Offset Printing

OMET iFlex in the spotlight

Friday 04. September 2015 - OMET (stand 6C49/C53) will launch the iFlex, an 'entry-level' PS label press which introduces laser-assisted plate cylinder adjustment.

The iFlex is a 370mm-wide UV flexo press which incorporates a unique manual pre-register system and OMET’s established Vision-1 automatic register control. It is a shaft driven press, but with a directly driven impression cylinder and only one gear per print unit on the plate cylinder, a configuration claimed to eliminate gear backlash and improve print stability.

What OMET calls the ‘iLight’ pre-register system consists of laser pointers located on each print unit and lining up with the top of the plate. The light beam shows the exact mounting position for the plate. Once the plate has been properly aligned by the operator it is manually locked in place. Each print station has a protective perspex hood.

Dual laser pointers are positioned on the die station – one perpendicular to the die for accurate longitudinal register and one aligned on the web for cut-to-print accuracy.

Run registration is achieved by cameras (iCam) positioned on each printing unit to capture the register mark, allowing operators to gain instant feedback on manual corrections via a centrally located ‘iVision’ monitor. Operators do not have to wait for the monitor to show the register mark at the end of the line. The cameras are mechanically linked and all change position at the same time

The iFlex has a web path of just 1.3 meters, making the press extremely compact and with low make-ready waste. On request, the machine can be configured with a longer web path for use with water-based inks.