The Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner
Materials science is one of the most dynamic areas of development for improving print’s environmental sustainability. But it’s a relatively new idea to use software to control the amount of material surface waste generated during plate making. XSYS, a specialist developer of flexo plates, sleeves and adapters, with a worldwide service network, has recently announced EcoFillX, a software feature for ThermoFlexX imagers.
EcoFillX identifies the non-image areas of flexographic printing plates to reduce the polymer material washed out during processing. By cutting down the amount of solid material washed out, solvent consumption can be reduced by up to 30%. The idea is another example of how cost saving imperatives can make a direct and positive contribution to waste reduction and environmental, as well as commercial, sustainability. Photopolymer printing plates consist of a polyester base overlain with photo sensitive polymer material and an embedded Laser Ablation Mask System (LAMS). The black LAMS layer is there to block UV light from nonimage areas during plate exposure and is selectively removed in a separate exposure stage. During processing the LAMS is ablated wherever the printing plate has to be exposed and finished.
As a new add-on feature within MultiPlate software for ThermoFlexX imagers, EcoFillX incorporates imageable structures or patterns into the non-printing areas of the flexographic plate. Using intelligent image analysis, EcoFillX populates the nonprinting areas in the LAMS layer with the designated pattern. Using the ThermoFlexX optics to expedite imaging, less polymer material is thus removed from the final imaged plate. This has the effective of reducing the accumulation of solid content in the washout solvent, without compromising print image quality. And the washing solvent lasts longer and doesn’t require replenishment so often. This saves consumables, energy, labour costs and time.
XSYS has tested the software at a customer site where it found that EcoFillX cut weekly solvent usage by 30%. This figure could be more or less depending on the plate image content, thickness and the requested washout depth, and it is an impressive reduction in solvent usage.
The EcoFillX software is specifically for XSYS ThermoFlexX imagers and is an addition to the XSYS ThermoFlexx Multiplate software suite. But EcoFillX is a great example of how software applied in prepress can improve the environmentally friendliness of consumables by managing waste. It is an idea that we hope will spread to other developers of flexo plate imaging software, because anything that can help printers and converters to reduce the carbon footprint of their plate processing operations has to be a good thing for print’s sustainability.
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This article was produced by the Verdigris Project, an industry initiative intended to raise awareness of print’s positive environmental impact. This weekly commentary helps printing companies keep up to date with environmental standards, and how environmentally friendly business management can help improve their bottom lines. Verdigris is supported by the following companies: Agfa Graphics, EFI, Fespa, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Miraclon, RicohSplash PR, Unity Publishing and Xeikon.
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