8
Corrugated / Liquid / Bag

 

For economic & mass production

VCD demo of @flexoBag

@flexoBag is an invention / patent of liquid photopolymer plate making,
any unauthorized use and infringement act will be claimed accordingly.

If could not view, please download Windows Media

 

 

@flexoBag Plate Making

FAQ

 

@flexoBag installations

Date

Location

FB Model

Set

Note

2009/07

Taiwan

FB A3

1

 

2009/10

India

FB 2436

1

 

2009/12

China

FB 2436

1

 

2010/02

Vietnam

FB 2436

1

 

2010/06

China

FB 4260

1

 

2010/08

Taiwan

FB 2436

1

 

2010/09

Indonesia

FB 2436

1

 

2011/12

Romania

FB 2436

1

 

2012/02

Bangladesh

FB 2436

1

 

2012/04

Philippine

FB 2436

1

 

2012/07

Canada

FB 2436

1

 

2012/08

Philippine

FB 2436

1

 

2012/08

Taiwan

FB A3

1

 

2012/09

Philippine

FB 2436

1

 

2012/11

Thailand

FB 4260

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

15

By 121108

 

 

No running-in period and skilled worker required

¢w New patent @flexoBag System ¢w

DJ Cartons, 35 years in package printing, located in E-Land, the eastern side of Taiwan as an isolated area before the free way was built 5 years ago due to inconvenient of transportation from city areas of Taipei which is in the western side.

It had to take 4 hours to get there in the past time, nowadays only 40 minutes to go by going through a long tunnel of 13 kilometers.

DJ Cartons is possessing 3 Slotting units for multiple color carton printing for the demands of packaging in eastern areas like E-Land / Hua Lien and TaiDong, now they have the ability to expend their territory to the city areas, in Taipei they have a liaison office to receive the orders now after they start their own in-plant plate making system from @flexoBag.

In the past they had to rely on the trade shop in Taipei to make plates for them, it cost them NTD 150000.- (USD 5000.-) / month which is not competitive at all. The total expenses they have paid for the plate making is NTD 2,000,000 (USD 70,000) annually.

The plate cost they paid for the trade shop was NTD 8.00 / per square inch, now after they have installed the @flexoBag system the total cost they are manufacturing is only 1.80 / in 2, this is also including the negative making cost from a LaserBlack

Enhancer which is pretty economic and convenient way for film making, what you need with it is only a HP laser printer.

The owners of two brothers are happy with this new system for it has reduced the plate cost of 75% for them, plus the time waiting for the plate delivery and the cost of transportation from west to east despite of the on-line original sending is quick now.

Two ladies in the factory were assigned for training as operator of plate making for 2 days and have to join the production immediately although they have no experience about plate making before, now they feel lucky to have water wash @flexoBag system for they do not to have to stand the bad smell of washout solvent which is also toxic. Two ladies they have achieved the goal as our slogan

¡§No running-in period and skilled worker required.¡¨

 

Feedback from users

Chang Yuen Paper packing Co. , Ltd. VN ,

Lo J1, duong NA3 ¡V DA3 KCN My Phuoc II,

Huyen Ben Cat Tinh Binh Duong , Vietnam 

Experiencing new @flexoBag plate making technology

To whom it may concern:

We are a corrugated paper company with 6 flexo printer /slotter in our factory, before we make our own plate in plant, we are paying about USD 2000.- of photopolymer plates each month from the trade shops near around.

Besides this, we have 10 people making hand engrave plate and a laser engraving machine making rubber plates for not so fine image jobs. Due to growing business, the owners have decided to make our own plate in our plant.

Photopolymer plate making is a brand new item for us, so we have started to

search for new technology of equipment and materials in order to improve our

printing quality as well as for expanding our future business.

Eventually, we have found @flexoBag System is a brand new technical for photopolymer plate making to meet our requirements of low investment, quick process and environment green for us. The total equipment cost with consumables

for initial starting cost us USD .- for a 60 x 90 cm size machine which is quite

practical for our use and quick process of the system has increased a lot of our productivity.

By the end of December 2010, we are expecting to have our investment return, for we

have found the total cost of the production including everything is less than 20% of the plates we rely on trade shop before.

The owners know that using this new system is worth with no regret now.

