’Round, ’Round, Get Around …
In-the-round imaging of flexo sleeves is providing quality and cost opportunities for package printers.
May 2007 By Jean-Marie Hershey
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What hath computer-to-plate (CTP) wrought? Consider “in-the-round” imaging or ITR. The term refers to digitally imaged, continuous polymer printing sleeves that arguably are the future of flexography, and that already are opening up a number of attractive opportunities to printers and end users. Flexo sleeves not only work well with less expensive substrates, such as tissue, napkins, and paper towels, but provide excellent lay-down of solid and metallic inks. Advances in flexo sleeve technology are yielding similar opportunities in markets traditionally dominated by other processes—paper or foil gift-wrap (rubber flexo or gravure), folding cartons (offset or gravure), and shrink sleeves (gravure).
In compiling the following overview of flexo sleeve technology, packagePRINTING gratefully acknowledges input from Ray Bodwell, marketing manager, DuPont Packaging Graphics; Ian Hole, Vice President, market development, Esko-Graphics; Gene Profitt, general manager, Stork Prints; and Mike Smoot, business manager for Xymid Print Sleeves, Xymid, LLC.
A primer on ITR
ITR actually refers to two forms of imaging: laser ablation mask (LAM) imaging and direct laser engraving (DLE). The digital ITR process most printers are familiar with today involves imaging by means of laser ablation of a carbon layer “mask” that covers the photopolymer plate or sleeve, followed by conventional UV exposure, removal of uncured photopolymer, solvent washing, and drying. The photopolymer sleeve itself comes in two formats. The first is a continuous pre-manufactured sleeve with a seamless layer of photopolymer topped by a LAM coating, ready for imaging, exposure, and processing. The alternative involves mounting individual pieces of photopolymer on a base sleeve with stickyback tape, then imaging, exposing, and processing it as described above.
Sleeves are made from various materials, including thermoplastic composites, thermoset composites, and nickel, and may or may not be reinforced with fiber. So-called “thin” sleeves without foam or cushioning were developed to be thrown away after use to keep costs down. Long-run, reusable sleeves with a foam or cushion base are used for very high-quality printing. Most are currently processed in solvent chemistry processors. However, predicts Esko-Graphics’ Hole, “By the time drupa 2008 opens next year, you can expect to see a number of sleeves that are processed with thermal systems.”
A few new tricks
There are some things a printer needs to do to run sleeves. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Retrofittability—It is important that the press be compatible with sleeve technology. For printers with older equipment, the cost to retrofit cylinders can be somewhat discouraging; however, nearly any existing print cylinder can be modified for sleeve mounting. “The return on the relatively low investment increases as the frequency of print changes increases,” Stork’s Profitt says. “Given the market trend toward shorter runs, the investment payback is becoming more attractive every day.”
In compiling the following overview of flexo sleeve technology, packagePRINTING gratefully acknowledges input from Ray Bodwell, marketing manager, DuPont Packaging Graphics; Ian Hole, Vice President, market development, Esko-Graphics; Gene Profitt, general manager, Stork Prints; and Mike Smoot, business manager for Xymid Print Sleeves, Xymid, LLC.
A primer on ITR
ITR actually refers to two forms of imaging: laser ablation mask (LAM) imaging and direct laser engraving (DLE). The digital ITR process most printers are familiar with today involves imaging by means of laser ablation of a carbon layer “mask” that covers the photopolymer plate or sleeve, followed by conventional UV exposure, removal of uncured photopolymer, solvent washing, and drying. The photopolymer sleeve itself comes in two formats. The first is a continuous pre-manufactured sleeve with a seamless layer of photopolymer topped by a LAM coating, ready for imaging, exposure, and processing. The alternative involves mounting individual pieces of photopolymer on a base sleeve with stickyback tape, then imaging, exposing, and processing it as described above.
Sleeves are made from various materials, including thermoplastic composites, thermoset composites, and nickel, and may or may not be reinforced with fiber. So-called “thin” sleeves without foam or cushioning were developed to be thrown away after use to keep costs down. Long-run, reusable sleeves with a foam or cushion base are used for very high-quality printing. Most are currently processed in solvent chemistry processors. However, predicts Esko-Graphics’ Hole, “By the time drupa 2008 opens next year, you can expect to see a number of sleeves that are processed with thermal systems.”
A few new tricks
There are some things a printer needs to do to run sleeves. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Retrofittability—It is important that the press be compatible with sleeve technology. For printers with older equipment, the cost to retrofit cylinders can be somewhat discouraging; however, nearly any existing print cylinder can be modified for sleeve mounting. “The return on the relatively low investment increases as the frequency of print changes increases,” Stork’s Profitt says. “Given the market trend toward shorter runs, the investment payback is becoming more attractive every day.”
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