August 10, 2012

Bounce, Gear Marks, & Banding: Identify the Cause & Minimize the Cost – Part 1

by Tim Reece, APR Tech Services Group

 

This particular topic is one of the most common problems that continue to plague the flexographer on an on-going basis. It was even hard for me to come up with a simple title because the distinction between bounce, gear-marks and banding is often very blurred. How we choose to label this common defect often leads to a misdiagnosis. Even more frustrating, after the “proper identification”, the problem seems to be a moving target; here today, gone tomorrow and back yet again. Trying to predict these defects can be like playing a shell game where you try to keep track of which shell has the pea, only to feel at times that you ARE the pea.

When I was young one of the things that really irritated me was to get 55 minutes into a television show only to realize that I would have to tune in next week for the conclusion, so I want to be upfront about this article being a multi-part series. The possible causes of these defects and corresponding options for resolution are many and thus will be covered over three parts. With each article you will hopefully gather more information to help you correctly identify, measure and diagnose – and finally take action – to minimize or altogether eliminate the print defect. In some cases the solution may be a design or procedure change, while other root causes can be addressed with product or consumable changes, and finally, some requiring mechanical or tooling changes.

Locating these defects is very basic and can be executed by using your most valuable tool, the human eye. Screens and vignettes can be used to identify defects that result in light and dark areas, or bands that stretch across the entire web/sheet width. Common names for these print defects include barring, banding, gear-marks, and gear chatter. These defects are often attributed to gear problems, poor design layout or doctor blade chatter. While these diagnoses are indeed often a root cause, there can also be localized problems in platemaking, consumable materials, press components or even in the design elements themselves.

banding

In order to move forward through this diagnosis we must first determine what is the correct I.D. of the print defect. Is the defect bounce, gear-marks/chatter or barring/banding? Later in the article we will go into greater depth regarding each of these items. At this point in the process we are just looking to identify the defect by using basic tools and observations. Let’s start by defining some of the differences in these issues.

Barring or banding appears as light and dark bars in solids and particularly in the screens and vignettes. It spans across the web, perpendicular to the web direction. Barring/banding can also be a result of improper pitch setting or gear wear, but typically does not have a correlation to the spacing of teeth, but rather bouncing that occurs from mechanical wear or balance. In some cases, the defect will fall within the same area repeating with each rotation of the impression cylinder. The most common diagnosis of banding is attributed to the ink delivery system, including pumping and doctor blade issues. Bounce will often appear as a void of ink across the web width where the plate and impression cylinder temporarily lose contact. The root cause of bounce is most often attributed to cylinder balance and/or design layout.

Gear marks and chatter typically have a repeat pattern that aligns with the drive gear of the print cylinder or servo motor. If it is a 10 dp (diametral pitch) gear, then the light and dark areas will repeat every .31416″ (1/10 of Π). If the gear is 1/4 cp (circumferential pitch), the light and dark areas repeat every 1/4″, and so on. In the

case of improper pitch setting you may hear gear hum or chatter. You may also see sharpening of the gear teeth on the print cylinder drive gear. The pattern across the web will most likely repeat with the same

frequency as the gear teeth. A very common mis-conception is that gear-marks cannot exist if a servo driven press is being used. This is not at all the case. While you may not know the gear pitch of the internal gears of your servo drive motors, you will see a distinct repeating pattern that will remain consistent in the distance between the light and darks areas.

Because gear-marks, chatter, and gear related defects are among the most easily identified, we will begin here. Gears require a small amount of space between gear teeth as they come together to allow them to mesh correctly with sufficient lubrication. Gear teeth should be examined, cleaned and lubricated regularly. Wear often shows up as the top of the gear begins sharpening. As this wear or sharpening occurs, it affects the amount of space between the gear teeth. Backlash (also called gear slop) is a condition in which the space between the gear teeth increases. This is usually caused by insufficient meshing or gear wear. Backlash creates vibration and increases plate bounce, and typically shows up most visibly in vignettes and screens.

Gear Pitch

The impression drum/cylinder, plate cylinder, and anilox must rotate at exactly the same speed that the web is traveling. If one gear is set/meshed past the pitch diameter it will cause the roll to rotate at a slower speed than desired. In this case the press operator may hear gear humming. If one gear is set/meshed before the pitch diameter the roll it drives will rotate at a faster speed than desired. The CFD (complete finished diameter) of the print cylinder must match perfectly with the diameter of the gear used to propel them (non-servo). Mismatched roll diameters (pitch) create a mismatch in speed, which translates to vibration, resulting in uneven/over impression. This appears as slurred dots, barring/banding, gear marks and plate wear on the print sample.

Gearless chatter can occur whether the press is direct drive or if the print cylinders are driven by servo motors. Servo motors can replicate gear chatter when bearing wear and/or inner gear wear is present. You may not see them, but they are there.

Upcoming topics will include the following.

  • Press Mechanics
  • Balance and Deflection
  • Measuring Vibration and Tools
  • Design and Doctor Blades
  • Solutions and Band Aids

We have formed our Technical Solutions Group to encompass our full range of expertise in all critical areas of the flexo process. This team is made up of industry professionals dedicated to staying up to date on new technologies, armed with the latest in diagnostic tools, and experienced in problem solving that can achieve sustainable results. This team has walked in your shoes and has felt your pain. For any specific questions please feel free to contact me at 847-922-0134 or treece@teamflexo.com.

