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provements and enhanced benefits achievable with Flexcel NX plates — how we can change anilox rollers and inks , reduce impression and generally introduce better control into the press environment .”
z Reducing the variables
With the Flexcel NX System , it ’ s relatively easy for NS Digital to help customers become more efficient , Sundar continues . “ The biggest benefit for us is the simplicity of making Flexcel NX plates . The flexo process can have many variables , but the Flexcel NX technology either eliminates them or makes managing them simple , which yields substantial savings throughout the whole packaging printing process . So as a service provider , we can be confident we can provide customers with consistent , repeatable results . It also makes it easier to solve any print issues that arise because we can eliminate the plates as a cause straightaway . With other solutions , the investigation is more complex — is it the file , or the software , or processing , or exposure , or the press ?”
He describes a reverse-print flexible packaging job as an example of a customer who benefited from the NS Digital approach and Flexcel NX . “ We discussed how Flexcel NX plates could improve the overall print quality , especially on the whites . Then we worked with Miraclon on the fingerprinting — always supportive at all stages and a delight to work with . This approach gave the customer the confidence to proceed — and the 20 % reduction in ink consumption was very persuasive too !” He adds that customers report faster makereadies across all types of work , lower white ink consumption , reduced start-up waste — down from 50 meters to 20 meters , in some cases — and varnish savings as high as 20 % on many jobs .
Mohan Rao , Sundar ’ s partner at NS Digital Flexo , singles out two features of the Flexcel NX technology as especially valuable . “ The Kodak TIFF Assembler Plus software — TAP 5.0 — is a fantastic product that makes our life easier , from layout optimization to automating job settings . And the Digicap NX patterning is also a huge advantage . We can use it to create a ‘ micro anilox ’ on the plate , which produces efficient ink transfer and overcomes the usual challenges of maintaining ink density and controlling dot gain . Used in conjunction with press fingerprinting , it makes it easy to select the best pattern for each job .”
z The offset-to-flexo transition is ‘ booming ’
Shyam Sundar partner , NS Digital Flexo in Hyderabad with the Flexcel NX system Photo Miraclon
Asked what NS Digital regards as the most noticeable trends in flexo at present , Sundar answers , “ Gravure-to-flexo conversion , of course , but there ’ s also an ample opportunity for flexo to take label work from offset . It is booming already , and there ’ s more growth to come , with more offset label players looking to have at least one flexo label press . For a trade shop like us , this is good news on two fronts . First , there ’ s the challenge of helping many small label players produce complex jobs , which will keep the market engaged and growing .
“ And second , there ’ s the demand for faster turnarounds , which is only possible with the Flexcel NX System . Put these capabilities together , and by providing high-quality service and products , we ’ re in a good position to respond to the price pressures that are common in the packaging printing space .”
z Towards an industrial and modern process
Looking ahead , Shyam Sundar speaks eloquently of his expectations for NS Digital and the flexo industry in general . “ It ’ s great to be part of a journey that ’ s transforming flexo into a modern , standardized manufacturing process through technology such as Flexcel NX . This will always be my passion — to work with the latest , most advanced technologies and to continue to push the boundaries of what ’ s possible with flexo .” z
5 October 2021 Packaging South Asia
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