BST Pro Mark Studies Register Control Benefits for CI Flexo

Published: May 28, 2002, By PRESS RELEASE

WASHINGTON, DC, USA—BST Pro Mark reported the results of its year-long study on "setting register on flexo CI presses" recently, which, according to the co., shows "CI register control technology substantially reduces flexo CI make-ready time [as well as reduces the amount of] material used." Presented at the Flexographic Technical Assn. (FTA) Forum in Washington, DC., in early May, the study was conducted by Bst Pro Mark's VP of marketing, John Thome, and its "goal…was to understand how color-to-color register typically is set on a flexo central impression (CI) press and to evaluate the effectiveness and quantify the impact of new closed-loop register technology on [CI flexo presses]," says co.

According to Bst Pro Mark, the study included cooperation of five different flexible packaging converters in Europe, Canada, and the US. "It discovered a very consistent process used throughout the industry to set register on press, which typically is done one color at a time with all decks down. It found no significant differences between geared and gearless presses in this respect," reports the mfr.

Bst Pro Mark says at one "test" site, the time and material used to set proper color-to-color register (as it's done commonly in the industry) was benchmarked. "It was found the average eight-color job takes 10.72 minutes and uses 1,112 feet of material to set color-to-color register," reports Bst Pro Mark. "Accuracy tests at more than one location found the new technology would set color-to-color register to within 0.0004 in. After benchmarking the process, a new Bst Pro Mark closed-loop register-control system was installed and…comparative data was generated." The mfr. says the comparison found, by using the new technology, makeready time was reduced from 10.72 min. per job to under three minutes per job and decreased the amount of material used from 1,112 ft per job to less than 100 ft per job.

"The study calculated the savings, impact of overall press productivity, and return on investment (ROI) from such a system," says the co., "and found an eight-color press running only ten jobs a week would enjoy a payback under one year. Presses running 25 jobs a week would realize annual savings of [more than] $250,000 per year," adds Bst Pro Mark.

For more information about the Bst Pro Mark study and presentation at the FTA Forum, or about its makeready register-control systems, visit bstpromark.com. Study results and information also can be obtained by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..