For more information, call TeamFlexo at 1-800-445-4017, or fill out the Information Request Form.

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July 9, 2012

Top Five Considerations for Choosing Between Cold Foils & Hot Foils

By Christine Takacs, Rapt Creative

Print and packaging design professionals often wonder about the advantages of cold foil over hot foils. Cold foil is not a replacement for hot foil but instead an opportunity to expand the use of foil into more markets and applications. While hot foil is stamped into a surface using heat and pressure, cold foil is transferred onto a surface as a flat application. This differentiation results in unique characteristics and performance attributes. Following are five considerations that may help decide:

  1. Schedule and budget: Cold foiling is typically faster than hot stamping. Cold foil is applied on press, prior to inks. Because there are no dies, tooling time and costs are reduced. Dependent on layout logistics, cold foiling can be less expensive—but not always.
    Cold Foils Example
  2. Coverage: If the foiled image is positioned only on a small area of a sheet, hot foil stamping may be most cost-effective because foil is indexed in the hot foil process. For moderate- to full-coverage, cold foils are generally ideal.
  3. Production Challenges: The cold foil process is not as effective on dry, porous or dark stocks. On these, the hot stamping process excels in performance, opacity, and brightness.For embossing, hot foils must be employed—the cold foil process is a flat application only and cannot be embossed concurrent with application.Hot Foil Example
  4. Visual characteristics: While the brilliance of hot foils is unsurpassed, significant strides have been made with respect to the reflectivity of cold foil and today it takes a discerning eye to notice the true visual differences. One other nuance is the subtle dimensionality of hot foils which imparts a premium feel vs. the total flatness of cold foils.
  5. Color: For the broadest range of metallic color on one application, cold foil is ideal as it can be overprinted with any color for an infinite spectrum of possibilities. Hot foils can be applied in numerous brilliant shades and some can actually be overprinted as well- but not as quickly and efficiently as cold foils.

There are some markets previously inaccessible to metallic treatments that can now shine with cold foil. While some applications may decidedly favor hot over cold foil, others might even benefit from a sophisticated pairing of both finishes.

Making Brands Shine: ITW Foils offers both hot foils and cold foils in various grades to meet even the most challenging production requirements with ease and polish.

ORDER "DESIGNED TO SHINE"

Christine Takacs has developed brands, collateral, packaging and educational resources for a number of manufacturers in the graphic arts industry. She can be reached at christine@raptcreative.com.

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May 7, 2012

Three Dimensions of Quality in Packaging Graphics

By Mark Mazur, DuPont

 

Your customers demand perfection, speed, and an affordable cost, but achieving excellence in all three areas can overwhelm even the most experienced printer.  How can your team deliver optimal quality printing services amidst the demands of a rapidly evolving marketplace? What does it actually take to produce a high quality print?

All good printers know that high quality prints aren’t just about “looking good”; they require a sophisticated and thorough review of the entire printing process.   To achieve this level of production, there are three specific areas you should focus on: the original image, the tonal range, and the process itself.

How Can You Improve Quality in Your Printing Process?

1.     Original Artwork: A print’s quality is only as good as its weakest input

A good print starts before you even touch the printing machine. For example, we’ve all taken good and bad photographs. We can print a bad photograph really well, but it still looks like a bad photograph.  Ideal original artwork starts with a well balanced image, one that has an even tonal range, gradual changes in chroma and the right focal points.  The general rule is to make sure the print has the brightest highlights and the darkest shadows.

2.     Tonal Range: Everything hinges on the balance between the lightest elements and most chromatic colors you can print

Printers often talk about striving for higher “color density” to increase quality, but this is misleading because a higher density results in a darker color, not necessarily a more vivid color.  Instead, printers should rely on a printing standard, such as the International Organization for Standardization’s ISO-12647.  This standard defines the production of printed graphics based on precise specifications and tolerances.  Using a standard will provide us with a target outcome and help us balance the three aspects of color: light/darkness, chroma, and hue.

3.     Consistency: Developing a standard process for high quality prints is the key to long-term success

All printers should strive to deliver high quality prints time after time, but the biggest barriers to achieving this level of excellence are the variations between printing processes, colors, and tools. Selecting a printing standard is a great place to start, but a commitment to reviewing each print with a densitometer is ideal.  This tool enables us to make sure each print meets that same level of quality. If errors continue to occur, the printing process can be further improved by implementing management strategies into the workflow.  The Six Sigma Strategy, for instance, has been known to improve process quality by identifying and removing the causes of defects.

There are plenty of things to address when starting up a print run but addressing these three dimensions should lead you in developing the highest quality print to meet the needs of your customers.  Keep quality  in mind throughout your entire printing process from making sure you’re starting with a high quality original art, making sure your image is well balanced and making standards a priority in your work environment.

Mark Mazur
Mark R. Mazur received a BS in chemistry from the State University of New York at Albany in 1978, a Ph. D. in Physical Organic Chemistry from Yale University in 1982 and an MBA from Rutgers University in 1987.  Mark has worked for DuPont for 29 years and has had a variety of assignments, including; product management, proofing, electroless plating, solid modeling and finance.  In 1989 he joined the Cyrel® organization and is currently developing new flexographic printing plates.  Mark is a frequent speaker at industry events, chaired the prepress subcommittee of FIRST and is a member of the FTA Excellence in Flexography Awards committee.  In 2002 he received the FTA Presidents award, was co-chair of the 2008 FTA Forum in Dallas and was the 2009 Flexographic Technical Association Hall of Fame Inductee.

