E-Newsletter

Digital Magazine

Contract Services

Industry Links

Click To Pick

Published: March 01, 2010, By By Claudia Hine, Managing Editor

Coatings Are Metallic Alternative & Green

MiraFoil coatings are an environmental alternative to metallic foil laminates. Claimed fully recyclable, coatings are a UV-curable alternative to foil board laminating and hot foil stamping while being equally brilliant to foil. Can be applied to precise areas, reducing waste and saving time and energy through process efficiencies. Suitable for labels, folding cartons, and other packaging and printing applications, coatings eliminate off-line lamination or foil stamping; eliminate warehousing and lead time required with laminated foil stocks; provide trapping and spot precision capabilities; offer selective application on metallic areas; overprint capability; 100% recyclability; and more. Suitable for use with offset, flexo, or screen printing, the coatings also can protect designs for in-use failures such as rub-off, cracking, peeling, warp, and poor ink adhesion.

Unprecedented Gravure Waste Reduction

TAPS (Total-Automatic-Pre-Register-Setting) system is claimed unique to the gravure industry for reducing waste at makeready and changeover. Cylinders can be inserted in the press in any angular position, and through only a single control touch, TAPS starts the press, moves all the cylinders in register position, and switches the register control into automatic mode, whether it's a new or repeat job. The TAPS pre-setting procedure reportedly takes only a few minutes to read a dedicated pattern printed on the web and phase each cylinder accordingly, all completely error-free, according to the company. Said to guarantee repeatability for minimum startup waste as registered pre-setting is based only on what is printed on the web, independent of operator skill, web path configuration, and parameters adjustment. No need for manual operation or special tools.

Mark Splices & Flaws On Roll Products

Formerly called Roll-Aids, “tattle-tails” are bright orange vinyl strips, the size of a bandage, that come with a release glue liner to allow quick slapping to the edge of a roll for marking a splice or flaw. Resembles a tail flagging on the outside of the roll's edge to alert the “fix-it” person ahead. Reportedly will not shift or tear and will stay on the roll until removed.

PSA Ideal for Clear Film Applications

Water-based Covinax 462 is a permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) said to be ideal for clear film applications that demand no hazing or blushing of the adhesive-coated film. The clear, styrene-acrylic copolymer is designed for applications that require high water and blush resistance. Its high transparency makes it ideal for use in clear film labels used on glass and plastic surfaces, including auto glass and bath and shower product containers.

Multiplying Key Coex Layers Improves Properties

Innovative flat extrusion die systems allow multiplying key functional layers in cast film and sheet to improve properties without increasing either overall thickness or raw materials content. Microlayer technology is said to allow extrusion processors and converters to achieve increases in impact strength, elongation, oxygen and moisture barrier, and other properties. Potential applications range from industrial wraps to flexible barrier packaging. A layer multiplier flat die system is responsible for transforming a typical sandwich structure from a standard coextrusion feedblock into a structure in which one or more of the layers has been subdivided into multiple microlayers. Proliferation of layers creates synergistic effects that reduce oxygen ingress from 3x-5x in comparison with a conventional barrier coextrusion, without adding even a tiny increment in the amount of barrier resin used for a given volume of product, the company reports.

Heat Transfer Rolls Are Precision Engineered

Thermal-Flo heat transfer roll is engineered with precision to provide the temperature control needed for converting, including flexible packaging applications. Company performs computerized heat transfer analysis in-house to optimize roll design and performance. Single- and double-shell rolls, including corona treatment roll designs, are available for a wide range of applications. Double shell rolls can be engineered with either uniform or variable pitch internal spirals, depending on specific heat transfer requirements. Company can accommodate heat transfer roll production and refurbishing to diameters of 65 in. and lengths to 450 in.

Prevent Vibration Stripes on CI Presses

The rotec Atlas Adapter offers a high quality carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) structure combined with a polyurethane (PU) coating (with a hardness of 75 Shore D). Suitable for sleeve mounting on central impression flexo presses operating at speeds in excess of 1,000 mpm. Vibration dampening system is said to optimize print quality and production speeds by preventing vibration stripes that result when the printing form is not in continuous contact with the impression cylinder or anilox roll, which causes the edges of the relief to produce resonance shocks in the print and ink unit. CFRP is said to exhibit high strength and stiffness to permit extreme loads with very low deflection, low tendency to material fatigue, and low specific weight. Available with wall thicknesses of up to 100 mm and nearly all lengths. Features air conduction system that can be adapted to the users' requirements.

Slitter Modified To Handle New Cigarette Paper

Rapid-d1 slitter has been adapted to handle the modified texture of the new cigarette paper. By means of special treatment, the new paper is intended to prevent a cigarette from continued smoldering after the smoker stops drawing for a certain time on the cigarette. In some areas of the US market, this new paper is already in use. Europe will comply with the regulation in 2011. Due to the treatment, the cigarette paper loses some of its rigidity, so cutting and winding the rolls (bobbins) to be handled on the cigarette machine are more difficult compared to the old standard paper.

Proofing System Is Portable

The Phantom QD Quick Drawdown Proofing System is reported to be the first fully portable proofing system. Equipped with its own pressure loading system, the device is claimed simple to use, utility-free, and requires no compressed air or electricity to permit use wherever an ink proof draw down is needed. Has a magnetic-loaded doctor blade and quick-change anilox and rubber rollers that are interchangeable with both the Echocel Junior and Phantom hand proofers. Said to draw down reliably consistent proofs because of a unique loading system that exerts constant pressure over the entire stroke length. Available as a proofer and table kit only or in three accessory package choices with one, three, or six standard anilox rolls.

Flexo Press Has Linear Drives & Motors

Flexo Elite Series flexographic printing press is equipped with patented Linearset Positioning System that utilizes linear motor technology for print deck movement as well as printing cylinder and anilox roller positioning. Provides precision positioning within 0.1 micron, reduced dot gain, and reduced print overpressure. A new generation carbon fiber doctor blade offers increased efficiency and higher speed from company's closed chamber design. Easylock is said to simplify sleeve changeover for job changes in less than 2 min. No moving print deck parts on the operator's side allow print cylinder, base, and roller sleeve changes during operation. Available in eight and ten colors with repeats of 32 in., 40 in., and 48 in. Web widths range from 40-80 in.

Resources

Subscribe to PFFC's EClips Newsletter