Miraclon, in partnership with US-based trade shop, SGX, has concluded a recent study that confirms the Shine LED Lamp Kit, innovated by Miraclon, produces high-quality plates that provide measurable benefits for a full range of LAMS flexo plates over fluorescent exposure. The results from the collaboration, which included comprehensive testing of five different LAMS plate types, have been published in a technical paper – available from Miraclon.
“Many platemakers have been asking whether Shine LED Lamps could deliver the benefits of LED exposure beyond FLEXCEL NX Plates,” said John Prindl, director of Global Product Support at Miraclon. “This study proves that these lamps not only work but excel; offering faster exposure, improved uniformity, and better dot reproduction across a wide range of LAMS plates.”
Proven results
The LAMS flexo plates tested included both round-top and flat-top dot configurations, plus a thicker plate for corrugated printing. Using four identical exposure frames, two fitted with traditional fluorescent bulbs and two with Shine LED lamps, the study results demonstrated that Shine LED lamps delivered Up to 5x faster exposure times (combined back and main exposure). It also delivered two times better plate floor uniformity; sharper, more consistent highlight dots and tonal transitions; and stable light output, eliminating the degradation issues common with fluorescent bulbs.
Subsequent print trials demonstrated that plates exposed with Shine LED lamps matched or exceeded the print quality delivered by fluorescent-exposed plates. Notably, round-top dot plates showed a significant improvement in dot shape and consistency — a key factor for smooth highlights and tonal control.
Rick Best, vice president Innovations & CI at SGX commented, “We are a long-term user of Flexcel Solutions and became an early adopter of Shine LED Lamps to take advantage of the vast variety of benefits it offered us and our customers. As a full-service prepress provider, we utilize a variety of flexo plates so we wanted to ensure Shine LED lamps produce optimum results across our whole portfolio. Working closely with Miraclon, we were successfully able to confirm that it does. It makes the Shine LED Lamp kit a compelling upgrade option for all flexo platemakers using fluorescent exposure systems.”
Award-winning benefits
Unlike fluorescent bulbs that degrade over time — leading to inconsistent exposure and eventual replacement — Shine LED lamps provide consistent UV output, reducing waste, downtime, and plate reworks. The lamp kit installs easily into existing fluorescent exposure frames, providing a low-barrier upgrade for trade shops and packaging printers alike, and can be retrofitted in the field in a few hours.
For a fraction of the cost of a new LED exposure unit, users benefit from consistent, predictable intensity over a much longer operating life (more than 5,000 hours compared to 800 hours for fluorescent tubes), faster exposures, and enhanced sustainability performance.
These features won the Shine LED Lamp Kit a unique double at the 2024 FTA Excellence in Flexography Awards in North America, winning top awards for both Sustainability and Technical Innovation, as well as the German FTA (DFTA) Sustainability Technology Award.