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April 18, 2012

Prepress Technology that Improves On-Press Performance

By Wayne Peachey, SGS International 

The past 40 years have proven that no new technology can be ignored, and each new development has the ability to be a game changer.

“The key is in understanding our customers’ processes and in the delivery of appropriate, relevant solutions,” says Wayne Peachey, Europe-based Business Development Director at SGS International.

“New technology isn’t always about making a cheaper widget; it’s about finding a better model for delivering quality and service, often changing the way we work,” he explains, adding, “It changes the boundaries between established roles and helps us to find better ways to serve our customers. We are constantly developing equipment and processes and finding applications for new products.”

SGS’s Cumbria, UK, location is a showcase for recent and emerging technology, with HD, In The Round (ITR), automated plate cutting, and fully automated plate mounting.

“ITR is an excellent product; our customers love the perfect registration and the sleeves seem to run a lot longer than conventional plates, with a great print result,” explains Richard Pearson, General Manager at SGS Cumbria.

The sleeve technology has a place within flexo, especially for longer print runs or challenging designs for registration. One recent design—Brace’s Thick White Loaf—printed at Amcor Ledbury, used ITR sleeves and won the FlexoTech award for “Best Print – Flexible Packaging (Line and Solid).”

An award-winning”‘In The Round” print sample.

“We are delighted that Amcor won this award with our sleeves,” Richard continued. “We pride ourselves on quality and service. We run virtually 24/7, and our response times are second to none. We have produced sleeves for the past seven years and have a dedicated and experienced team who will always go the extra mile for our customers.”

          

Caption: In The Round sleeve production

Another recent technological advance is the Esko Kongsberg automatic cutting table. SGS now has one at each of its UK plate-making locations, and the machines are used to cut out plates to a required design.

Originally developed for the creation of cardboard mock-ups, the Kongsberg cutting table is proving to be an important addition to the standard plate-making room equipment, as it will cut plates precisely, in a fraction of the time it would take to cut out by hand.

“When we tested this device, we were amazed by the accuracy of the cuts, which are much finer than can be achieved by hand,” said Dave Skinner, SGS’s Senior Sales Manager. “We are seeing increased uptake in this service,” Dave added. “Our customers find that the accuracy is excellent, plate gaps are minimised, and the precise cuts mean the plates are less likely to tear when removed from the cylinder.

“The Kongsberg also saves lots of time in mounting. It’s much easier for a mounting department to keep up with busy printing presses. Tricky cuts can take a very long time when cut by hand, but this machine just does what it is told and handles staggers and nesting with ease. In fact, some customers are asking us to use it on every job.”

      

Caption: Kongsberg automatic plate cutting

At SGS Cumbria, the Kongsberg table works hand-in-hand with an AVA Flexologic Fully Automated Mounting Machine (FAMM). This device feeds the plates along a conveyor to the sleeve, registers via microdots and then automatically mounts the plate.

“We often deliver our products through to the press. The FAMM result is a sleeve that is much more accurately mounted than by hand; therefore, registration is more accurate and make-ready time reduced,” Richard Pearson explained.

          

Caption: Fully automated plate mounting.

New technology is becoming available at an exponential rate. Keeping pace, but also buying the right equipment, is the key to being successful.

“SGS’s strength is that we have many locations around the globe,” Wayne Peachey said, adding, “Through this, we can learn and share experiences across the organisation. Indeed, we see new developments way ahead of the market and often help our suppliers to bring new and relevant offerings to their markets. For example, we are working with every new HD plate-making system and bringing the best, most relevant products to our customers. HD is changing the way buyers view flexo versus gravure, and that can’t be a bad thing!

“We are also able to scale-up from supplying graphics and plates to a full ‘facilities management’ solution. SGS is very customer focused, and we also have the size and backing to commit to large scale endeavours.”

Caption: SGS team members Mike Johnston, Wayne Peachey, Margaret Pearson,
Stephen Gardner and Chris Stead.

Further information can be obtained from Wayne Peachey, Business Development Director, Wayne.peachey@sgsintl.eu

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April 9, 2012

More than Skin Deep: OXY® Clinical

A Case Study by Salmon Creek Media & Marketing

Who they are:

For more than three decades, OXY®, a Mentholatum brand, has been a leader in acne care. Through the years, they’ve worked hard to provide acne solutions that are as affordable as they are effective. It’s made them the go-to brand for teens who want clear, healthy skin.

OXY® Clinical is a new over-the-counter acne medication product line with innovative technology that delivers prescription-level results without a dermatologist prescription, and it works for everyone—teens, adults, women, men. Its Clearing Treatment contains patented OXYSphere™ – a microencapsulated benzoyl peroxide that penetrates deep into the pore and releases slowly over time to continue to eliminate acne bacteria between applications. It is proven to eliminate 99 percent of acne bacteria in just 8 hours.

The Challenge:   

The introduction of OXY Clinical required a distinguished presence.

“This new OXY product line needed both a new name and new packaging to reflect both its clinical strength and the wider demographic for which it was developed, said Steve Palozzi, Vice President and Creative Director at McElveney & Palozzi, the firm responsible for the OXY Clinical packaging design. “While leveraging the equity elements in the OXY brand, we needed to support this new ‘Clinical’ product line and convey its premium status and superior efficacy.”