 

Feedback from Indonesia

PT PREMIER JAYA INDO


JL RAYA PERTAMINA NO 8 SUMBERAME


WRINGINANOM GRESIK INDONESIA

  We are corrugated board company in Surabaya / Indonesia , due to labor wage increasing gradually and it is not easy to find skillful hand engraver to make rubber plate with many small letters on it, we must to find out a simple, easy economic and green way to make our own printing plate for printing the cartons in plant.

Moreover, it is getting expensive for the plate we rely on trade house to make for us outside, so that we have to pay too much plate making fees every month, and it is becoming not a small sum as USD 20000.- annually. Therefore we start to search a good way to solve these problems for us and eventually we have found @flexoBag system from internet.

The website is neat and clear enough to let us know everything about the new system

with the DVD, the Q&A and the Feedbacks from their users by which we have found some of their users are in the very similar production situation with us. After having the comprehensive information, we have decided to place our order immediately in order to start up the plate making right after our New Year Holidays which is in the mid of September 2010.

Two of @flexoBag engineers come from Taiwan at the beginning of October right after the machine had reached us and in 5 days, now we are able to make our own plate smoothly. Printers are happy because of no need to wait for plate delivery from trade shop any more or even have to go to collect the plate when we have to use it urgently.


This was our first transaction with @flexoBag company and we only know them from internet. At the beginning we do not have full confidence in the first transaction with big amount to them. With regret now we have to place another bigger order to them only in few weeks after the installation to buy consumable materials such as Resin and Film from them and most important is their LaserBlack Enhancing Solution to enhance print as negative film from our HP printer works too well that we have to order more as well. It is really a genius invention from them again that we can even make our own negative in our plant for in time plate making now by which we do not have to rely on outside service from image setter to make negative film for us at all.

I have to admit that we are not only happy with the @flexoBag system but also we have to thank them for their skillful and quick service offered to us to do training to our people for both plate making and for the machine maintenance.

They are quite professional!

Wenyao He

 

- NGHIEP -

 

CHIN CHIA PACKING & PRINTING FACTORY
GUANG-MING MANAGEMENT DISTRICT,

DONG-CHENG TOWN , DONG-GUAN CITY , GUANG-DONG , CHINA

We are Chin Chia package printing company located in Dong Guan where is a major manufacturing city for all kind of goods export to most of the countries all over the world.

Our job is making and printing film bags, paper bags and corrugated box supplying to the factories located in this area. At the beginning we use conventional flexo plate, but because of the green environmental requirement is getting higher and higher so that we have decided to find a more friendly method to make plates.

We have made flexo plate by solvent washout for quite a long time, until it was a good chance for us to see this new announcement of water washout flexoBag system during DRUPA 2008 in Dusseldorf Germany, after the show we have made several visit to see the demonstration of how to make a bag, how to fill in the liquid resin, exposure, wash by water and request for making plates for our test printing on line to proof not only for the reproduction but also the long impression running of the plate made by the system for it is a brand new technology in the flexo printing industry.

All of employees hate the strong solvent odor so much that we have to decide to use this water wash system as soon as possible. The solvent recovering department people, now they join us in printing room, for they have lost their job already.

In addition to these, plate making room is no longer a dirty place like before any more.

The happiest person should be our boss, not only for the production cost have been reduced 40-50% and processing time very short, most important is that the boss has returned all his investment back by now mostly because of using no solvent any more. 

In spring of 2009, we started to use @flexoBag plate making system, now we could not print without it for everybody love it, even our former plate making shop is using the same system following us.

Pre press Dept.

We are very happy and healthy with @flexoBag

I am delighted to report that the @flexoBag system works well in our factory since July 2009. I made some excellent plates from liquid photopolymer by using the flexoBag system and use only water to wash it out, it is very incredible that the plate is the same quality with the solvent washout flexo plates. Now all the people in the prepress room are very happy with it because of no disgusting odor in the factory any more, every body looks very healthy now.

Due to flexoBag can be prepared in advance before plate making, the bubbles are disappeared therefore it is very easy and quick (50% time consumption only) to use by just putting the film and bag in between two glasses do not have to pour in resin waiting for spreading and take off the bubbles on the machine, so the exposure process is now simple and easy for us in stead of the hard works of spreading the thin film and paving the base film (because the bubbles may happen again during this procedures).

No spreader, no coater and no bubble happened, the machine is very simple so the cost of investments we have paid is only 30% of the conventional machine cost, plus the production cost is only 50% of the solvent wash flexo plates therefore we are expecting to have our return of investment quicker by June of 2010 definitely.

