Swedish label and flexible packaging converter Laritryck has ordered a Stork Prints Helios direct laser engraving system. The multi process unit, capable of producing flexo, letterpress, dry offset and rotary screen printing formes, is set installation in this autumn.
“The Stork Helios system gives us high printing quality at a low price, and with very low consumable costs,” enthuses Johan Ripa, Laritryck’s managing director. “Its user friendliness enables us to significantly speed up the plate-production workflow and boost responsiveness.”
Until now, the Ödåkra (Helsingborg) based, flexo printer has been buying plates produced by the Digital LAMS process. The complexity of the process meant that, if a problem occurred with a plate, it can be many hours before a replacement is ready and printing can resume. Stork’s direct laser engraving system is said to eliminate such problems, taking as little as 20min to make the plate, enabling production ‘on-demand’.”
Better quality is also promised. The Stork system’s high powered RIP software, is said to give superior dot shaping control compared with exposure systems. This enables sharper contrast, better results in the solid areas and halftones to be achieved, the company states. In addition, no eco-harmful or costly consumables, such as chemicals, film or UV light, are needed. Also, as the process is purely digital, plate images can be repeated “pixel-perfect”, by simply uploading the relevant file.
Laritryck intends to install an eight colour Mark Andy XP 5000 press, designed to convert flexible package materials and labels. While it is specifically a flexo business, the new press and engraver will enable the company to adopt other high value processes, such as rotary screen, relatively easily.
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