Mothers, the prime purchasers of the product, needed new “news” on the brand, and teen girls needed to be included in the design strategy to grow sales volumes and market share.

Developing a Solution:

Working together with the OXY team, The McElveney & Palozzi Design Group addressed the challenges, delivering a new brand name that leveraged the brand equity of the other OXY products and a packaging design that was clean and contemporary and stood out authoritatively on the shelf.

“The printing was a challenge,” said Lisa Gates, the McElveney & Palozzi design lead,  “because there were three printers on two continents, three print processes, and—the biggest challenge—several different substrates used for the 13 individual SKUs of the new ‘cosmeceutical’ line. Each process required its own set of files to address the specific requirements of the different substrates. By working collaboratively with the printers, we were able to deliver print files to each location that were ready to go for each and easily repeatable.”

World Wide Plastics in China (screen print + foil stamp) printed the OXY Clinical Face Wash Clearing Treatment and Hydrating Therapy tubes. The tubes were the first of the packaging to be printed—four spot colors plus varnish—and set the color-matching standard for the rest of the product line. The pearlescent substrate with a gradating screen of white and graphic printing in screens of black created a matte look in contrast to the silver foil stamp and red gloss areas.

Diamond Packaging of Rochester, New York, led the color-matching in the United States and produced the litho-printed cartons using a silver board substrate that featured four to five spot colors plus matte and gloss varnishes and embossing. A gradating screen of white was printed over the substrate to give it a pearlescent look with a matte varnish, and a gray screen shows through some metallic. The red OXY color printed over the foil substrate and gloss varnish contrast with the matte pearlescent finish and other graphics. The silver arch, OXY logo, and the acne solutions pack type and tube/pump images are embossed, and the silver foil shows through around the OXY logo to make it pop. Tube/pump images are gray-scale renderings with spot color, not four-color process, and vector graphics added.

A curved right-side panel designed with shelf space in mind was created for the Clearing Treatment and Hydrating Therapy carton. (The Wal-Mart version does not have this feature due to merchandising restrictions.) It creates visual interest and draws the customer in, but does not cover the copy on neighboring cartons.

Gintzler Graphics in Buffalo, New York, produced the flexo-printed labels for the OXY Clinical Advanced Face Wash pumps. The OXY red prints over the silver foil substrate without varnish. The white gradated background was printed 80 percent top to 30 percent bottom to reveal the foil sheen, and a matte varnish over white created the pearlescent effect. The graphic with the dots and wavy lines was printed in screens of black to appear slightly metallic in sheen. The goal was to match the pearlescent substrate of the tubes printed by World Wide Plastics in China. The shiny silver foil of the arch, logo outline, and ”L” line as well as the shiny red of the arch and logo are meant to contrast with the duller pearlescent whites.

“It was an 18-month process from conceptualization to product placement on shelves,” Steve Palozzi said, summing it all up, “and the entire process was a true collaborative experience. The CPC was knowledgeable and able to make informed and good decisions and provided direction to all of us. They were encouraging, inspiring, and not afraid to take a risk.

The Final Results

The new OXY Clinical packaging, a winner of an American Packaging Design Award, highlights the technology advantage it offers and conveys that it is a premium, prescription-strength, fast-acting product appealing to both males and females. It provides a distinct point-of-difference in the competitive setting of other acne treatments products and creates real blocking power on the shelf.

About the Design Firm

For over 29 years, McElveney & Palozzi Design has been recognized by the packaging industry for their strategic competence and design excellence. They are an impassioned group of business strategists, creative problem solvers, visual explorers, and production specialists all focused on their clients’ goals. With expertise in consumer product brand building McElveney & Palozzi Design achieves results in identity development, package design, advertising design, print collateral and web/social media.

Contact Information:

Doug Reed – Director of New Business Development
dougr@mandpdesign.com

McElveney & Palozzi Design Group
1255 University Avenue Suite 200
Rochester, New York 14607
585-473-7630
http://www.mandpdesign.com

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March 29, 2012

The Evrollution of EFlo-HD™ Anilox Technology for HD Printing

By Dave McBeth, Flexo Division, Pamarco Global Graphics

Flexographic printing has made tremendous technical advances in the last 15 years which has allowed the process to grow to the point where it is now the most popular package printing process in many print segments globally today. High quality flexo printing is now the norm—rather than the exception—around the world. Press technology in conjunction with anilox has made this achievable, moving design away from gravure to a ten color or more flexo process. New print process and the demand for higher quality have seen HD Flexo becoming the new key driver within the flexo industry.

HD Flexo has taken problematic designs, such as flesh tones, and raised the bar in tonal reproduction using new screening techniques and finer dots on the printing plates. This has also been a challenge for Anilox manufactures to be able to manufacture finer screened rolls that will work with these new technologies. Over the last 10 years offset and gravure have seen more and more printed designs moving to flexo. Designs that where once thought impossible to print flexo and that ONLY gravure or offset where capable of producing the fine tonal elements have moved to high quality FLEXO print.

Equipment manufacturers, consumable suppliers, graphic houses and plate makers are now actively promoting HD advancements particularly within HD plate technology. While better press technology, CTP, polymers and inks have all played their part, the heart of the press remains the anilox roll, without the technical developments of this technology all the other components would not see the real benefits within the printing process.

