1. Grant Blewett Segment marketing manager EAMER
Do more with Flexo
Welcome audience
Introduction
Grant Blewett
Segment marketing manager EAMER

2. Agenda Why the need for a new digital plate making system.
Understanding the limitations of modern CTP for Flexo.
Introducing the Kodak Flexcel NX system.
Introducing a breakthrough for Aqueous and Solvent printing.
Business benefits.

3. Why invent a new digital flexo plate system?
Flexo had a significant constant growth in packaging printing since its introduction more than 75 years ago
Digital flexo plates have been available for over a decade
Flexo is now the leading print process for packaging
1930
Laser Ablative Flexo System
Kodak Flexcel NX
Today
The current flexographic digital plate technology, using laser ablative mask plates (also called LAMS), has been in the market for more than a decade.
Digital plates have opened up new opportunities for flexo which is today the leading process for packaging.
However…

4. The challenge
Yet the most common complaints from printers are still based on technical limitations such as:
Unacceptable color matching to proof and other print processes.
Inconsistency in the process
Unpredictability of results job-to-job, and run-to-run
Flexo has to move forward to meet the demands of brand owners and printers
Buyers still complain about the
inconsistency of the process
unacceptable color matching
unpredictability of results
And lack of repeatability
using their current plates.
Flexography needs to address these important issues to remain the dominant force in its market.
Kodak has now done this with the Kodak Flexcel NX Digital Flexographic System.

5. Typical LAMS plate processing and results
File
Original tonal values 0% - 100%
Flexo tries to match the original image
Plate
Uncorrected plate loses dots in highlights, first dots at 10% area (example for 150lpi)
Without adjustment it fails, leaving hard edges
Let’s take a look at what normally happens.
With uncorrected platemaking, LAMS plates cannot reproduce dots in highlights owing to oxygen inhibition during polymerization.
Printing results in hard edges and reduced tonal range…
Print
Uncorrected print shows hard edge

6. Typical LAMS plate processing and results
File
Bump is applied to compensate highlight loss, tonal range is compressed to 10% - 100%
A bump curve is used to set the minimum dot size
Plate
Compensated plate values range 2-3%-100%
Flexo tries to match the original image
Files require a correction to compensate for oxygen inhibition, a bump curve is applied on highlights, so tonal range is compressed.
Resulting plate values in highlights would easily turn into flat highlights with limited contrast.
Print
Final compensated print

7. LAMS plates: a renown limitation
Without going into too much technical details, oxygen inhibition is the cause of both the dots reduction in size –compared to laser engraving on black mask- AND their rounded shape on the tops.

8. Effects of “round top” surface
Considering a typical LAMS dot profile cross section
Measurability
Inking & Printing predictability
The result is a bullet shaped dot which whose shape has several limitation in
Measurability
Inking predictability
Printing predictability
And this is due to environmental issues during platemaking such as air ventilation, humidity, pressure, temperature
Things that might change even during the same day
Kiss impression
= ? % dot
3 µ Impression
= 4% dot
6 µ impression
= 9% dot
How do we calibrate?
What will it print?

9. Results with the Flexcel NX System
File
Original Tonal Range 0% - 100%
Original offset separation
Plate
Plate tonal range 0% (0.4%) – 100%
Up to 300 lpi – 120 lpcm
The Flexcel NX System eliminates the need for a bump curve while still producing a full tonal range. The result is an offset like image with no adjustments or bump curves needed.
By using smaller minimum dots, and eliminating the oxygen inhibition as a variable, a 1:1 image transfer with full tonal range and stable flat top dot structure is produced.
The result is the ability to consistently achieve offset like print quality in a predictable and repeatable manner.
For the first time, you can print the same high quality image on folding cartons, boxes, labels, pouches and wraps with minimal, if any, adjustments and incredible color range.
Result: gravure class reproduction of the original
Print

10. How do we solve this with Flexcel NX
Kodak has solved this issue with the Flexcel NX digital system where there is no oxygen inhibition during the polymerization process.
Resulting dots do not suffer the same problems as LAMS plates.
Let’s see what happens...

11. LAMS plate vs. Flexcel NX plate
Flexcel NX System achieves stable flat top dot structure
Provides consistent structure and repeatability on press
Unlike the bullet shaped dots and indefinite dot surface on the left caused by oxygen inhibition, the Flexcel NX System produces consistent flat top dot structures.
This flat top dot and overall dot structure provides better predictability on press. Because of the wide impression latitude and low sensitivity to impression changes, the final result rivals that of offset printing.

12. LAMS plate vs. Flexcel NX plate
Flexcel NX System achieves stable flat top dot structure
Provides consistent structure and repeatability on press
Unlike the bullet shaped dots and indefinite dot surface on the left caused by oxygen inhibition, the Flexcel NX System produces consistent flat top dot structures.
This flat top dot and overall dot structure provides better predictability on press. Because of the wide impression latitude and low sensitivity to impression changes, the final result rivals that of offset printing.

