It's that time of year again - packaging folks from around the country gathered to geek out over the latest and greatest innovations from Esko! This year's EskoWorld event took place at the Omni ChampionsGate Resort in Orlando, Florida and it did not disappoint. Hardware is just a small portion of what Esko has to offer- but their industry-leading CDI platform is at the heart of the digital platemaking process. This year at Drupa, Esko unveiled "next generation flexo platemaking" with their CDI Crystal digital plate imager and XPS Crystal plate exposure device. These equipment offerings were on display in the CDI Flexo Demo Room, and were the focus of several sessions throughout the conference.
CDI Crystal 5080
The well-known standard of digital plate imaging has had a facelift! In addition to it's bold new look, the CDI Crystal features new functionality not found in other CDI devices. The CDI Crystal 5080 features an all new touch screen user interface that greatly simplifies operation. It's optimized for use with Esko's Device Manager software, giving those with access powerful insight into the prepress and platemaking workflow. Physical design changes to the CDI include an ergonomic working height, glass work table (which doubles as a light table/inspection table), 2-piece plate clamp for added plate security, automated plate loading/unloading, and a convenient full-machine-width foot pedal for plate clamp operation.
The CDI Crystal is offered with Optics 40 (4.0 square meters per hour imaging speed) and 4000 ppi resolutions standard. Upgrade options are as follows:
- Productivity Upgrade : adds Optics 80 (ver. 2) for speeds up to 8 square meters per hour.
- Quality Upgrade : adds HD Flexo screening and Pixel+ solid screening technologies.
- One or both upgrades can be selected for new CDI Crystal machines.
XPS Crystal 5080
This all-new device is the first of it's kind from Esko! The XPS Crystal 5080 is a plate exposure unit that utilizes UV LED technology for both back and main exposure. The plate is first imaged on the CDI, then moved (by hand or by an optional robot) to the XPS Crystal exposure device. The traveling UV LED head exposes both the back and front of the plate nearly simultaneously, in one step. One of many benefits this device has to offer is the incredible precision exposure control, with floor thickness varying less than 0.001" across the plate. And with the high light intensity and long life of UV LED technology, end user maintenance is greatly reduced over traditional exposure units.
Device Manager
Introducing your new best friend - a software tool that delivers real-time data and device control for the entire platemaking workflow. Working through Automation Engine, Device Manager puts prepress in control– moving CDI plate layout and plate scheduling upstream into the prepress department. Device Manager makes the plate room more efficient by utilizing the fully-automated separations layout feature to minimize plate material waste, gang like jobs for platemaking, all while maintaining critical due dates. Of course, manual intervention is available when needed for both plate layout and job scheduling.
In addition to Device Manager's platemaking features, this software also gives management powerful insight into everyday production processes. Easy to read productivity charts and scheduling tools have drag and drop functionality for simple on-the-fly workflow changes. You can even check the status of any connected platemaking equipment to see machine status, errors, and queued/active/completed jobs. These features alone can save many phone calls and trips to the plate room to check on the status of an upcoming job.
As you can see, Esko is constantly innovating to streamline and unify the prepress process. Be sure to read our other blog posts highlighting new software innovations from EskoWorld 2016! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at [email protected].