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Esko-Graphics Releases New Semi-Auto Version Of CDI Flexo Platesetter Esko-Graphics has introduced a semi-automatic version of its Cyrel Digital Imager (CDI) Advance flexographic platesetter. The new system features a trolley and lift system that raises the flexo plate to a loading table for easy mounting on the drum, eliminating the need to lift large and heavy image carriers. Able to accommodate both plates and sleeves, the system is delivered with a semi-automatic plate loader (APL); and a “trolley” that contains 16 cassettes designed to hold similar or different-sized plates up to 50" x 80". Once plates are loaded into the cassettes, the trolley is rolled and docked into place onto a lift located behind the platesetter. The operator selects the position number of the desired cassette, and the lift automatically moves the cassette and plate to the drum for mounting. When imaging is complete, the plate is removed and slid back into the cassette. When all of the plates have been imaged, the trolley is rolled away from the platesetter, and plates are removed from the cassettes for UV exposure. The CDI Advance is available in three productivity levels and comes with Grapholas front-end software. Grapholas accepts TIFF or LEN input file formats, allows for last-minute changes, and executes flexo-specific functions such as plate usage optimization, sleeve support, seamless imaging, and cut marks. Glass Is Chosen Over Plastic For Vodka Mini-Containers 3 Vodka Distilling Co. recently asked TricorBraun, St. Louis, Mo., to design and supply its “mini” 50-ml version of vodka in glass instead of the usual longneck, stock plastic mini container that most liquor manufacturers use when packaging the single-serve versions of their products.
Certain challenges presented themselves when making the 50-ml product, particularly in using the same style of closure with a hole in the top. The closure for the 750-ml size features a tamper-evident (T/E) seal; the 50-ml version was too small for such a seal. The solution, say TricorBraun officials, was to use a metal roll-on T/E closure with an injection-molded polypropylene overcap. When the overcap is unscrewed, it catches on the inner metal closure and activates the T/E feature by breaking the latter’s ring from the metal closure. Design, Palletization Software Upgraded
The company says that the one-click design template provides users with a quick launch of TOPS•Pro for package design and analysis. Frequently used packages, ship cases, pallets, vehicles, and analysis all can be saved into different templates and launched with just a single mouse click, according to TOPS. The new software includes a seamless custom shape generator called “Create A Shape Yourself,” which allows users to design new primary packages and case packs with holes, cutouts, and custom graphics. It also supports more complicated designs such as trigger-top bottles, rounded-corner rectangular totes, and pinch tubes. Displaying package design solutions in color-coded 3D graphics, Version 5.0 adds new options to make shipcases invisible, or to pop open a corner box on pallets to show their contents. The enhanced “Allview” report option shows primary pack, shipcases, pallet design, and truck load plans in the same panel, and affords faster and easier selection of solutions, says the manufacturer. Besides outputting design solutions and analyses to ASCII files in comma-separated value format, TOPS•Pro 5.0 makes data integration even more flexible and compatible by exporting data in XML, according to the company. It can also export design solutions and analyses directly to Microsoft Word in user-defined formats with templates. Not-A-Bottle Container System Wins Patent for Flowable Materials Rocky Mountain Business Solutions, Inc., Estes Park, Colo., recently announced that it was awarded a U.S. Patent for its Not-A-Bottle container system for flowable materials. Commercial benefits, says the manufacturer, include reduced cost and an environmentally superior package. The system consists of lightweight plastic bags, separate dispensing containers, and container caps. According to the company, the disposable bags contain the flowable material, have a lip much like a baby bottle liner, and feature a pierceable top or pull tab for opening. The container cap, which captures the bag lip between the container and the top, has an attached dispenser that is appropriate for the material being distributed. The manufacturer says that potential applications for the Not-A-Bottle system include almost any flowable material currently distributed in plastic bottles, such as beverages and baby formula; foods such as condiments and salad dressings; motor oil and lubricants; household products like soaps and spray-on cleaners; and personal products such as shampoos and lotions. In each application, an appropriate dispensing container allows ongoing reuse simply by replacing the product bag. Rocky Mountain Business Solutions claims that the low-cost, refillable container system provides an environmentally superior alternative to disposable plastic bottles because significantly less plastic is used. Moreover, says the manufacturer, landfill impact is minimal if the product is not recycled. Esko Software Offers Ease of Integration Esko-Graphics recently announced the ability to bypass typical flattening procedures on the way to importing files from Adobe Illustrator 9 and 10 into its FastLane for Packaging software. Esko is making available a free plug-in for FastLane users—a tool that creates an EskoPrepFile (EPF) and thus avoids most of the flattening occurring during the translation and import of Illustrator files. Company officials say that normalizing PDF 1.4 files has always included a flattening component in the past. Unfortunately, flattened objects lose their editability in the final file, states Esko-Graphics. Although Illustrator designs have always reproduced well in FastLane, changes in Illustrator 9 and subsequent versions have caused flattening of some overprint and transparent objects when the files were imported via PostScript, explains the company. The result was less editable files