Miraclon today announces the launch of UV Choice Printing, enabled by advanced plate surface patterning technology and specifically tailored to increase printing performance for label and other UV flexo printed narrow web applications. Available to KODAK FLEXCEL NX Technology users, UV Choice Printing offers both narrow web printers and trade shops the opportunity to:

• Increase print performance and stability across a wider range of printing conditions.

Supporting a range of substrates including foils, uncoated and coated labels, UV Choice Printing optimizes UV ink transfer and increases ink density by up to 15%, minimizing the need for troubleshooting quality issues on press, and delivering better reproduction of solids, fine lines, crisp bar codes and text at lower ink volumes.

• Decrease press set-up times by 5-20%.

UV Choice Printing simplifies and decreases press set-up times by up to 20%. It enables presses to come up to color faster, while delivering results in a wider variety of press conditions thanks to the increased latitude offered with lower volume anilox. It also maximizes print productivity and quality when using older equipment or less experienced press operators.

• Reduce plate imaging time by up to 50%.

In pre-press, UV Choice Printing maximizes efficiency by cutting imaging times thanks to optimizing the surface area to be imaged (compared to imaging without advanced plate surface patterning), enabling pre-press operators to cut imaging time in half.

“FLEXCEL NX Technology is specifically designed to address inherent flexo complexities and costs, from pre-press to on-press, to achieve the efficiencies, print performance and productivity users need,” comments Reid Chesterfield, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Miraclon. “This flexible approach allows our customers to continue using the flexo plate technology they trust and benefit from, without the need for new hardware to take advantage of our newest innovations while offering forward and backward compatibility.”

“UV Choice Printing is the simple choice to enhance label and other narrow-web application printing. It addresses the key concerns and challenges our customers are telling us they’re facing, allowing them to continue pursuing better productivity and efficiency across a wider range of print conditions and applications to maximize their savings.”

Accessible through KODAK FLEXCEL NX Print Suite for Narrow-Web

Narrow-web printers and trade shops utilizing FLEXCEL NX Technology can subscribe to UV Choice Printing through FLEXCEL NX Print Suite for Narrow-Web, a fully integrated platform to optimize print performance features for the FLEXCEL NX System.

Subscribers benefit from immediate access to new features and innovations for narrow-web applications as they become available, and Miraclon’s field applications team can provide expert implementation assistance and training, platemaking audits and tools that help maximize the benefits.

Also included: PureFlexo™ Printing – now available for water-based ink applications

Building on the widespread success customers have experienced with PureFlexo Printing since its introduction in 2021, FLEXCEL NX Print Suite for Narrow-Web subscribers will also gain access to the latest advancement of multi award-winning PureFlexo Printing to control unwanted ink spread in printing of water-based ink applications. Already proven in solvent ink on film applications, it utilizes Miraclon’s advanced plate surface patterning technology to reduce press stoppages for cleaning, and now enables better print quality for water-based ink used in paperboard and paper applications such as tags, labels, folding cartons and disposables. PureFlexo Printing brings a wider operational window regardless of line screen, with compound savings from fewer unscheduled press stops each day, reduced downtime and delays, and faster color setups.