13. Kodak DigiCap NX Screening
Deliver greater shelf impact at the same or lower price
SCRIPT
This presentation will introduce you to the innovation that is Kodak DigiCap NX Screening – a solution for the Kodak Flexcel NX System that is revolutionizing ink transfer in flexo printing.
Boosting ink transfer in flexo printing 13

14. An additional Flexo challenge
Especially when printing on films with solvent inks:
Insufficient density
Uneven ink laydown
Narrow color gamut
Limitations in these areas mean:
Flexo print lacks the visual impact of gravure
Print that lacks brilliance
Many special colors are used
Split plates are common
More expensive inks and higher volume anilox
SCRIPT
But some particular issues remained unaddressed in the industry, especially when printing on films with solvent inks.
Traditional flexo struggles to achieve the ink densities and smooth ink laydown that gives gravure print its strong visual impact and clean wide color gamut. Printers are forced to adopt costly workarounds to compensate for these issues that typically mean using more plates and more print stations than really desirable. 14

15. What’s wrong with traditional digital flexo?
Efficient ink transfer is always an issue, especially with solvent inks on flexible substrates
Traditional Digital Flexo Black
Split plates and high volume anilox are often required to get required opacity
Poor ink transfer throughout tonal scale contributes to reduced color gamut
Voids in printed solids reduce the visual impact
SCRIPT
So let’s look a little closer at traditional digital flexo. This close-up of a solid black area displays the familiar worm-like appearance of flexo printing on films.
The voids in the ink laydown contribute to an overall mottled visual appearance and reduced perceived density. But it’s not just solids that are affected – reduced density throughout the tonal scale has the effect of contracting the achievable color gamut which in turn leads to duller process color printing and an increased reliance upon special colors. 15

16. Previous attempts to improve ink transfer
Plate surface texturization has long been thought to hold the key to improved ink transfer:
Traditional plate cell patterning
Mechanical methods have been tried
Plate coatings have been tried
Digitally imaged plate cell patterning has been tried
SCRIPT
We all know that the issue of ink transfer is not a new one and is something that flexo printers have been struggling with for decades.
Plate surface texturization has generally been accepted as theoretically holding the key to improved ink transfer and has been implemented in a variety of forms over the years. The most recent attempts have been the digital imaging of a cell pattern within the image areas of the plate. Some users have definitely seen improvements with these techniques but none that could be described as dramatic, consistent or predictable.
The challenge has really been to image a pattern fine enough on the surface of the plate to dramatically affect ink transfer and to be able to implement it across the entire plate, including lines and halftones. A challenge that has elduded pre-press and plate suppliers until now...
But none have delivered dramatic improvements or been consistently successful 16

17. Take a closer look: 4pt Text @ 30X magnification
No surface texturization
Kodak DigiCap NX Screening Applied
SCRIPT
The following series of images compare the surface of a plate without any texturization, with traditional plate cell patterning techniques applied and finally with DigiCap NX Screening applied. We are looking at a solid area containing 4 point reverse text at 30 times magnification
Traditional Plate Cell Patterning Applied

18. Now at 60X magnification Kodak DigiCap NX Screening Applied
No surface texturization
Kodak DigiCap NX Screening Applied
SCRIPT
At 60 times magnification the macro pattern of the traditional plate cell patterning starts to become evident. Areas of depression are randomly distributed across the solid area.
Traditional Plate Cell Patterning Applied

19. A 70% tint at 250X magnification
No surface texturization
Kodak DigiCap NX Screening Applied
SCRIPT
And not just for solids. DigiCap NX Screening is applied throughout the full tonal scale.
But what does all of this mean for practical printing results?
Traditional Plate Cell Patterning Applied

20. Real prints show the power of Kodak DigiCap NX Screening
Flexcel NX Plate with Kodak DigiCap NX Screening applied
Traditional Digital Flexo
SCRIPT
The first thing that we can see from practical printed results is the dramatic improvement in the soothness of the ink laydown compared to traditional digital flexo, or standard LAMS plates as some refer to them. The two prints were produced on the same press with the same ink, anilox and substrate combination
Smooth ink laydown
Same press, same ink, same anilox, same substrate 20

