Virtual.Drupa 2021: DuPont flexo plates, processors in spotlight

DuPont has introduced a new Cyrel Easy R flexo plate family at the Virtual.Drupa. Cyrel Easy R is the family of new formulations that maintain the benefits of Cyrel Easy flat top dot photopolymer plates while adding new attributes to help improve plate handling and on-press performance, especially for flexible packaging and tag and label applications.

The plate family consists of photopolymer plates suited for thermal and solvent development and come with smooth or structured surfaces to provide “the best match for a large variety of print conditions”.

Speaking to PrintWeek, Tucker Norton, global business leader - Cyrel Solutions, DuPont said, “Cyrel Easy R offers increased dot robustness for high resolution, reliable long-run print consistency as well as great ink transfer and superb print quality on a wide variety of substrates.”

Additionally, DuPont has also launched the DuPont Cyrel Fast 3000 TD thermal flexographic plate processor at Virtual.Drupa. The Cyrel Fast 3000 TD system is the latest addition to the range of solvent-free flexographic printform processors and offers “superior productivity and performance” while helping reduce processing costs, processing time, and environmental impact compared to existing solvent-based platemaking methods – now at plate sizes up to 50x80 inches.

Elaborating on the benefits of eliminating the use of solvents, including water from the platemaking process, Norton said, “For example, the Cyrel Fast 3000 TD system produces maximum-sized plates that require no drying time and can be prepared under 30 minutes. With the same efficiency as other Cyrel Fast systems, the 3000 TD offers flexible packaging customers and other users with large-sized jobs and high productivity needs a platemaking solution that helps reduce downtime, energy consumption, and environmental footprint.”

Norton believes that there would be an ever-increasing need in printform and packaging production to match the requirements for productivity, sustainability and quality.

“DuPont Cyrel is continuously working on new solutions to meet these industry requirements. Flexo thermal plate processing is a key technology to reduce access times and environmental footprint for convertors and trade shops, all at very high-quality levels. With new capabilities to process larger plates, waste reduction in platemaking is even further improving the plate maker’s efficiency,” Norton concluded.