For example, conventional and hybrid screens, and even a combination screen on the same plate; moving printers from 100 lpi to 150 lpi or even 200 lpi, doesn’t mean the quality will be better, it could actually cause more problems. Do printers today really understand the benefits and challenges that this superior plate and higher plate screen technology give them?


Are the anilox choice they have TODAY correct for finer highlight dots that run with solids or in fact highlight dots that are less than 1% with no support? The anilox spec always needs to be considered BEFORE moving to higher screens. There is no question that CTP technology has raised the bar in what is achievable today in terms of plate technology. However independent market research tells us that 45% of the global marketplace has anilox rolls incorrectly specified for CTP plate technology of plates higher than 120lpi and incredibly as we push harder with HD printing 98% of the global market have anilox technology incorrectly specified for printing this technology of 150lpi and higher.

In 2011, Pamarco linked the global investment of 500W multi-hit laser technology with new screening software. This allowed the company to improve on the already successful EFlo™ design, not only from a shape wall perspective cell, but more importantly change the inner dimensions of the construction of the cell.

This technology is called Bitmap Cell technology. Basically, take the shape of the cell and apply a unique bitmap file to the cell shape. This bitmap file is made up of 255 shades from white to black, in a process similar to what pre-press companies use when making their digital pre press files. Each pixel determines the laser spot size and how that laser engraves the inner profiles of the cell shape. This technology is unique ONLY to Pamarco as it is our own Bitmap file.

 

Pamarco’s Bitmap file has been created in conjunction with our 500W lasers along with a considerable investment in research and development evaluating the inner workings of the cell, the ink release, optimum angle and how clean the cell stays open. All of these variables are important key factors to a printer who is looking to print by numbers or in other words, the correct density number; for example 1.70 black running down the gray scale to zero producing offset and gravure quality. Each Bitmap file uses a different pixel per inch resolution for the highest quality profile and inner dynamics of the cell.

The difference is the number of pixels used to create the file making an HD roll much sharper and allows it to lay down a consistent thin layer of ink on the dot surface, something that is key when applying ink onto flat top dot technology or a combination of different FM and AM dot sizes.The makeup of an HD plate is very different than that of a conventional CTP plate. It’s made up by a number of variable dot sizes and support dots on the plate.

The variable dots give a much better lay down of ink BUT the anilox roll selection and type of engraving is critical to get the best printed result. Otherwise printers are just wasting money on higher priced plates with no real value. The benefits are clear when you run all the elements in a CTP and HD environment. Using an EFlo-HD™ Anilox at a lower BCM volume and higher line screen allows the ink to transfer much better rate to the plate allowing for a sharper and cleaner dot along with a higher contrast of color.

Pamarco is the only anilox roll manufacturer that is staying up to date with the new HD technology. EFlo-HD™ branded PHD engravings are the result of Pamarco’s investment into latest thermal YAG laser technology applying custom software, laser optics and custom parameters that when combined provide the ability to manipulate and control laser engravings to unprecedented levels.

The technology provides the ability to produce custom cells by employing a variety of software applications and optical paths that produce a large selection of laser engraving manipulation tools.

The PHD cell itself evolved from Pamarco’s EFlo™ product line. After studying the attributed of the EFlo™ and its transfer characteristics we felt the EFlo™ would be perfect as a foundation for the formation of the PHD engraving.

The standard EFlo™ product is produced by the use of either “multi-beam” or “multi-hit” laser manipulation depending on the screen count and volume. This cell has found a home in many applications where attributes such as low dot gain, increased ink transfer, improved solid ink coverage and cleaner highlights have been realized. With the PHD product we have enhanced the cell structure to work in concert with HD Digital Plate Technology to produce superior densities and contrasts at higher line screens along with all the other attributes of the EFlo™ product.

For more information please visit www.pamarcoglobal.com/flexo or contact Katie Graham at katie.graham@pamarcoglobal.com

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March 16, 2012

What do I do with my “old” cleaning solution?

From What’s the BuZZ? by Sonic Solutions

About 2 or 3 times a month, I get a call asking what should be done with old – used – spent cleaning solution.

I wish there was an easy answer, but there really isn’t. With the EPA and various other agencies that are in place to protect us and the environment, there is never an easy answer.

First step is to get a copy of the products MSDS. We ship one with each container of Sonic Kleen that we sell. If for some reason you misplaced it, email me and I can send you one. Then call your local waste authority. Ask them what you are permitted to do and act accordingly.

We have found a few things that seem somewhat consistent with your requirements.

First, you can neutralize the cleaning solution so that it’s pH becomes closer to a pH neutral. This will make disposing of the old solution easier. We sell a Citric Neutralizer (Part SK-100 – $220) that will help in your efforts.

Second, it seems common that the authorities will require you to dispose of the solution in a similar manner to the way that you dispose of your waste inks. In some communities you may need to have the items removed using an approved waste hauling company.

In either case, make sure you check with and follow the direction of your local waste authority.

“90/10 – Max 5″   90% Soaking – 10% Ultrasonics - No more than 5 minutes of ultrasonics each time.

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March 16, 2012

Demystifying the HD buzz…

By Wayne Peachey, SGS International 

Anyone investing in flexographic platemaking technology right now will have a difficult time in comparing products to each other and in justifying ROI (return on investment). Solutions are evolving exponentially, and identifying the “right’”technology that will serve over the time of the investment needs lots of research, some blind faith, and possibly a crystal ball!

