The Sustainable Platemaker Series – Part 3

Part 3 - Changing the mindset: thinner flexo plates deliver quality and sustainability to the corrugated market

Thinner corrugated plates have been used for high end direct corrugated printing for many years. Now is the time to shift the industry to thinner plates for 1 or 2 color jobs.

Thinner plates show benefits in many different aspects for converters, tradeshops and CPGs. But there are still some challenges to be overcome. While in Europe the use of Cyrel® .112”/.125” gauges are common, in North America, for example, we still see a lot of .250” gauge plates being used.

That’s why DuPont is partnering and working with the corrugated flexo printing value chain to demonstrate that printing boards with .250” plates is no longer needed. But we understand that this change is part of a process; the creation of a new culture.

One of the key pieces that allow the industry to work with thinner plates is a removable foam blanket that is temporarily attached to the print cylinder. This blanket compensates for the original thickness loss when moving away from a .250” plate.

So, who can take advantage of moving to thinner flexo plates? The answer is: everyone. Based on internal tests, we can show the advantages of working with thinner plates for 1 or 2 color jobs.

Printer benefits include:

• Less cupping (less impression and longer plate wear);
• Lighter mounts (less injuries/claims);
• Less buildup on plates (less cleaning and better productivity);
• Better print capabilities (better solids);

While for Tradeshops, the main advantages are:

• Improved productivity;
• Less solvent usage;
• Less waste;
• Less VOC’s;
• Less wear and tear on equipment;

And finally, the CPGs will have better graphics, especially better bar codes or QR codes, as mentioned before. And for all players in the value chain, the sustainability message from this shift is strong due to the use of less polymer material, less solvent, and less waste.

You might ask: which plate is ideal for this? Although DuPont™ Cyrel® has a complete portfolio of plates to meet all corrugated printing demands, for this application, DuPont™ Cyrel® DLC is the answer! The Cyrel® DLC soft durometer plate offers the best combination of solid ink coverage and durability to deliver the best quality to your work.

Therefore, our invitation: be flexible of this concept, go thinner with your plates and print better on corrugated board, getting all the savings and sustainability benefits.

The Sustainable Platemaker Series

Part 1 - Next Generation Plate Making and the Pursuit of Green
Part 2 - Plate considerations when working with sustainable inks and substrates
Part 3 - Changing the mindset: thinner flexo plates deliver quality and sustainability to the corrugated market
Part 4 - Plates, Plate Packaging and the 5 Rs
Part 5 - Reducing Plate Waste
Part 6 - Plateroom Habits that Affect Sustainability
Part 7 - Improving Plate Longevity and Reuse
Part 8 - Driving Pressroom Sustainability with Prepress Innovation