21. Higher density gives increased color gamut
Traditional Digital Flexo color gamut
Expanded color gamut delivered by Flexcel NX System with Kodak DigiCap NX Screening applied
Kodak DigiCap NX Screening is not just for solid areas…
Higher densities throughout the FULL tonal range enable significantly expanded color gamut
Measured densities in this example
Traditional Digital Flexo
Flexcel NX with DigiCap NX C
1.30
1.50 M
1.25
1.45 Y
1.00
1.20 K
1.40
1.70
SCRIPT
Now let’s turn our attention to color gamut.
As stated previously DigiCap NX Screening is not just applied to solid areas but throughout the full tonal scale. This has the effect of raising the density evenly across all elements. Raising the density in the halftones pushes out the density range for each process color and thus increases the color gamut achievable with process color printing.
This diagram illustrates just this effect. The inner colored portion represents the gamut achievable with traditional flexo printing at the typical densities noted in the table. Measurements from prints produced with Flexcel NX Plates with DigiCap NX applied, printed under the same press conditions, show a moderate increase in solid density and the wire frame area of the diagram shows the corresponding increase in color gamut. As you can see, the resulting color gamut increases are significant 21

22. Achieve better printing today
Differentiated Print
Achieve better printing today
Deliver print with greater visual impact
Same print conditions:
Higher densities
Cleaner tones
Finer detail
Greater contrast
At standard print conditions and line screens Flexcel NX Plates dramatically improve the visual impact of your print. Print Buyers are impressed with the strong colors and clean tones.
The Flexcel NX System takes what the wide web flexible printer is doing today and makes it better.
The Flexcel NX System will enable these printers to immediately produce print with greater visual impact. Colors are more vibrant and ink coverage is smoother
Better ink transfer, tonal reproduction and minimum printed dot enables print quality that surpasses traditional digital flexo. 22

23. Explore new opportunities tomorrow
Differentiated Print
Explore new opportunities tomorrow
Do more with process color printing
Make co-printed designs a reality
Open the door for gravure class quality
Optimize your press
Print up to 175 lpi in regular production
Give brand owners greater design freedom
Designs that were previously only achievable with roto-gravure are now in regular flexo production with Flexcel NX Plates.
Co-printing designs can restore profitability to short runs jobs.
In addition to improving what the wide web flexible printer is doing today, the Flexcel NX System can open new doors for the printer for efficiency, flexibility and, of course, revenue.
Notes on applications listed:
Process color: Users often feel that it is safer to use spot colors to get consistent color with digital flexo plates, however, Kodak’s system allows for 1:1 image transfer with a full tonal range using all 256 gray levels. The increased color gamut achieved with DigiCap NX expans the opportunities for the use of process colros. On press, converters using process color separations typically use fewer plates per job and reduce the time it takes to setup and switch jobs, increasing productivity and their flexibility.
Co-printed designs: Combining different images/packages in one printing layout increases productivity and reduces stock. With each package, a number of unique colors may be present and the total number of colors for the whole pattern could exceed the presses limits if process color and combination plates were not an option as with the Kodak system.
Gravure class quality: print quality to rival gravure in daily production means they are winning jobs from these more generally expensive production processes to flexo
Design freedom: the Flexcel NX System removes the traditional design barriers in flexo and allows: smoother vignettes, close-up photography, true flesh tones, small text, multiple substrates, more spot colors, shrink wrap and more 23

24. Kodak DigiCap NX Screening Business Benefit
Taking flexo where it has never been before:
Gravure like print quality at 175lpi
Impactful densities
High contrast for maximum shelf impact
Expanded color gamut, more 4 color process
Opening the door for co-printed designs
SCRIPT
Some choose to use the innovative technology to take their flexo printing to places that it has never been before.
Gravure-like print quality and densities become a reality with Flexcel NX Plates with DigiCap NX applied. Flexo printers with this combination are regularly bidding and winning jobs that were previously printed gravure, growing their businesses and the flexo market as a result.
DigiCap NX Screening not only allows these users to print gravure-like quality but it allows them to do it efficiently. The expanded color gamut enabled this job to be printed four color process only. Previous attempts with traditional digital flexo had required at least seven colors. This printer now has the flexibility to mix designs that are all four color process for maximum run length efficiency and use their ten color press to run one job while preparing a separate job in parallel, maximizing efficiency and minimizing changeovers. It’s like having the capcity of a whole new press. 24

25. Production Efficiencies
In summary
Differentiated Print
Production Efficiencies
Waste Reduction
Trends and Realities of Today
Brand integrity
Complex graphics
Print inconsistencies
Price pressures
Increasing costs
Production complexity
Global competition
Environmental pressures
Flexcel NX System Opportunities
Greater visual impact
Differentiated print offerings
Stable, consistent, robust printing
Profitable, shorter runs
Ink and substrate savings
Simplified production
More billable hours
Sustainability improvements
In summary, we understand many of the pressures that face you today (on the left side of the slide).
The Flexcel NX System was developed by Kodak to help you address the trends and realities of today by:
Increasing Revenue through Differentiated Print
Reducing Costs through Production Efficiencies
Improving Sustainability through Reduced Waste
The Flexcel NX System gives wide web flexible printers the production benefits and consistent quality (on the right side of the slide) to grow and be successful in today’s very competitive market. 25

26. Questions?

27. Thank you for your attention