital layout – compared to traditional film stripping
• Some aspects of digital layout can be done with film image setters today
• Other aspects, such as last minute image changes, plus pre-mounting techniques are better suited for CTP
The Following Three Slides Are Courtesy of Esko Graphics
• Post-mounting support for corrugated workflow– Automatic reduction of full-format jobs with scattered
images - into patches, saving polymer– Automatic generation of cut marks – for higher/easier
accuracy– Parameter file sent to cutting & post-mounting video
devices– Decreases post-mounting time
PlatePatcher Software For Post-mounted Jobs
• Time savings opportunity:– Allows for accurate post mounting using
coordinates from the graphics file… less guessing
• Workflow description:
– Job File PlatePatcher Datafile (plate cutting) CAD CAM table Datafile (positioning) Post Mounting Device
Video / Electronic Mounting Device
PlatePatcher Software For Post-mounted Jobs
Productivity In Pre-Mounting Images Before Platemaking
• Unimaged polymer pieces pre-mounted on the carrier sheet using templates generated by the job file
– NO “image” mounting, ONLY blank pieces– Laser imaging time managed by “Superskip” software– Image placement on the mount is digital-perfect– Normal plate processing on the carrier, die sealer added
afterward– Best on large mounts
* Used at Rudolf, Schawrtz and Tiesen
The Print Test…
BASF
Team Involved
• BASF Printing Systems: Plates, Data, & Reporting
• Fox Valley Technical: Printing• Schawk Chicago: File Prep., Platemaking,
Mounting, & Data
Materials & Conditions
• BASF’s nyloflex FAC Conventional & Digital• Imaged on Esko 5080 Power Beam• Mounted on 30 pt. Carrier with 2 mils tape and
underpacked with 90 mils foam• Printed on FVTC Workhorse Industries 3-color press
with a Harper 400 line, 3.8 bcm anilox roll• Menasha Corp. KLA white & Kraft b-flute substrate• INX Brite II Process Black ink @ 9.7 ph and 24s with
#4 DIN• Speed was 50 sheets / minute• Ran @ equal SIDs and Impression levels
Image Target Designed
Image Target Designed
Keeping Things Fair…
BASF
Scattering area Scattering area
Vacuum film
Film baseSilver emulsionRelease layer
Relief layer
Conventional plate
Light (UV) Light (UV)
Black mask
Relief layer
Digital plate
Light Scattering
Dot Reduction From O2
ablation
Polymer
Black mask
UV Light
Dot Reduction From O2
Ø conventional
Ø digital O2
O2
O2 O2
O2
O2
Dot Reduction From O2
We Worked To Make All Dots Physically Equal On The Plates
File Film
PlatePlate
=
=
==
In Other Words, A 10% Dot Is The Size Of A 10% Dot
MaskFile Plate
Measured Dot Physical Surface Diameters On Plates
65 LPI Physical Dots
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% Size
% S
pec
ifie
d
Conventional
Digital
The Print Results…
BASF
Solid Ink Density Comparison
Solid Ink Density
1.12
1.14
1.16
1.18
1.2
1.22
1.24
KraftConventional
Kraft Digital WhiteConventional
White Digital
Den
sity
Val
ue
Side By Side Comparisons
Side By Side Comparisons
Side By Side Comparisons
Digital Conventional
Side By Side Comparisons
DigitalConventional
Dot Gain: 42 LPI White42 LPI Mottle White
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2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 92 94 96 98
% On File
% P
rin
ted Conventional
Digital
File
Dot Gain: 65 LPI White65 LPI Mottle White
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2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 92 94 96 98
% On File
% P
rin
ted Conventional
Digital
File
Dot Gain: 85 LPI White85 LPI Mottle White
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2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 92 94 96 98
% On File
% P
rin
ted Conventional
Digital
File
Dot Gain: 42 LPI Kraft42 LPI Kraft
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100
2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 92 94 96 98
% On File
% P
rin
ted Conventional
Digital
File
Dot Gain: 65 LPI Kraft65 LPI Kraft
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2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 92 94 96 98
% On File
% P
rin
ted Conventional
Digital
File
Dot Gain: 85 LPI Kraft85 LPI Kraft
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2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 92 94 96 98
% On File
% P
rin
ted Conventional
Digital
File
Side By Side Comparisons
Digital Conventional
Summary of Advantages
• Filmless Output, Layout And Imaging• Possibilities For Imposition Digital Mounting• Ability To Hold Finer
– Highlights– Shadows– Fine Type & Reverses
• Less Dot Gain on 85, 65, even 42 LPI White• Marginal Print Improvement on Kraft
This was one test. Many more should be done!