The first “flat-topped dot” plate solution challenged the industry to compete, and the varying solutions that have emerged have to go through a few more cycles of development before an actual “winner” is announced. Imagine picking the winner of the 2016 Baseball World Series based on today’s youth players?

Plate production advancements
Not so long ago, flexo plates risked becoming a commodity. Solvent-washed plates, imaged on a CDI, were quite similar to each other as the key processing variables were limited. Choice of plate depended on past performance, cost, service, plus one or two intangibles such as the colour of the photopolymer (oh yes it did!).

The advent of new technologies (broadly referred to as” HD flexo,” although this is a vendor-specific term) has really changed the face of flexo. Improvements have led to a greater diversity of product, and so a more confusing array of variables needs to be considered.

Flat-topped dots
The first technical change came about thanks to the realization that the halftone dots of a plate can be a very different shape if made in the absence of oxygen. These are now referred to as “flat-topped dots,” and it has been proven that these dots lay down the ink in a more consistent and “better” way than conventional round-topped dots.  It is believed that their more stable structure helps to provide consistency and quality. The results vary less due to impression, and so they can be more forgiving of variance.

Oxygen inhibits polymerization (yes, this is the technical bit), and so when exposed to UV light, the dots form normally except near the surface of the plate where the presence of oxygen means they become rounded. In the early days (about 15 years ago), it was assumed that a rounded dot was a good thing as the previous alternative was a very broad-shouldered dot.

Since then, we have found that with the new technologies available we can create very precise flat-topped dots that perform much better on press in certain situations. No doubt for patent infringement reasons each manufacturer has created their own method for achieving a flat-topped dot, hence the choice in the marketplace.

A normal plate is processed by first imaging the black carbon layer, then by exposing the plate to UV light, and then by washing out using solvents or heat

The typical techniques for eliminating oxygen are:

  • Imaged film is laminated to the plate.
  • A film laminate is attached to the normally CDI-imaged plate.
  • The normally imaged CDI plate is UV exposed within a non-oxygen environment.

Each method is typically matched with the plate manufacturer’s own products (broadly speaking)

An additional alternative approach has emerged. One manufacturer provides LED lights within the light exposure frame (in addition to UV lights), and this approach creates flatter topped dots. Confused yet?

So, flat-topped dots are an advancement in technology, and when we image a plate (or similar) we are now “holding it all.” This is sometimes described as 1-to-1, and there are lots of arguments surrounding the concept of true 1-to-1.

High-resolution imaging
The next technology to proliferate is 4,000 dpi imaging. Now that we are “holding it all,” we are finding that a typical 3-percent dot is not that pretty; it is shaped more like an asteroid! We like the higher resolution HD television, and we love seeing the dimples on a golf ball when watching the PGA, so why wouldn’t we enjoy better resolution on our flexo plates? As it turns out, we do!

Highlights
Higher resolution also allows us to be more precise with our highlight dots. Many technologies have been available for many years in an attempt to reduce the appearance of highlight breaks—where the minimum dot (in a vignette, for instance) stops. Samba and other screening techniques have been around for a long time. Thanks to flat-topped dots and 4,000 dpi imaging, our highlight screening choices are greater, and these now perform better than ever.

Solid ink laydown
The next constant in flexo is the difficulty in achieving a good solid ink laydown. Typically, we would need to separate the job to add extra colours, use different backing tapes based on the graphic, use different plate types based on the graphic, or just live with the reduced density and pin-holed solids.

The first offerings of plate cells and grooves in solids overcame many of the issues, and such techniques have been greatly improved thanks to flat-topped dots and higher resolutions, offering an even greater choice of options.

Putting it all together
SGS has worked with many printers across many different presses, testing a range of HD-type solutions.

SGS has been involved in each of the technologies from an early stage. “We have many locations across the globe,” explained Steve Babb, Managing Director at SGS in Hull, UK, “and so as a group we are always looking at the latest ideas and reporting back. This makes it easy to assess and qualify future investments. We also have the best technical and support staff, and they continually work to evolve the application of new technology.

“When we tested and noticed unsuccessful characteristics in one flexo solution, it immediately became an opportunity for us to learn from those results and try another. For instance, plate durometer is important to our customers, and not all HD-type plate solutions have the choice that we require.

“We think we have evolved to a stage in which we can easily challenge gravure on quality, whilst letting the natural benefits of flexo almost sell themselves.”

David Skinner, Senior Sales Manager at SGS agrees. “We are seeing the impact and colour of gravure, but offering the turnaround of flexo. Some of our customers are used to waiting three months for gravure cylinders; our flexo print customers can respond within a matter of weeks or even days. Artwork changes for size, ingredients, or marketing repositioning are more often in this challenged economy, and so the benefits of flexo come to the fore.”

“Our customers are now able to achieve higher densities, higher line screens, and smoother highlights. The look and feel is much more sophisticated, it has generated a lot of interest and orders” says Dave. “We were able to reduce the number of colours within a project in one instance from 8 to 5, because we did not need to separate tone work from solids, and the higher densities meant special colours were not required. That means only five plates, reduced mounting time and material, reduced setup time, and a simpler print job. These are key advances within a competitive market.”

