Prepress
Kodak Expands KODAK FLEXCEL Product Family, Delivering Award-Winning Technology for Diverse Flexo Applications
Wednesday 19. May 2010 - Kodak is expanding the range of its flexo solutions, adding the KODAK FLEXCEL NX Wide System, the KODAK FLEXCEL Direct System and the KODAK FLEXCEL SRX System. These additions join the award-winning KODAK FLEXCEL NX Digital Flexographic System in Kodaks flexographic product line to address different needs in the very diverse package printing market.
The FLEXCEL NX Wide System will support plates with sizes up to 42 by 60 inches, appealing to printers and trade houses working in larger formats. The FLEXCEL Direct System, which includes imager, media and workflow, features innovative new technology for the direct laser engraving of flexo forms. And, providing an affordable entry point into the benefits of Kodaks proven flat top dot technology, the new FLEXCEL SRX System offers the print stability and robustness of a conventional flexo plate with the tonal reproduction afforded by a digital system.
“The introduction of these new products demonstrates Kodaks ongoing commitment to the development of the FLEXCEL Product family, and to supporting the flexographic packaging industry,” said Oscar Planas, Vice President Marketing, Prepress Solutions, Kodak. “These new KODAK Solutions are designed to deliver high-quality results and increase production efficiencies across a wide range of packaging applications, enabling package printers, converters and trade shops to cost effectively take on diverse jobs and build their businesses.”
The FLEXCEL NX Wide System delivers all the features and benefits of the current FLEXCEL NX Digital Flexographic System in a larger format, allowing printers and trade houses to produce a wider range of package sizes or increase efficiency though the ability to optimize job layout on one plate. The FLEXCEL NX System, including the new FLEXCEL NX Wide System, dramatically increases the quality and efficiency of flexographic printing, for applications including tags and labels, folding cartons, and flexible packages, while also offering improved productivity and predictability on press.
The FLEXCEL Direct System is an elastomer direct engraving solution ideally suited for imaging in-the-round forms that also delivers an affordable, high-quality solution for seamed or seamless sleeves. The new FLEXCEL Direct System is a versatile solution that simplifies the platemaking process, eliminates the variability associated with traditional flexographic processes, and removes the need for chemical processing.
Like the FLEXCEL NX System, the FLEXCEL SRX System features flat top dots and KODAK SQUAREspot Imaging Technology to deliver improved tonal reproduction and excellent print stability. The high-resolution SQUAREspot Imaging capabilities of the KODAK FLEXCEL NX Imager enable one-to-one reproduction of the digital file on KODAK DITR Film 4401, a material that requires no chemical processing and delivers excellent image capabilities compared to traditional film. The film mask is then used to expose KODAK FLEXCEL SR Flexographic Plates, available in a wide range of sizes and durometers, to produce a conventional flexo plate with the tonal reproduction that the industry has come to expect from a digital solution.
Kodak will demonstrate the FLEXCEL Direct System live at Ipex, at stand 9-E320. The FLEXCEL SRX System is available now, while the FLEXCEL Direct System and FLEXCEL NX Wide System will be available commercially in early 2011.