Uflex Reports Gravure Cell Optimization
- Published: June 27, 2017
NOIDA, INDIA | Uflex announces it has been able to optimize cell structures of laser-engraved rotogravure cylinders to an extent that can result in approximately 20%-25% less ink consumption than what the electro-mechanically engraved counterpart would require in order to render the same image resolution and enhancement.
P.K. Agarwal, joint president, Cylinders Business, Uflex, says, “On the laser engraving setup, our team has been able to create various modifications on honeycomb cell structure, line cell structure, TB cell structure, and others, which render solid backgrounds, coating with high and low depths, other specialized coatings, vignettes, half tone images, among several others.
Agarwal continues, “It is all about the shape and structures of the cells that we have been able to modify and optimize through the process of laser engraving. This is not possible in electro-mechanical engraving which can only produce conventional cell shape/structure."
He says the volume of ink entrapped in the conventional cell structure achieved through electro-mechanical engraving is much more than that in the modified/optimized cell structure achieved by laser engraving. Further, the face opening of the laser engraved cell structure is much more than the conventional cell structure hence less volume of ink is transferred on larger area of substrate. So, reportedly, you get more print coverage with lesser amount of ink by laser engraved cylinder having modified/optimized cell shape/structure.
The company says the advantages of using laser engraved rotogravure cylinders having modified/ optimized cell structure include the following:
- Lesser solvent consumption for preparing the ink for printing
- Low CO2 emission
- Lower power consumption by the printing press
- Better printability, i.e. exact dot gain is achieved.
Ashok Chaturvedi, Uflex chairman and managing director, says, “This is a classic case of process improvement for the converting fraternity of flexible packaging. I am glad that by making the most of the laser engraving technology, my team of engineers at Cylinders Business has been able to modify and optimize the cell structures of the rotogravure cylinder, thereby bringing a substantive reduction in ink consumption during printing. Not only does this bring down the operating costs of the convertors but also makes the printing process reasonably eco-friendly.”
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