More accurate registration, much faster mounting, fewer human errors and simplified operation are the key benefits of the plate mounting machines. No wonder that flexo printers around the world are eager to invest in mounting systems to improve printing quality, ensure consistency and lower the costs.
One of the reasons behind the success of flexographic printing in recent years has been steady automation of repeatable activities during prepress, press and post-press. This has contributed to less variable, more predictable, faster and cheaper production. It is an extremely desirable combination of benefits for any printer.
Moving from a fully manual process to a plate mounting system makes it possible to achieve this combination of benefits at the stage of photopolymer plate mounting, which is an important part of prepress.
The first benefit: tighter registration
Registration accuracy has a direct influence on printing quality, especially in the case of multi-colour print, the reigning standard in consumer products packaging. The industry has developed the technique of microdots or similar reference points that assist printers in the precise mounting of the printing form on cylinders or sleeves.
In the traditional mounting system, registration accuracy depends on the printer’s keen eye and skilful hand. Plate mounting machines help streamline this process. Plate positioning is supported by ultra-sensitive cameras, which can remember settings for faster mounting in the future. This makes it possible to achieve precise registration with a tolerance of several microns – something the human eye cannot possibly do.
Tight registration in the plate mounting system is also possible because the mounting table and the holding bar are used. These design features, absent from the manual plate mounting, ensure stability and repeatability of the whole process.
The second benefit: much faster plate mounting
Mounting time is increasingly important. It is related to the fact that clients order ever-shorter print runs and frequently change patterns. It means that printers need more time for prepress, including mounting, dismounting and changing photopolymer plates. In this environment speeding up the printing plate, the mounting process is very desirable.
Flexographic plate mounting machines can double the processing speed. This means printers can reduce the time they devote to mounting plates on cylinders or sleeves by 50%. In many cases by more than that.
Importantly, these time savings occur while registration accuracy increases and fewer human errors and material losses are recorded. Can it get any better than that?
The third benefit: fewer errors and losses
Plate mounting can become the prepress bottleneck. Not only does it require experience and takes quite a lot of time, but during manual installation, it often results in errors, imperfections, unintended repositioning or the printing form getting stuck to the mounting tape too early. Even experienced printers make mistakes, to say nothing of newer employees.
Errors mean losses of (expensive) material and production delays. Simply put, errors mean costs.
Mounting machines are designed to assist in the most difficult tasks in the process and reduce human errors wherever possible. This translates into less waste, more efficient production and lowers costs.
The fourth benefit: simplified operation
There are stories of flexographic printing facilities where the most experienced printers have been delegated to plate mounting. In the end, mounting success and as a result, printing success depends on their skilful hand and eye.
Operating the mounting system is so simple that after a brief introduction it can be assigned to less experienced personnel. This means that key specialists can use their skills at a different stage of production.
Combination of benefits
Implementing the plate mounting system provides printers with an extremely appealing combination of benefits. Relative to the traditional, manual mounting it is a step towards greater accuracy, predictability and speed at this important prepress stage. It also means lower costs of material waste, repeats and production delays.
Feel free to download our infographic showing key differences between manual and automated flexo plate mounting systems (click to download).
