TECHNOLOGIES TECHNIQUES Sey Integrated Converting Technologies for Narrow Web Presses What Makes Good Business Sense? By Dennis McGee norte coments 0c be Liisi tno tay tre clad oo wurde decorator procenon such g seeing har cl lng, cr nen, Tey ee Crete ln redo elln upnnt some wahtbedipalac ear The cong lang pocates—fem, ce ery rer ve digo ne pon perm roe metho stenta leach posse lla was sig Sodesich ceo cl ABCS OF ICTS een ten ee es naiins as the dominant pro Se eect screen units cam ride on a overhead travel zack Foil unit eee eer tke Sea nition, sharpne eee ae Cee ee eee rea Ce eee eee eee ee eet ett Pee ee ee eee eee eee eel cor et) ens See eee Sen ey ee ee eT cere] * Conv Se eee co etree! es ee eee FLEXO = AUGUST 2013 Trends to be acutely aware of include: + Explosive gromth of digital printing is a prime contributor tothe proliferation of ICT printing and finishing systems in our narrow web marketplace + Servo drives with programmabio logic contrelr (PLC) packages make it possible te marry into new and/or existing printing or finishing lines + Norrow web pres ‘addressing a wide range of market needs ar ppromating at OPPORTUNITY FITS OPERATION furthering the adaption and use of ICTs 3 prin 2 are using tal laser tng has also grown in acceptance, Decisions on what TICs are required to support cigtal printing eye oldligital in use For example: $- or 4color process printing moy dictat ‘koep it elmple appronch,” consisting of an offline flexo coat Ing deck with die euting. On th ag sixor seven colors, may ary out for a more value: added ICT approach where screen, og and is cutting are aveulable, Pleaee recognize this fact: digital printing equipment providers are putting [CTs inlinel Another decision point for the digital pr ‘answering the question, "What makes senso, a fullrotary approach ora semixotary system?” The simple answer may bbe rooted in the system being invested in frometo-freme within the digitl e receod, then the semi-rotory ap consideration. When the cost of enters the equ fer ¢ cost effective approach, More and more printe ing line thet switch. Some choose to plat finishing system inline with th clline—i er head, digit ling, bo ad now target c decorating and finish. wy or sem rotary atthe flip of their offine decorating and digital press others prefer omes down to what makes good business sense {or the work you nead to produce, ‘As has happened over the years in printing, kenefit to one cof your business can also be « plus for another. This has proven very true for those ncrrow digital and conventional printing systems at thoir disposal Conventional printing can now be clecorcted and finished offlne—on U produce digitally ios either full xo ame sysiems being www.flexography.orgprinted labels and packaging. When this happens, i reduces cand ever eliminctos tho 200d for duplicate decorating moth- ode affording the plan! the opportunity to actually expand ts capabilities and cutis costs Again, when cnalyzing the right strategy for the operction, 4 comes down to what makes good production sense forthe job, os well cs what the customer is willing to pay for. CONVENTIONAL WISDOM Enough cn digital printing and those ICTs that re port of {this purveyor of conventional cembination printing equip- :ment wants to speck out on ICTs as they are being used today connartom wo flexo presses andor combination printing presees. Let’ go through and explore what is available day for the use on the conventional narrow web press Teday you com pick your printing procose or any combina tion thereof ond you ccm merry a multitude of ICTs to your conventional ne. For narrow web printers, fxs remains the dominant printing process, Other options are cut there. For example; Voricble repeat narrow web ose presses have created c smcil yet growing niche fr the press builder. ‘The chilly to change over offset prossos with sleeves we. the hrc cussotte designs fold, combined with the quality loves possible with ofset, can make ita choice today. twee not 10 years ago. Olisetallrds reduce plate costs FLEXO = AUGUST 2013 Narrow web grawure presses have been focused cn long- run applications, where cost of the grawure cylinder can more easly be justified by infrequent graphic changes. ‘Today, given the costs associated with the new narrow web servo press technology, c narrow web printer needs to take the time to work through options when evaluating presses cond ICTS. More expensive solutions, may in the Jong run, be the lecst expensive way to market, ICTS for conventional printing presses follow: Rotary Screen is available as an add-on process that can bbe dropped into print unt, or screen units eam ride on an cverhiead travel rack, allowing for easy repositioning. When ‘employed on arai, the printer does not lose aflex> deck to the screen process. Cold Poiling has grown in populerty as has the eratlabity cf fol materials. Cold fol units can be permanently positioned, on press, or remain moveible on cn overhead ral system Hot Folling remains a favorite for spectal'y applications where edge definition, sharpnose and emoothnoes of lay, are akey Cast and Cure, one of the newest members of the ICT far- lly is erprocess, patanted hy Breit Technologies LIC, that eam bbe added to any narrow web press and requires an unwind, rewind and a curing source, The process entails lamincting casting flim toa wet UY or EB coating that isin contact with www.tlexography.orgthe web that the image will transior to. Nothing slays in the casting film, soit can be rewound and reused. Gravure, long resisted in the narrow web print world, is ‘beginning to find the door opening. Fixed in-place or movable ‘gravure stations offer hecy and consistent lay down of inks ‘and coatings, Hot Molt Systems car. bo used for localized or overall ap- plication of adhesive coats, Printers have moved to combine inline pressure sensitive adhesive coating with « value-add ‘ed decovation process-all in « single pase machine. Finishing Systems include tracitioral rotary die cutting systems that are running wrap-around tooling, as well as loser dle cutting, which has found its way onto conventional printing precses. The same holds for sheeting, plow folding, batching and stacking and inline laminating, We see semisolary conventional printing presses, old and ‘new, in our market today, utlizing any combination of offset, Iettonareas, eoreen, and ilexo. These aysteme were the fore runners to the digital decorating and finishing systems in use bby digtal printers toc. FORWARD THINKING Tis important for the ncrrow web printerto keep cand eye con the environment, One recent example ofthis is the new thinner face sheets and thin liner averlaibe that can reduce FLEXO = AUGUST 2013 the waste stream, These new materials may need new equip: men! and process approaches to make ICTs effective ‘Today's servo drives and control systems allow ICT tobe {ntograted into older existing narrow web presses. The oper tunity fo exlend the useful fe cf the existing aseel base can >be areal plus for yourbusiness, ICTs on today’s narrow web prossos are thera to satisty ‘end-cusiomer's requirements. Label and packaging print Dbuyets have seconds to captivate the buying consumer, 60 hhelehe continues to get more crective in his/her request for innovative and eye-catching product decoration, Narrow web printers, by their nature, have always been classified as a (group of adventurous entrepreneute ris taking comes nati- rally to them. In the eng, this benefits all of us and will kelp keep the rerrowr web ingustry vibrant for years to come, Ml ‘About the Author: Dennis "Denny" McGee is president of MPS LLC, Brooktield, WL He served on FTAs Board of Directors and FFTA's Board of Bustees for six years and! was inclucted into FTA's Hall of Fame in 2005. His experience in floxograpiy, notably the narrovr wob business segment, ates back four decacies. McGee has been c frequent con- tributor to FLEXO Magazine, as well as « recurring sped! ot FIs Annual Forum, www.tlexography.org