On 9 November 2020, Wilmington Delaware-headquartered DuPont Image Solutions (DuPont) took the next step in the digital transformation process and launched its Cyrel Easy Brite screens in the cloud. The advantage of these screens in the cloud is the better reproduction of flat whites and solids in the flexo process by allowing customers to work virtually, with no need to install the software on their computers. Additionally, the cloud solution now enables using the Easy Brite screens in flexo imagers with 2540 dpi resolution. “This is a way to democratize the technology and make it more accessible to customers, especially those who work with an imager with lower resolution,” explains Shyamal Desai, Technical Marketing manager Americas of DuPont Image Solutions. “Furthermore, there are some functional improvements, such as the ability to screen not only 100% solids but also graphics that contain fades.”
For customers that currently have a higher resolution imager, Cyrel Easy Brite screens in the cloud will give them the flexibility to DuPont image their plates at a lower resolution, which will increase the process speed and productivity. Another benefit of having this screening solution in the cloud is that as new screens are developed, they can be deployed to all users automatically.
Launched in 2018, the Cyrel Easy Brite screens are a success for providing a brighter white and improving the solid colors. They were designed to optimize the ink laydown, which usually needs the use of a higher volume anilox, typically used to print white and spot colors. The new generation of Cyrel’s Easy Brite screens can now be used for heavy dark and solid tones and highlights. It is a set of screens that improves the printing in anilox volumes of 4.0 bcm or more. “High opacity alone does not make a good white. It is necessary to combine opacity, low mottle, and low graininess to achieve a good white. And the Cyrel Easy Brite screens provide both high opacity and improvements in pin-holing and graininess,” explains Scott Rickard, staff associate investigator for DuPont Image Solutions.
In summary, the combination of Cyrel Easy plates with Easy Brite screens offers better printing consistency and quality. The more uniform ink laydown using a thinner ink film means better curing and the ability to run presses faster. This eliminates the trail edge void in printing and improves opacity with reduced mottle and graininess. It helps printers optimize their presses and tooling to achieve a consistently high-level print quality with the benefit of ink savings using a lower volume anilox.
“Regarding security, for the users of Cyrel Easy Brite screens in the cloud follows all the DuPont security protocols, tested and approved with total security in accessing the files by the customer,” explains Brad Taylor, technical fellow for DuPont Image Solutions.
A neutral expert printer’s view
“Naresh Khanna, a hands-on offset printer and certified G7 expert, says, “For a printer, it’s always better to print a solid without piling on the ink since this also leads to curing problems and it’s impossible to measure the ink film thickness with a densitometer. To control the ink film thickness it helps to create a solid with a screening algorithm so that the press operator can minimize the ink while the optical effect is of a smooth solid when the ink dries or is cured.
“In the old days, we did this by using an 80% or 90% screen in the solids to be able to print well and stay within the limits of how much ink the substrate and curing system could handle. It’s fitting that an algorithm in the cloud can now help make plates that will help make flexo printing easier and at a lower resolution, saving time and hopefully making flexo plates that easier to print with. The new algorithm’s innovation for highlight areas is also interesting, and one looks forward to seeing the effect of this on an actual print job in India. There are other positive implications also, but one should only speak about these after seeing and testing an Easy Brite plate in action.”
