Agfa to Showcase Cost-Reducing Screening Technology for Packaging at DigiPack Congress

Published: September 20, 2004, By pffc-online.com

PRESS RELEASE

MORTSEL, BELGIUM—Agfa reports it will present its latest developments in screening technology, color conversion applications, and inkjet package printing at the DigiPack Congress slated for next month. The prepress technology manufacturer says it will showcase its "remarkable collection of samples with unparalleled print quality onto a variety of substrates" at the two-day venue in Paris.

:Sublima Value Box — Agfa's collection of package printing samples produced with its :Sublima cross-modulation screening technology — reportedly will highlight new levels of color printing quality. ":Sublima makes it possible to print high screen rulings with no extra effort on press," adds Agfa.

Applications to be shown by Agfa at DigiPack include:

• Corrugated Board
  Samples showing screen rulings from 100 to 154 lpi, using 305, 355, 500 lpi aniloxes.
• Folding Carton
  Showing samples from the food, cosmetics, agriculture, and specialty markets with screen rulings of 210, 240, 280, and 340 lpi.
• Flexible Subsrates
  Showing flexible substrates with five flexo printing samples with exceptional image detail, smooth vignettes, and outstanding color quality. Screen rulings are 154, 188, and 212 lpi.
• Labels
  Printed offset, flexo, and letterpress onto paper, plastic, and metal foils, all at 212 lpi.

Explains manager of Agfa's packaging business Kris Vangeel, "We produced these samples as evidence of the capabilities of package printing technology today. We learned that :Sublima screening can do much more than even we had expected. Regardless of the application or substrate, it makes packages looks so good that they just [seem to] jump off the shelf."

Agfa says to produce the :Sublima Value Box it partnered with Miller Balcaen, AMCOR International, Maes Printing Deluxe, and VPK Packaging Group.

Agfa says two of its representatives will be presenting at DigiPack in October. Vangeel will present, "Reduce the Number of Colors by Adding Two," [which will identify] cost-saving opportunities in current printing models." Vangeel's presentation will also present the :Alterno software conversion tool as well as the :Sublima cross-modulation screening.

":Alterno substitutes the many colors often used in package printing with fewer customer-definable [special or spot] colors and CMYK," says Vangeel. "This reduces ink consumption, make-ready, and material waste. In current models, additional colors are predefined. :Alterno will work not only will FM (frequency modulated) screening, but also with cross-modulation screening technology."

Also at the DigiPack Congress Geert Van den Hole, :Dotrix (part of Agfa) manager for packaging, labels, and point-of-purchase (POP), and specialty applications, will cover emerging inkjet applications; reference customers; and discuss cost items.

More information about Agfa is available at agfa.com.