Mid-East Flexo Installation Uses New System

Plasto-Sac, a growing packaging producer in the Middle East, is installing a Comexi wide-web CI flexographic press designed to use Sun Chemical's patented Wetflex EC printing process.

Plasto-Sac, a growing packaging producer in the Middle East, is installing a Comexi wide-web CI flexographic press designed to use Sun Chemical's patented Wetflex EC printing process and its Uniqure inks.

The 58" press that is fitted with an ESI electron beam curing unit can print, coat or laminate with EB curing in a single pass, it is claimed.

Sun Chemical's liquid ink range allows the use of wet-trapping energy curable inks on a central impression drum (CI) flexographic press.

This can be done independently of colour lay down sequence and without inter-station drying or curing during production of multicolour printing jobs on non-absorbent substrates said the company.

The Wetflex process uses the Uniqure ink system of energy curable inks, which cure instantaneously after the printed image is exposed to an electron beam installed in-line after the central impression cylinder.

Until this technology was introduced, both dryers and overhead ovens had been required in order to dry flexo inks adequately addedd Sun Chemical.

"This revolutionary process and ink system draws the interest of converters and press manufacturers around the world," said Mike McGovern, Sun Chemical director of sales for energy curable inks and coatings.

"We continue to see significant interest in our Wetflex technology from major converters and press manufacturers, many of whom have come to our demonstration site to see how our technology works and that it is commercially viable," he added.

The Wetflex system offers many advantages, McGovern said.

"This unique liquid ink system is designed to perform on a variety of substrates used in flexible packaging.

Uniqure inks will enhance productivity by requiring thinner ink films to achieve required densities and opacities.

These inks also offer excellent printability in process printing and very fine highlight dots.

We can demonstrate how Wetflex will produce sophisticated process print that allows converters to make full use of extended gamut systems." Added benefits claimed by Sun Chemical are in-line lamination with EB adhesive or a 'lamination look' with EB coating.

With no solvents and no VOCs, Uniqure inks are designed for use in food packaging applications, he said, adding that these special formulations print with very little dot gain.

They eliminate the capital and operating costs of drying, and the CID can be beneficial in controlling registration.

Sun Chemical opened its Wetflex demonstration site at its Daniel J.

Carlick Research Center in Carlstadt, New Jersey (USA) in 2003.

It is equipped with a Ko-Pack narrow-web CID press and an EB curing unit from ESI.

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