The Year of the Flexo Plate

Mekrom also unveiled a revolutionary new dryer technology for solvent wash plates at drupa 2004. According to Pierce, the standalone HTD employs proprietary electronic drying technology that can dry plates much faster than conventional hot air dryers—in as little as 20 minutes regardless of plate size or relief depth. Pierce says the first HTD's will be delivered in this country by the first of this year. "At a cost comparable to hot air drying, the HTD offers double the productivity and increased single-plate speed," he says.