Nägele Digital Repro in Kempton, Germany, recently invested in a Kodak Flexcel Direct System for the direct engraving of elastomer flexo plates and sleeves for packaging printers.
"At screen rulings of up to 60 lines per cm, we can engrave a printable tonal range of 1 to 99% by modelling the dot edges accordingly," says Manfred Nägele, founder and senior director. "What's more, the Flexcel Direct System allows us to manufacture ester-resistant elastomer plates as an alternative to special photopolymer plates, when two-component inks or varnishes are to be used during the printing process."
Nägele still uses a pre-existing CO2 laser system for simple linework jobs, but the Kodak system has extended the company's capabilities: it now supplies 10 different packaging printers of varying sizes with laser-engraved plates and sleeves.
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