See your design in 3D before you manufacture it
Direct laser engraving machines from Hell Gravure SystemsContiTech's innovative elastomer press forms in flexographic printingInterview with Heinz-Gerhard Wente, member of the Executive Board at Continental and CEO of the ContiTech division
Packaging Southern asia: At the stop of 2011, ContiTech announced that it would be moving into the market for elastomer flexographic printing grade materials in time for drupa 2012. What brought ContiTech to this decision?
Heinz-Gerhard Wente: We believe that the market place for flexographic printing forms has a bright future and offers a great number of opportunities for our elastomer coatings business organization unit. We can benefit from our comprehensive expertise in first printing. Due to a procedure we have adult in-business firm, we tin mass produce flexographic printing plates for flexible packaging in the grade of solvent-costless reel stock. Our Conti Laserline portfolio covers the unabridged market – from direct printing on corrugated board correct upward to the efficient production of blanket forms.Heinz-Gerhard Wente, member of the Executive Board at Continental and CEO of the ContiTech divisionPSA: Yet, in that location must have been a lot of culling options and fields of concern in the corporation that could take been pursued…
HW: We are constantly developing our portfolio and our applications. And, in doing and so, we focus on current market atmospheric condition. Nosotros identified flexographic printing as a growth market. Due to our innovative solutions for the entire market, we are leading the way in a revolution that is shaping printing engineering science. So the strategy is to launch new applied science onto the market – the unique innovation of offering Laserline materials with an integrated compression layer is particularly striking. Different conventional photopolymer plates, our flexographic printing forms are manufactured with this compressible layer – an innovation that offers our customers real added value.
The compressible layer eliminates the need for expensive cushion tape. What's more, the printing process is also more environmentally friendly because no solvents are used. The layer reduces vibration and thus compensates for unevenness in the cloth that is being printed – such as corrugated board – to deliver optimum impress qualities. Ink is transferred consistently and evenly. Unattractive washboard patterns are eliminated. Furthermore, halftones and line art can be printed together in 1 plate.
PSA: During the drupa twelvemonth, ContiTech also established a collaboration with Hell Gravure Systems relating to evolution and application technology. Why was this done with Hell Gravure Systems?
HW: The collaboration between ContiTech and Hell Gravure Systems has brought together 2 strong companies in the print manufacture. That offers numerous advantages, not merely for the companies themselves, but for customers too. A partnership like this betwixt motorcar and material manufacturers produces technological solutions that neither party, despite all their experience, could always supply on its own. Hell contributes expertise in system solutions for printing grade production, while the Conti Laserline flexographic printing forms are optimized for utilize with Hell laser engraving machines. Both companies have pooled their know-how with the aim of actively enhancing the strengths of this futurity-focused engineering and offer the flexographic market a competitive alternative to electric current production processes. Since the market launch, this collaboration has enabled us to consistently improve our sales success.
PSA: What targets are you pursuing in your marketing activities for the Laserline products?
HW: We want to constitute Laserline products every bit cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional processes in additional, fast-growing markets. To that end, nosotros have expanded our presence in the Asian market for packaging printing. Our Conti service centres in Singapore and Shanghai have been expanded to include Laserline flexographic printing products. The elastomer printing forms are engraved in the centres using direct laser engraving machines from Hell Gravure Systems. Furthermore, a sales partner in Poland recently opened a service center with a direct light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation engraving machine, and another is to follow in Moscow. In the United states and Mexico, ContiTech printing forms are marketed through our partners MDC in U.s.a. and Max Daetwyler de México. The global packaging industry is renowned for its demanding jobs, especially when information technology comes to branded goods, and the sector is placing e'er stricter requirements on quality and cost-efficiency. We tin can provide solutions to meet these demands.
PSA: What is the strategic importance of the Conti Laserline production range for ContiTech's elastomer coatings business unit?
HW: Until now, the increasingly important flexographic and packaging press sector has been dominated by photopolymer printing forms, which are hard to produce. Through its Conti Laserline CSX, CSC, CAL, CML, CCX and CSL press plates, ContiTech can now offering the flexographic printing market a comprehensive range of environmentally friendly and future-focused products. From the viewpoint of Elastomer Coatings, flexographic press is a new expanse of business that opens up a whole range of opportunities. So far, our flexographic printing products have been well received on the market. What matters to us at present is that we can tap into more fundamental markets, such as label printing. As a division of the ContiTech Group, Elastomer Coatings can utilise the interdisciplinary know-how of a leading international rubber specialist.
PSA: ContiTech has entered the market with elastomer plates and is set up to follow these upward with sleeves, which offer advantages that customers actually appreciate. Photopolymer sleeves haven't actually fabricated a breakthrough and then far in part due to the long delivery times and considerable costs. How is ContiTech going to make certain elastomer sleeves are supplied in a way that suits the market place?
HW: ContiTech is geared upwards to ensure the required quantities – including growing volumes – are supplied in the infinite of a few days, rather than weeks. And at a competitive price, too.
PSA: In 2014, during Lopec, the trade fair for printed electronics, ContiTech exhibited solar cells with metallic fronts that had been produced using flexographic press. What kind of role do applications like these play compared to 'classic' flexographic packaging printing?
HW: Nosotros took a leading part in working with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE to develop this innovative engineering science. The successful testing phase showed that the engineering offers huge potential for driving down the costs involved in manufacturing crystalline solar cells. All the same, we are only in the initial stages of a development that ContiTech volition continue to pursue. The new expertise nosotros have gained through this project will help usa toll-effectively manufacture many more functional printing products for the flexographic printing process. One such product would exist printed electronics, potentially in the form of interactive packaging that could communicate with consumers.
PSA: What developments is ContiTech planning to promote the utilise of direct engraving and make it more competitive?
HDue west: Every bit I mentioned before, our current goal is to found the use of our flexographic printing forms and flexographic printing in general worldwide. To achieve that goal, nosotros are highlighting the many advantages of the procedure, which include cost and energy efficiency, too as eco-friendly credentials. Moreover, our international service centres give customers the opportunity to 'get to know' flexographic printing and see the quality it offers. And we are also working intensively on materials that can exist engraved much faster.
Source: https://packagingsouthasia.com/zarchive/see-your-design-in-3d-before-you-manufacture-it/
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