Plate Mounting on the Mark
November 2005
|
Plate mounting has improved dramatically in the past few years and can now cause less headaches in the pressroom.
ONE FALSE MOVE and hundreds of dollars of substrate can find itself taking the long and winding road into the scrap bin, all because the plate was a fraction of an inch off. Any number of press operators will tell you that getting the plate on straight is frustrating, yet is a very important part of the job. Why not make it easier for your operators by offering them plate mounting tapes and equipment that practically do the work for them?
Plate mounting has been an issue since the dawn of flexo and offset printing, but new technology is making it easier for press operators, especially in specific segments of converting. "There is a trend toward the utilization of technology to make flexo printing plates for corrugated printing more accurate, durable, and faster to set up," said Neil B. Saunders, president and CEO, Container Graphics Corp.
Some plate mounting machines are now computer-controlled, which eliminates most of the need for an interface between human and machine, and improves the margin of error. Now, these machines are not completely foolproof, of course, but are making a splash in the industry. There is also a trend to use video equipment to line up plates correctly on rolls. Even tapes have become high-tech. With all that is available for printers, packagePRINTING has rounded up some products to compare and contrast their benefits.
Video or not, accuracy is guaranteed
Mark Andy
www.markandy.com
With the "PM" Plate Mounter, register marks on the flexographic or rotary letterpress plate are visually aligned with a stationary hairline on the plate mounter, located parallel to the plate roll. Once the register marks are precision aligned using the microscopes, the user simply touches the plate to the sticky-back tape affixed to the plate roll cylinder, releases the plate clamp, and then turns the cylinder to complete the plate attachment.
Sticky-back for easy mounting
Edward Graphics
www.egs.com
Eclipse Cushion Tape® from Edward Graphics offers a reinforced, stable backing for tight register and ease in mounting and repositioning. Adapted from the aerospace industry, this tape provides firm adhesion to various printing plate surfaces, cylinders, and sleeves, but also as important, has easy removal after use. The formulation increases tack under pressure, but releases cleanly after use.
Computer controlled mounting
ONE FALSE MOVE and hundreds of dollars of substrate can find itself taking the long and winding road into the scrap bin, all because the plate was a fraction of an inch off. Any number of press operators will tell you that getting the plate on straight is frustrating, yet is a very important part of the job. Why not make it easier for your operators by offering them plate mounting tapes and equipment that practically do the work for them?
Plate mounting has been an issue since the dawn of flexo and offset printing, but new technology is making it easier for press operators, especially in specific segments of converting. "There is a trend toward the utilization of technology to make flexo printing plates for corrugated printing more accurate, durable, and faster to set up," said Neil B. Saunders, president and CEO, Container Graphics Corp.
Some plate mounting machines are now computer-controlled, which eliminates most of the need for an interface between human and machine, and improves the margin of error. Now, these machines are not completely foolproof, of course, but are making a splash in the industry. There is also a trend to use video equipment to line up plates correctly on rolls. Even tapes have become high-tech. With all that is available for printers, packagePRINTING has rounded up some products to compare and contrast their benefits.
Video or not, accuracy is guaranteed
Mark Andy
www.markandy.com
With the "PM" Plate Mounter, register marks on the flexographic or rotary letterpress plate are visually aligned with a stationary hairline on the plate mounter, located parallel to the plate roll. Once the register marks are precision aligned using the microscopes, the user simply touches the plate to the sticky-back tape affixed to the plate roll cylinder, releases the plate clamp, and then turns the cylinder to complete the plate attachment.
Sticky-back for easy mounting
Edward Graphics
www.egs.com
Eclipse Cushion Tape® from Edward Graphics offers a reinforced, stable backing for tight register and ease in mounting and repositioning. Adapted from the aerospace industry, this tape provides firm adhesion to various printing plate surfaces, cylinders, and sleeves, but also as important, has easy removal after use. The formulation increases tack under pressure, but releases cleanly after use.
Computer controlled mounting
Companies Mentioned:
 |
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
