2023 FTA Technical Innovation Awards in Action

Over the last three decades, flexography has undergone regular waves of advancement in all of its components, plates included. Surface texturization has enhanced the ability to achieve better ink laydown and high color gamuts, but had not addressed the underlying issue of unwanted ink spread and its resultant gain characteristics and print defects. PureFlexo Printing is a patented next generation of micro-surface engineering that uses the improved ink laydown or prior generations, while for the first time addressing and reducing the unwanted ink spread for improved print, less issues for printers, and lower dot gain for greater control. This innovation enables greater addressability of the colors within the theoretical process color gamuts, whether printer CMYK or ECG, to enable printers to do more with less, and drive greater predictability and consistency for brand owners as they look to transition to flexography from other print processes. Process stability that enables greater implementation of co-printing, for greater economics even with short runs, fewer job changes, and greater sustainability as flexography transitions from traditional industry practices, to become a modern manufacturing process. This presentation covers the evolution of surface engineering, its benefits to process printer and matching certified proofs, and how it will enable flexography to do more with less!