“We are calling our approach ‘HD Plus,’” says Wayne Peachey, Business Development Director at SGS International. “It is not a single solution; it is the application of the right solution for our customer depending on their needs. This right solution will include flat-topped dots, high resolution, solid screening, and special highlight treatments, but we are not limited by one plate type or one technology and so we can find the solution that will work best for our customer.

“Key to our approach is that we will always offer the best solution, leave the ROI to us!”

About the Author:
Wayne Peachey has worked within the graphics industry for over 20 years in technical and business management roles, spending the last 13 in Canada before recently returning to the UK. He can be reached at Wayne.peachey@sgsintl.eu

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February 27, 2012

Hot Diggity Dog! New Packaging for a Timeless Product Line

A Case Study by Salmon Creek Media & Marketing

Who they are:

For more than 130 years, Zweigle’s has been making great-tasting sausage, hot dogs, and specialty meat products based on their exclusive “Old World” family recipes. Today, as a fifth-generation, family owned business, the company continues to carry forward the legacy of quality and excellence that makes them a hometown favorite.

Their Rochester, New York, facility produces and distributes over 5 million items, including their famous white “pop-open” hots, throughout the East Coast across several categories—pop open, skinless, natural casing, knockwurst, Italian, chorizo, spinach & feta, gourmet, etc. Over the decades, they have developed a strong regional customer base and product line that is featured in the cases of many large “club” stores and high-end grocery chains, such as the rapidly growing grocery emporium, Wegmans.

The Challenge:

Zweigle’s packaging had not undergone any substantial design changes in a number of years. With their competitors incorporating new and updated designs, the company goal was to make sure that their products were not becoming visually lost in store cases. With that in mind, it was decided to modernize the packaging to increase the visual impact and grow market share. Zweigle’s was adamant that new packaging be consistent across the brand in addition to conveying the premium status of its products while at the same time differentiating the 15+ SKUs in the various offerings.

“Zweigle’s has a great following among its loyal customers,” said Steve Palozzi, Vice President and Creative Director at McElveney & Palozzi, the firm responsible for the redesign, “but it needed to start reaching out to a new generation of buyers. Our challenge was to make sure that the new Zweigle’s packaging ‘popped’ visually in the case while still retaining elements of its nostalgic brand value.”

Developing a Solution:

Working collaboratively with Zweigle’s, McElveney & Palozzi developed a design solution that is recognizable and memorable in the retail environment while continually leveraging the strengths of Zweigle’s current equity elements.

Printing plate costs were a major consideration in the final design solution. For versioning, all 4-color process elements are now in the exact same location for each SKU in a category—casings, skinless—and all typography changes are limited to this banner area. These changes translated into fewer plates used and reduced packaging product costs.

Originally, all the various SKUs featured varying package sizes. Those that were close in size were consolidated to further reduce confusion at the shelf and make production easier and more cost effective. The PDP real estate was also maximized to take advantage of the printer’s capabilities.

Print production was carefully discussed with the potential vendors prior to finalizing designs, and the final choice was Packall, a major supplier of flexible packaging to the food industry, with specialty in meat, cheese and sea food. The project was run on a stable polyester film using a Fischer press with a smart GPS system. This ensures the most accurate registration and quality.

“We created a design specifically for the Flexo process. Splitting the 4-color product photos from the other visual elements allowed Packall to focus on reproducing the best quality image while maintaining consistent brand colors in the logo and background,” explained Matthew Nowicki, Senior Art Director at McElveney & Palozzi. “The color consistency and repeatability from run to run is critical for us and our customer.”

“Additionally, we delivered digital production files that required very little intervention in pre-press,” Nowicki added. “This avoided additional expenses for Zweigle’s and needless delays or rework. The added benefit is that the original design intent is maintained throughout the process.”

Packall commented about the efficiency of the files stating, “These are the best we have seen in a long time.”

 

The Final Results

Updated, energized, and standardized, the printing of the new Zweigle’s packaging is repeatable and reproducible, all while controlling costs. And their iconic yellow, red, and black incorporated into the new design, along and with a new, consistent banner across all SKUs make Zweigle’s product stand out and create a “pop” in the meat case that is recognizable by loyal customers and is drawing in a new fan base.

About the Design Firm

For over 29 years, McElveney & Palozzi Design has been recognized by the packaging industry for their strategic competence and design excellence. They are an impassioned group of business strategists, creative problem solvers, visual explorers, and production specialists all focused on their clients’ goals. With expertise in consumer product brand building McElveney & Palozzi Design achieves results in identity development, package design, advertising design, print collateral and web/social media.

Contact Information:

Doug Reed – Director of New Business Development
dougr@mandpdesign.com

McElveney & Palozzi Design Group
1255 University Avenue Suite 200
Rochester, New York 14607
585-473-7630
http://www.mandpdesign.com

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February 21, 2012

Paper Electronics is Successful: Where Next?

By Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman, IDTechEx www.IDTechEx.com

Electronics and electrics on or in paper is being used for security, safety, crime prevention, brand enhancement and merchandising. Cost, weight or bulk are a problem, so conventional electronics in paper products is being replaced with printed electronics. According to IDTechEx analysis in the report, “Brand Enhancement by Electronics in Packaging 2012-2022″ (www.IDTechEx.com/brand), the global demand for electronic smart packaging devices is currently at a tipping point and will grow rapidly from $0.03 billion in 2012 to $1.7 billion in 2022. The electronic packaging (e-packaging) market will remain primarily in consumer packaged goods CPG reaching 35 billion units that have electronic functionality in 2022.

