FTA Names Technical Innovation Award Winners
SAN DIEGO—May 2, 2013—The Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) named three winners of its prestigious 2013 Technical Innovation Award. GMG placed top in the prepress-graphics category, while Berry Plastics and Mark Andy were the honorees in the heavy machinery classification. Winners were announced at the annual awards banquet that took place Sunday, April 28, during FTA’s 2013 Annual Forum in San Diego, CA.
GMG’s OpenColor
Proofs that accurately simulate a printed result—flexographers and their consumer product company customers have been asking for them, if not insisting on their development for years.
With that objective in mind, GMG color specialists set out to develop a computer-based tool that precisely predicts the color appearance of printed inks, particularly “overprints”– inks printed on top of each other. The resultant technology, OpenColor, allows the previously unattainable ability to let a proof accurately simulate a printed result. The benefits are numerous: it reduces time to market, cuts make-ready preparation and expenses, and eliminates unnecessary fingerprints. At the same time, it improves the color communication and approval process between all supply chain partners and verifies color expectations.
Berry Plastics’ Indirect Flexo
Flexo is forging forward and moving into the high quality, formed 3-D rigid container and drink cup market. In the process, it is creating an identity as an alternative to dry offset printing. And, its new—some say revolutionary—“indirect flexo” hybrid process is even winning conversions from in-mold labels, shrink sleeves, heat transfer labels and pressure sensitive labels. The attraction: lower costs, consistent output, reduced press downtime and clear, crisp, package print.
Leading the charge is Berry Plastics’ patent-pending modified approach to producing excellent photographic quality graphics—on white, clear and colored substrates—with softer edges and better highlights.
Mark Andy’s QCDC Stations
Simplicity…Speed…Ergonomics—when every second counts, bottlenecks must be removed; productivity must be enhanced; accuracy and consistency must be guaranteed; and converting capacity cannot be curtailed.
Engineers at Mark Andy embraced these critical premises in developing Quick Change Die Cut technology. Introduced in September 2012, the design of the new die cut station promotes faster changeovers and enhances matrix stripping speeds. Early field reports attest to:
- Orchestration of some die changes in as fast as 30 seconds
- Speed increases of up to 50 percent on the most difficult jobs
- Longer die life
- Limited die damage in the loading/unloading process
- Faster set up times that support the opportunity to take on more jobs and generate significant increases in incremental revenue
About FTA/FFTA
Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), chartered in 1958, is a professional society dedicated to bringing all members of the flexographic printing community—printers, suppliers, consumer product companies, institutions, prepress houses and others—together by providing opportunities for the free exchange of technical ideas and discussion of mutual concerns. It is a proponent of maintaining and advancing quality standards and includes 1,300 member sites that represent more than 50,000 individuals. Foundation of FTA (FFTA), founded in 1974, is the educational arm of FTA and is dedicated to supporting and advancing the flexographic printing industry.
Source: FTA.
