Closing the Loop

At first, in-the-round imaging was used almost exclusively for seamless applications—printing of continuous patterns and random cut packages, where there are no discernible breaks for trimming within the design. But the potential is far greater. From a quality standpoint, in-the-round imaging represents a huge positive step-change in the flexo process. "It's the ultimate implementation of digital accuracy for color-to-color registration," says Ian Hole, packaging business development manager for Barco Graphics. "Five or six laser imaged sleeves can be put on press within 5 microns of register. This isn't even conceivable with pre-imaged and pre-processed flat plates that are subsequently mounted on cylinders." Further, printers and converters using sleeves imaged in-the-round report they have faster makeready and come up to sellable color much quicker.