Three types of paper electronics
The very paper itself can be electronic or electrical. Secondly, electronics can be placed onto paper like the familiar talking gift card, which is increasingly printed to save space and cost. Thirdly, electronics and electrics can firmly buried in paper or operate by being on both sides of a paper sheet.

Paper with inherent electronic functions
There are many forms of paper made to have inherent electric functions, including the conductive paper of Kimberley Clark that can be patterned into heaters, antennas and the like. Photovoltaic panels made from a paper made from material rather than wood or cotton could become a cheap, easy alternative to traditional solar cells. Within a few years, people in remote villages in the developing world may be able to make their own solar panels, at low cost, using otherwise worthless agricultural waste as their raw material.

That is the objective of MIT researcher Andreas Mershin, leveraging a project begun eight years ago by MIT. Its Shuguang Zhang is senior author of the new paper along with Michael Graetzel of Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. Zhang enlists photosystem-I molecules in plant cells that carry out photosynthesis. Zhang and colleagues them from plants, stabilized them and forms a paper layer to produce a photovoltaic current when exposed to light.

Even school laboratories can replicate this and make improvements. Efficiency is only 0.1% but huge areas can be viable and it can probably be improved tenfold or so to become useful in smaller areas if made fibrous. Accordingly, Mershin has now created a tiny forest of zinc oxide nanowires and a sponge-like titanium dioxide nanostructure coated with the light-collecting material derived from bacteria. This is a supporting structure carrying the electrons generated by the molecules down to the supporting layer of material to a circuit.

Professor Paul Yager, of the Bioengineering Department at the University of Washington, leads several subcontractors investing grants totaling up to $26 million to progress paper-based diagnostics. In two to three years, people miles from a laboratory may be able to cough, spit, or urinate on a piece of paper, upload the image on a cell phone and get lab-quality results for a range of illnesses. “Imagine what could happen if you knew what kind of virus you had,” said Yager. “You would know whether you needed to go to the hospital or just go to bed.”

Electronics on paper
“Printed Electronics Europe 2012″ (www.PrintedElectronicsEurope.com) in Berlin, Germany 3 – 4 Apr 2012 is the premium event for paper electronics and allied subjects. Speaker Dr Philip Cooper of security printing leader De La Rue will explain how only energy harvesting systems have the potential to power low cost electronics on paper. His is powered by holding a mobile phone close to it. He notes, “Mobile phones are suitable power sources we all carry and we have fully printed UHF rectifiers that provide an activated security function”. Fulton Innovation covers, “Printing Wireless Power” for charging mobile phones and other devices. Fulton Innovation’s concept for Nestlé’s Cheerios cereal box uses inorganic electroluminescent displays on the packaging, powered by inductive coupling. Dr Ellen Fu of the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute in Hong Kong and Caledon Controls in Canada are among those describing totally new ways of printing the transparent conducting films needed for many forms of display, photovoltaics and sensor.

Electronics in or around paper
QR Codes are the barcodes you can scan on packages, posters or magazines to launch a website or unlock exclusive content. Unfortunately, reading the ugly large QR code requires activating a camera app on a phone or tablet, turning your device around, shooting a picture, and then suffering a delay as the appropriate app tries to interpret the code. Printechnologics GmbH, which will speak and exhibit at   “Printed Electronics Europe 2012″ in Berlin, uses existing multi-touch smart phone displays to read digital information printed in paper, cardboard or foils: the phone thinks the hidden conductive pattern is your finger. Hence, it can be used for a broad variety of e-packaging, e.g. for marketing and consumer information applications like loyalty programs, brand protection, lotteries, and access to online content.  You unlock exclusive content in apps or web pages by simply touching printed materials such as business cards or packages to your phone or tablet screen.

Called Touchcode, the new technology works by embedding a thin layer of conductive pattern printed in or on paper and other items. Though the app should run on any multitouch-enabled, capacitive screen, it works best with panels that support at least 5-points of touch input. Like QR codes, Touchcodes can be used for launching web pages, enabling coupon codes, event ticketing, or even mobile payments. An alternative is the new Near Field Communication NFC phone using those standards to interrogate RFID labels on or in packaging, posters etc. They will complement each other. At the event, TNO of Finland looks generally at technologies for embedded conductive structures.

Professor Elvira Maria Fortunato of the New University of Lisbon will speak on, “Paper as a Substrate and Functional Component in Logic”. Her discovery is that paper can form the gate dielectric in printed transistors and she will report how this is progressing to commercialisation. There are also presentations by the companies Enfucell and Blue Spark with many sales successes based on thin, flexible batteries made by patterning and impregnating paper in plastic film. Indeed, both will focus on applications in their presentations. P&G’s Braun division presents on introduction of electronics into the Pampers paper products and consumer goods giants Mars and the Metro Group and Abbott Laboratories in healthcare diagnostics will detail their needs. Information Mediary Corporation has sold 800,000 smart blisterpacks that record which tablet was taken when in drug trials and it has also had success with other RFID and monitoring products, most of which involve paper. This year its topic is “Printed Electronics for Ultra Low Powered Smart Packaging”.

All this has something in common with integrating electronics into textiles, something TITV Greiz is analysing at the event. Indeed, Lang Consulting Engineering covers solar cells in textile products.

For more information see www.PrintedElectronicsEurope.com

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