Esko’s Full HD Flexo Is Proving Popular

Published: April 29, 2013

GENT, BELGUIM | Esko reports Full HD Flexo for flexible packaging, introduced at drupa 2012, has now been implemented at more than 20 converters and flexo trade shops worldwide.

Jürgen Andresen, Esko VP, Flexo Business, says, “…[Our] flexo customers are asking for the combination of the benefits of HD Flexo together with a gravure-like ink laydown and a fully digitally controlled platemaking workflow. This is what Full HD Flexo brings….Since the introduction of HD Flexo, the high quality results achieved have created a growing demand for more packaging and labels to be printed in flexo. Also the proven sustainability and cost benefits contributed to the raising success of flexo printing.…"

Company says HD Flexo offers fine highlights, transitions to zero, sharp text, and brilliant image details. Full HD Flexo adds gravure-like solid ink laydown of the correct solid density, along with vibrant brand colors and high platemaking consistency.

"We went beyond the binary discussion of flat top or round top dots and created the best possible combination of print dot structures on one plate,” says Jan Buchweitz, senior product manager digital flexo at Esko. “This enables user to differentiate the ink laydown on the substrate for different parts of the artwork on one single plate.…Users report better performance of the flexo plate on the press for print consistency and printing speeds.”

Glatz Klischee, Bregenz, Austria, is specialist in packaging prepress as well as plate
production for flexo printing and plate assembly for corrugated board. Managing director Manfred Schrattenthaler says, "We've achieved a quantum leap forward in flexo printing. Adds technology manager Holger Stier, “In the first printing tests using the new Full HD Flexo plates, we had the 'luxury problem' of solid densities over a density of 2.0. This was completely unexpected with the fine anilox rollers used. The tests proved that the option of combining flat top and round top dots technology on one printing form offers previously unheard opportunities in high quality flexo printing."

Clicherlux, based in Valinhos near São Paulo, Brazil, is said to be one of the largest trade shops offering the most flexo plate services in Latin America. "I can say we have reached the quality of offset printing, with no gain or bump-up curves,” says Luciano Trombeta, Gerente Técnico. “Full HD Flexo is producing the full tonal range from highlights to shadows. An Esko CDI digital flexo imager along with Full HD Flexo is the best combination in the market. We're getting the flat top dots we wanted in the shadows, along with great screens in the highlights."

To support this new technology, Esko reports it will initiate a Full HD Flexo certification program for customers, vendors, and partners, similar to the one in place for HD Flexo.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.