All of our employees like this new flexoBag system very much

Hen Cog
Chi Fan Enterprise Corp.
_______________________________

22-27 Tienmu West Road

Taipei , Taiwan

@flexoBag on FLEXO Magazine Oct.2009 / FTA-USA

( e - book download many take few minutes )

+zoom

+zoom

Model : FB 4260 GT

Exposure + Treatment Unit

 

@flexoBag System

New weapon to substitute Engraving Plates

A new solution to substitute engraving plates for corrugated board printing is now available from @flexoBag system which is a new weapon for the future business,the reasons are:

•  Good engraving machine is very expensive, however a low end machine and hand engraving can not satisfy the users anymore¡K..both trade shops and printers.

•  Engraving process is very slow and it is not easy to engrave it in fine detailed images, which can not meet the requirements of plate maker and printers.

•  Laser engraving companies odor smell as burning a rubber which is in high air pollution and bad to human health.

•  Environmental green is an important issue nowadays, odor smell, air pollution, and using of solvents are the trends to be avoid.

While @flexoBag system is using a new patented technology to put liquid resin in a bag with free quantity and free seal to make a plate in any thickness and size according to your negative, the advantages are:

•  Water washout - Use water to washout the plate, no more solvent is required which all the plate makers are happy with it, the environment is clean and green now.

•  High productivity - Due to this new invention of @flexoBag, plate making is very quick now. To make 30 square meter of plates ( 4mm thickness) in 2 shifts each day is very simple and easy now.

•  Simple stock ¡V No more complicated stocks of various thickness and size to stock the plate by just preparing a pail of liquid photopolymer resin in 18 kgs or 200 kgs drum.

•  Low investment ¡V By using @flexoBag System the complete set of equipment investment is only 30 percent to a conventional liquid resin plate making machine.

•  Production cost is LOW ¡VThe production cost now is only 50% of a solid plate washout by solvent, for using water to washout the plate will save you solvent cost which is 20-30% of the plate cost

•  Employees are happy ¡V Your employees will be happy with you wise decision for they will work under a green environment and healthy than ever before.

+zoom

+zoom

No running-in period and skilled worker required

For 35 years in package the company has been located in E-Land, the Eastern side of Taiwan ¡Van isolated area before the freeway was built five years ago (June 2006), due to inconvenient transportation from Taipei city areas (which is on the North-west side of the island). In the past it took around 4 hours to get there ¡Vnowadays it's only about 40 minutes when taking the tunnel (about 13 kilometers/8 miles).

DJ Cartons operates three printer slotters for multi-colour carton printing to cater for the demand for packaging in the Eastern areas like Hua Lien and TaiTung counties. Now they have the ability to expand their territory to the city areas ; in Taipei DJ Cartons has opened a liaison office to take the orders after their own in-plant platemaking system from @flexoBag had been started.

In the past DJ Carons had to rely on tradeshops in Taipei to make the plates. They spent around TWD 150,000 a month which was not competitive. The total annual expenses for platemaking amounted to TWD 2,000,000; some TWD 8.00 per square inch (6.5 cm 2 ). Now that DJ Cartons has started @flexoBag system, the total cost has come down to only TWD 1.80 square inch, which also includes the costs for making the negative. Using the LaserBlack Enhancer this is a very economic and convenient way for making a negative : all that is needed is a HP laser printer.

The owners-two brothers-are happy with this new system as it has reduced plate costs by 75%. In addition : There is waiting time for plate delivery and the cost of transportation from West to East ; originals already having been sent online, which is quick.

Two ladies in the factory were assigned to be trained as operators for platemaking for two days. They joined the production immediately, although they have had no previous experience with platemaking. They are very happy with their waterwash @flexoBag system as they do not have to stand the bad smell of washout solvent which is also toxic. The two lady operators have achieved the goal of meeting the slogan No running-in period or skilled worker required.

