Labelexpo India review: plates and platemaking

Plates and platemaking equipment manufacturers showcased technology to achieve carbon neutrality, faster processing and automation at Labelexpo India 2022.

Academi a. promoted CAMIS, Italy (plate mounting machines), Polymount, Netherlands (self-adhesive sleeves, film cleaning system), Keencut, UK (plate cutting solutions), Macdermid (raw photopolymer plates).

Asahi Photoproducts products were presented by its distributor TechNova Imaging Systems. The stand featured
Asahi’s AWP-DEW water wash plates which have achieved Carbon Neutral certification in Japan, the USA, China and Europe. Asahi Photoproducts’ representatives discussed the company’s many years of working toward a more sustainable flexographic industry and the importance of setting a carbon neutral goal. In addition to AWP-DEW plates, Asahi’s AWPTM-Cleanflat plates are also part of
the CleanPrint family and were on display at the show.

Bhatia Graphica participated for the first time at Labelexpo India. The company showcased flexo printed samples,
letterpress printed samples and dry offset printed samples and plates.

DuPont Cyrel highlighted Cyrel Fast thermal platemaking technology for flexographic printing. The company promoted the new DuPont Cyrel Lightning UV LED exposure optimized plates at the show. The Lightning series are the plates of choice for LED exposures to achieve high quality printing across a broad range of packaging segments. Cyrel
LSH is the photopolymer formulation for the solvent workflow.

DuPont demonstrated live flexo platemaking with the entire Cyrel Fast thermal workflow technology during the show.

Esko demonstrated CDI Crystal XPS flexo platemaking technology and AVT print inspection technologies. At the heart of the Esko booth was the CDI 4835 and XPS Crystal 4260 in combination with the new Flexo Engine module.

The CDI Crystal XPS is said to reduce manual steps by 50 percent and operator time by as much as 73 percent. The
company sold Esko CDI Spark 4835 flexo image processor to Unicorn Flexo Graphics.

Lucky Graphics launched and demonstrated Toyobo Cosmolight QZ Series water washable plate. Cosmolight
water-washable flexo plate can be washed out in tap water with a small amount of mild detergent. The plate makes the working environment free from hydrocarbon and hazardous washout solvents. Plates are press-ready within an hour. Cosmolight CTP offers built-in flat top dot reproduced with Toyobo’s LAMS technology.

Miraclon showcased Kodak Flexcel NX technology. Visitors learned about Flexcel NX Print Suite and its latest feature –
PureFlexo Printing – that controls unwanted ink spread and allows for greater latitude on press. Flexcel NX Plates were in action across the show floor, including on the Alliance Printech, Mark Andy, Multitec, RK Label and UV Graphic Technologies stands.

The UFlex Printing Cylinders business division displayed flexo plates, elastomer plates, and photopolymer plates. The UFlex Cylinders business division manufactures Flexo KodakNX printing plates that come with laser square spot
imaging technology. The plates are compatible with water-based inks.

Vintex Rubber Industries launched plate mounting and laser engraved sleeves. On display at Labelexpo India were rubber rollers, plate mounting sleeves, laser engraved elastomer plate, polymer plate and ink chamber seals.

Plate making house Veepee Graphic Solutions showed a hybrid screening technology which turns a conventional
screening of 150 LPI to an equivalent 350 LPI, giving offset-levels of detail and color saturation and vibrancy to flexo work. The company also demonstrated augmented reality applications on packaging, where it supplies both the supporting software and implementation for the brand owner.