Tech Reports

Directing Design

Published: February 01, 2007, By By Mark Vanover Esko-Graphics

Because design has become the No. 1 differentiator for product innovation among manufacturers, design life-cycle management (DLM) has gained prominence as a packaging system tailored to meet the needs of CPCs and their graphic communication partners. Integrated and web-based, DLM streamlines the package design and production process—from ideation through design, packaging, and production.

Adding Up Additives

Published: January 01, 2007, By By Mark McManus, Shawn Lucas, and Brian McKinley Ampacet Corp.

Packaging film additives are designed to aid the converting process and improve package performance. Here’s how.

Films Face Off

Published: June 30, 2006, By Steve Sargent, PhD., Toray Plastics (America)

What factors should you consider when choosing packaging films? Learn how OPET, OPP, and OPA compare in terms of downgauging, barrier, and density.

Holding the Dot

Published: May 31, 2006, By David Brewer, on behalf of Harper Corp. of America

Combination printing continues to evolve due to technical advancements in the fast-paced flexographic environment. However, there are a handful of issues our industry faces on a daily basis.

Measuring Force

Published: October 31, 2005, By Eldridge M. Mount III, EMMOUNT Technologies

Learn what adhesion is, how it is measured, what a test really measures relative to the true adhesion between two surfaces, how adhesion affects the performance of the final laminated or multilayer product, an ideal adhesion test between two materials, and what the common T-peel adhesion test measure.

18 Ways to Cut Coating Costs

Published: June 30, 2005, By E. Lawrence Gogolin, Gogolin & Assoc.

What are some ideas for cost reduction projects in a coating operation? Very often coating costs are characterized in terms of dollars per square foot. Products of high volume and low technology have values under $0.05/sq ft. In narrow web, slow speed, and high technology applications, cost can exceed $1.00/sq ft. To be competitive, there is a need to find ways to lower these costs.

Taming Plastics

Published: February 28, 2005, By Greg Zimmer, Zimmer Industries

Plastics may be flexible, brittle, or stretchable; thin, medium, or thick; clear to opaque; really easy to tear, easy to tear, tough to tear, or impossible to tear; have excellent "memory" or have no "memory"; react readily to heat or don’t react to heat at all; allow air to pass through them or actually prevent bullets from passing through them. You get the picture. So how do you cut, crease, and perforate such incredibly diverse (and perverse) materials

Film Opens New Markets

Published: February 28, 2005, By Steve Sargeant, PhD., Toray Plastics (America)

Since pressure-sensitive labels and tapes—and other materials such as stamps—have become more sophisticated, the market for these materials has been expanding rapidly. In such product constructions, it has been common practice to apply a release coating, typically a silicone-based material, to the paper liner from which the materials are peeled or dispensed.

Die Options Explained

Published: December 31, 2004, By Bill Knotts, Spartanics

The wide range of specialty packaging items now being ordered by customers often makes optically registered die-cutting systems the better method for cost-effective and high quality die-cutting. However, new types of dies make it important to reacquaint yourself with your options when using an optically registered die-cutting system.