New weapon as a substitute for engraving plates

  • The @flexoBag system is an new solution which can be substituted for traditional platemaking for corrugated board printing.
  • The @flexoBag system uses a new patented technology by putting liquid resin into a bag in a free definable quantity and a free seal to make a plate in any thickness and size according to the requirements. Advantages are :
  •   Water washout. No solvent is required for plate washout ; the environment is now clean and Green.
  • High productivity. With the invention of the @flexoBag system, platemaking is very quick, To produce 10-20 sqm (15,500-31,000 sq.in) of plates (thickness 3.94 mm/0.155¡¨) in each day (one eight-hour shift) is very simple and easy.
  •   Simple stocking. No more complicated stocks of various plate thicknesses and sizes are required. Just preparing a pail of liquid photopolymer resin ( 18 kg / 39.7 lbs or 200 kg / 440.9 lbs drums).
  • Low investment. Investment for a @flexoBag system is only 30% of a conventional liquid resin platemaking machine.
  •   Production cost. The production cost is only 50% of a solid plate with solvent washout. When washing with water the solvent cost (20-30% of the plate cost) will saved.

 

+zoom

 

@flexoBag System

 

Cost analysis and functional comparison

 

laser engraver

solid plates

@flexoBag

Photopolymer cost (m 2 )

7.00 mm USD 53.0

7.00 mm USD 135.0

7.00 mm USD 87.0

 

3.94 mm 80.0

3.94 mm 49.0

Solvent cost (M 2 )

 

7.00 mm 37.0

 
 

3.94 mm 27.0

 

Material cost (M 2 )

   

7.00 mm 5.0

   

3.94 mm 5.0

PLATE COST (M 2 )

7.00 mm 53.0

7.00 mm 172.0

7.00 mm 92.0

 

3.94 mm 107.0

3.94 mm 54.0

Investment

high

high

low

Labor cost

-

high

low

Process time

longest

1.5-2 hours

20-30 minutes

Healthy

fair

bad

good

Environment

green

awful

green

Employment

easy

difficult

easy

Impressions

low

high

high

Reproduction

60 lpi

100 lpi 3%

120 lpi 2%

Latitude

-

high

high

 

 

@ flexo liquid photopolymer resins

  F-40 F-32   F-40 F-32

Gauge (inch)

0.125¡V0.274
0.125¡V0.274
Color
Clear/red
Clear/orange
(mm)
3.18-7.00
3.18-7.00

UV
resistance

Good
Good
INK
Water / Oil
Water / Oil
Light
finishing
Okay
Okay
Print on
Corrugated
Corrugated
Latitude
Wide
Wide
LPI
120
120
Resilience
High
High
DOT %
1 ~ 95
1 ~ 95
Shoulder
Good
Good

Fine line
(mm)

0.01¡¨(0.254)
0.01¡¨(0.254)
Impressions
Long
Long

Isolated dot
(mm)

0.010¡¨(0.254)
0.010¡¨(0.254)

Abrasion
resistance

Very good
Very good

Duro meter

40 A
32 A

Tear
resistance

Very good
Very good

 

Plate making tips

@flexoBag liquid photopolymer plate

 •  Storage:  

•  Unexposed resin pail
To ensure a long shelf life, store the resin pail in a dry, dark place at temperature under 25 degree C (77 degree F) and humidity under 65%

•  Processed plate
Before and after printing, store in a dry and dark place with conditions as for A.

•  Handling: 
We recommend to handle and operate under yellow safety light or UV cut lamp.
For protecting skin and eyes, please wear protective glove and glass.
Please refer to MSDS available from your local dealers

•  Preparing bags:
•  Determine the size of plate you want to make according to the negative film first then make the bag a little bit bigger than the negative.

•  Make sure base film side with sticky back and mat side film is for keeping your plate surface smooth.

•  Seal together with heat sealer or tapes assure that no leak of the bag, especially double secure the 2 corners when the bag is very big.

•  Filling resin:
•  Put the resin in the filling tank over night to make sure the bubbles are gone or remaining on the top of the tank which we will only use the non-bubble

area from the bottom valve into the bag by a high-pressured air compressor.

•  Then keep the bag in a standing rack one by one in order to be ready for exposure with negative film.

•  Exposure:
•  Must to have a double side exposure unit with double glasses up and down.

•  Due to resin already in the bag, therefore you may put the negative under the

bag or upon the bag with no difference of plate making result.

C. Total exposure time is 2-3 minute (4mm plate) ratio of back and film exposure time is depending on distance and kind of light source.

D. You may cut off the 4 sides of the bag, now the plate (bag) is ready for washout.

•  Washout:
•  Water temperature 20-25 degree C (68-77 degree F)
•  Put 1% detergent powder in the washout tank.
•  Must have a washout unit with water circulation and filtration system.
•  Washout for 1-2 minutes (4mm plate), actual washout time depends on type of washout unit.

