New technology • Higher printing qualityPresentation: advantages of Direct Laser Engraving hybrid technology with elastomers.

L-Flex is the only flexographic repro house in Poland which offers elastomer printing forms engraved using hybrid laser on Flexostar Hybrid 2.5 machine manufactured by Dutch company Lead Lasers. Flat printing forms as well as endless printing sleeves are engraved using two lasers: CO2 and YAG. The result is a very high quality with high efficiency of work.

We are able to engrave flat printing forms from 1.14 mm to 2.84 mm thick with size of 1570 x 2500 mm and printing sleeves up to 2500 mm long with wall thickness from 1.5 mm. The compound of rubber and its layers hardness are selected for each client individually based on his machine park, printing substrate, technological capabilities and printing specification.

We offer a full service for printing houses. Starting from printing presses profiling through graphic design prepress in our modern graphic studio, technical consulting to production of elastomer flat printing forms and sleeves.

Krzysztof KasperskiL-Flex managing director

Relief

Depth

Angle

Height

Thanks to Direct Laser Engraving technology L-Flex repro house has the ability of halftone dots shape free formation by three-dimensional parameters modification such as:

» relief» height reduction relatively to elastomer surface [printing dots can be positioned lower than the surface of solid area]» angle of arm slope» depth of printing surface

dots forming:Digital halftone

Perfect Dot

Cross-section of available options for halftone dots buildingin relation to solid area:

Relief

Angle

Height

Direct Laser Engraving technology also allows building classic "Flat Top" dots.

Solid area Dots below the surface Solid areaDots on the surface

dots forming:Digital halftone

Flat Top

Elastomer:

Photopolymer:dot gainSmaller

Hardness of elastomers and opportunity to build halftone dots of any shape and height provide smaller dot gain during printing.

Elastomer EPDM surface simulation Photopolymer surface simulation

Evenink transfer Elastomers thanks to its greater surface construction

development transfer ink from anilox to printing surface more evenly and efficiently avoiding stain effect (so called “mottle”).

Ink transfer comparison on various substrates:

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Transparent PP foil

Part

of t

he in

k tr

ansf

er

White PP foil Paper

Elastomer EPDM Elastomer SBR FAST CTP

ink coverageBetter

Research conducted by University of Pardubice based on printouts made with Soma printing press using laser engraved elastomers by ABC Laserflex have shown better ink transfer by elastomers than photopolymers.

ink coverageBETTERMagenta solvent based ink on PE foil:

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

Anilox 3.14 cm3/m2 Anilox 3.55 cm3/m2 Anilox 4.06 cm3/m2 Anilox 4.48 cm3/m2O

ptic

al d

ensi

ties

Elastomer EPDMCompound 1

Elastomer EPDMCompound 2

Elastomer SBR Photopolymer

Magenta solvent based ink on PP foil:

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

Anilox 3.14 cm3/m2 Anilox 3.55 cm3/m2 Anilox 4.06 cm3/m2 Anilox 4.48 cm3/m2

Opt

ical

den

siti

es

Elastomer EPDMCompound 1

Elastomer EPDMCompound 2

Elastomer SBR Photopolymer

Solid area printed with photopolymer close-up:Solid area printed with elastomer close-up:

Even ink coverage

Photopolymer [big close-up]:Elastomer [big close-up]:

of texts and solid areasSHARP EDGES

Direct Laser Engraving on elastomers is characterized by sharp-edged graphic elements on flat printing forms, rollers, sleeves and the final printout.

The elastomers are very resistant to:

» Solvent-based, water and UV inks» Esters and ketones» Ozone» Alkohole [also ethylene]

Printing forms do not swell or soften during the printing process.

to chemicals

Comparison of elastomer and photopolymer sensitivity (swelling) to chemical substances:

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10%

20%

30%

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50%

60%

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100%

Elastomer EPDM Photopolymer

Solvent-basedink during

winterWater ink Solvent

Solvent-basedink duringsummer

UV ink Ethylene

RESISTANCE

engraving resolutionLead Lasers Flexostar Hybrid 2.5 laser machine enables engraving of elastomer substrates with maximum resolution of 5080 dpi. This allows getting a better picture quality printed with such engraved materials.

VERY HIGH

Thanks to direct engraving free-standing hybrid halftone dots are perfectly reproduced on elastomer materials. Elastomer hardness ensures the stability of halftone dots and accurate printing on the surface.

STABLEhybrid halftone

01

02

03

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ECOLOGY

In contrast to all solvent-based printing forms production methods our technology does not require any solvents. After the engraving process the elastomer printing forms are washed with pure water only.

Reduced production timeEngraving using two lasers allows up to 5 times shorter production time as compared to the traditional method of photopolymer printing forms production.

An additional benefit is no need to wait for the dimensional printing form stabilization after engraving. Our printing forms do not swell and can be used for printing immediately after production.It provides express help in case of emergency.

Alicja GromakSales specialist

tel. +48 539 913 879e-mail: agromak@l-flex.pl

ul. Trakt Lubelski 187, 04-667 Warsawtel. +48 22 509 81 91

www.l-flex.pl