if changes had to be made. Esko-Graphics’ new plug-in affords the full editability of Adobe Illustrator files among transparencies (including spot colors), drop shadows and other Illustrator effects, overprint types, layers, Photoshop image support (including transparency), and maintaining spot colors. In addition, says the manufacturer, an EPF file offers greater workflow optimization benefits such as preserving layers and CAD data and making it possible to insert packaging ink settings. The free EPF export plug-in is available through a download from the Esko-Graphics Web site (www.esko-graphics.com). Also slated for release are the EPF input task for BackStage 1.2, as well as the input dialogs for PackEdge 3.0 and Plato 2.0. In other Esko-Graphics product news, the company has announced version upgrades to a number of its packaging applications software offerings, including the PackEdge 3.0 packaging workflow solution and Plato 2.0 plate layout/step-and-repeat solution for packaging and labels. Additionally, Esko-Graphics has introduced new client/server software packages—BackStageEdit and PlatoEdit—for those who wish to augment their workflow capabilities. Both carry an identical set of features, but with an optimized link to the BackStage workflow server. Both PackEdge and Plato feature PDF 1.4 input, maintaining transparency using the Adobe Certified CertIn technology. Both packages also provide native image support, with direct links to Photoshop (PSD), TIFF, and EPS image files without file conversion. According to the company, extended CAD integration with direct support for ArtiosCAD native, DXF, and CFF2 files leads to highly automated step-and-repeat workflows and tools for the 3D modeling of packaging designs. Plato and PackEdge both contain updated SmartMarks technology—print production controls such as color bars, sheet corner marks, center marks, and trim marks that are automatically adjusted to changes in the job. SmartNames, says the company, allows the production software to link to a database through the use of SQL queries. Both products now integrate OutRight2, an updated output module that, beyond driving most imagesetters, platesetters, and proofers, generates PS/PDF/PDF for Illustrator/EPS/DCS files at high quality, speed, and editability, along with additional file compression schemes. Other new features of PackEdge 3.0 include: • seamless connection to BackStage; • integration of the new generation of trapping technology called ColorStitch, which includes pre-defined trapping tickets, ensuring exceptional speed and quality, says the company; • a new, optional ShrinkSleeve module that can render the result in 3D with instant feedback. Plato 2.0 features a number of significant improvements, including: • varnish support, where varnish blankets that are defined in an ArtiosCAD file can be extracted from within Plato 2.0; • optional folding carton step-and-repeat automation; • optional SmartLayout for optimized print sheet filling; • export capability of instructions to Polar cutters; • QuickStep “on board,” where operators can work in QuickStep and/or Plato mode. Resealable Technologies Offer Flexibility According to the manufacturer, Zip-Pak offers numerous resealable packaging technologies for a variety of applications. The company’s new, extended line of polypropylene-compatible zippers combines low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with a proprietary sealant material that makes it compatible with polypropylene and allows it to adhere to most PP films to form bags and pouches. Zip-Pak introduced a polypropylene-compatible webless zipper in 2002, and has now extended that feature to its flanged zipper and zipper tape product lines. The new products can be used in both form/fill/seal and pre-made pouch applications to produce resealable packaging for almost any package style using polypropylene film, says the company.
In other product offerings, Zip-Pak says its Quick-Zip Slider for low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags is suited for use with frozen food, vegetables, produce, poultry, snacks, potting soil, fertilizer, and bulk powders. According to the company, the offering is designed to be an affordable alternative for cost-effective flexible packaging made with LDPE films. Like other sliders, the product’s slider mechanism (or “clip”) slides easily across the zipper for reliable opening and closing. Its ease of navigation, compared to traditional press-to-close zippers, helps seniors and children more conveniently use resealable bags and pouches, claims the manufacturer. Zip-Pak’s transverse-direction Zip-Pak Slider can now be applied across the short, “top” side of vertical form/fill/seal pouches. Zip-Pak also makes available its E-Z Open Strip offering, a simple “tear-off” strip added to the top of a bag that affords easy access to products with one quick motion. Eliminating the need for scissors, E-Z Open Strip is an excellent feature for products that target the food service industry, industrial applications, lawn and garden professionals, as well as parents and caregivers, says the manufacturer. New PET Resin Blocks UV, Lets Colors Shine Through Voridian, a division of Eastman Chemical Co., has launched Vitiva PET PC715, a PET resin that provides ultraviolet (UV) light protection for food, beverage, cosmetic, household, personal care and pharmaceutical products. According to the manufacturer, Vitiva PET contains an FDA-approved UV absorber that protects delicate colors, flavors, vitamins, and nutrients against many UV light initiated or catalyzed degradation reactions in custom packaging applications. Vitiva PET was formulated to provide UV light protection while maintaining the crystal optical clarity of standard PET. The UV absorber in Vitiva PET is chemically bound to the resin’s polymer chain, enabling bottle manufacturers and brand owners to obtain consistent UV performance. The polymer is said to be capable of producing sharp, consistent colors in packaging applications. According to Voridian, Vitiva PET allows for significant bottle design flexibility and crisp definition on embossments and logos. |
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