•  Drying
Drying the plate at 60-70 degree C (140 ¡V 158 degree F) for 5-10 minutes (4mm plate)

•  Post-exposure
Post-exposure time have to be at least same with film exposure in order to cure the photopolymer completely.

•  Anti-tack exposure
For Anti-tack treatment with light finishing, an UV exposure under water for 3-4 minutes is necessary then drying again.

•  Press ready
After these the plate is ready for mounting to print. Due to water washout, no swelling will be occurred in side the polymer as solvent wash plates, therefore the plate is press-ready now.

www.flexobag.us www.laserblack.net.cn www.flexotech.com.tw

 

 

@flexo Bag Photopolymer


A Contemporary Liquid Technology
Water wash - Enviro green - Innovative
Quick / Easy / Economic / Time & Labor saving
(Only a new double side exposure unit is required)


@flexo Bag is a completely new development for corrugated flexo plate & stamp making industry. This innovation is experienced from 30 years of conventional liquid & solid photopolymer plate making.

F-32 & F-40 for corrugated industry, F-50 for stamp making


LaserBlack Enhancer to make negative from your laser printer
A perfect solution for corrugated photopolymer plate & stamp making

@flexo Bag is a faster exposure, with fine reproduction details, water wash-out, easy and rapid operation. for a 4mm plate for corrugated board printing exposure time is only 5 min, wide latitude, fine details, no bubbles tolerance in + / - 0.03mm, good for all kinds of flexo printing. Now size available from A5 to A0.

@flexo Bag Water wash-out is the best advantage of this system, no solvent means less drying time, quick ready as well as saving cost for plate making and environmental green. Water washout time is only 3 min. for a 4 mm plate.

@flexo Bag Plus drying and anti-tack treatment whole process for a 4 mm plate is less than 20 min. Your existing plate making system is good enough for this system, only a new double side exposure unit is required. For more details please visit www.flexotech.com.tw.

 

@flexoBag Plate Making

Trouble Shootings

•  Bag making

Bag can not be hot sealed Make sure materials are from @flexo

Coating of bag edges have to be removed

Temperature or timing of sea ling is not enough

Bag leaking Coating take off is not complete

Bag does not seal well enough

Check time and temperature of sealer

•  Fil ling resin

Resin too much Over the bag difficult to do exposure

Resin too less Plate size will not enough or too thin

Proper quantity Check from the operation manual

•  Bubble removing

Bubble still there Bag does not stand square in 90 degree Bubble disappears too slow Use heater on the Bubble Remover

 

•  Back exposure

Plate base is too thick Reduce the back exposure time

Plate base is too thin Increase the back exposure time

What is proper thickness of plate base 60% thickness as plate base is proper

 

•  Film exposure

Plate not sharp

a. Negative opaque density not enough Remake the negative or check again

b. Exposure not proper Over exposure or under exposure

Bubbles in between film and plate

(try to escape the air.)

c. Bag is becoming hard Negative film exposure is over

d. Bag is becoming soft Negative film exposure is under

e. Image looks dirty not clear Back exposure and Film exposure

is not proper

f. Some of image area disappeared Thickness control is not proper

(Check the vacuum meter of the unit)

 

•  Washout

Washout not complete Check if over or under washout

Plate looks dirty Washout is not enough

Check if put enough detergent into water as activator

Plate wash by hand. (not by machine)

Fine image disappeared Washout too much

(adjust brush pressure)

•  Drying

Plate looks soft Drying is not complete

Plate can not long run Drying under 60 C for 20 min.

 

•  Post exposure

Plate is sticky Check if UVA exposure enough

•  Anti-tack

Plate is sticky difficult to handle Proper UVC under water exposure

Check if put salt under water

•  General

Plate not long run

•  Plate not drying enough Drying the plate again

•  Plate not post-exposure properly Post expose the plate again

•  Over printing pressure Control printing pressure well

Print not satisfy

•  Check if plate is not sharp Back to procedure 5.

•  Check if plate anti-tack well. Back to procedure 9

•  If post exposure proper Back to procedure 8.

•  Fine adjustment of printing pressure Control the pressure properly

Keep for reuse Put into plastic bag and well sealed

Plate is too thick Gauge control is not proper

Plate is too thin Maybe over vacuum control

Base is too high Over back expose

Base is too low back exposure is not enough

Plate is thicker in the middle Vacuum control is not proper

Plate is lower in the middle Maybe over vacuum control.