Lean Manufacturing/ Lean Methodologies

for Pre-Press Professionals
Scott Ellis, P2USA
 

This session will outline the benefits of Lean Methodologies for prepress professionals. Internal process improvement for flexible and lower cost production will be explained using a case study exploring one platemaker’s implementation. The value of becoming a Lean Supplier will also be discussed using multiple industry examples.

Computer to Plate for Corrugated:

The Time is Now
Bob Hannum, DuPont Imaging Technologies;
Ian Hole, Esko Graphics
 

Since its introduction at DRUPA in 1995, flexo Computer To Plate (CTP) has dramatically changed the way image carriers are made in the flexible packaging and tag & label segments. Hundreds of platesetters have been sold into the North American market and digital plate volumes have surpassed 50% market penetration.
 

Until recently the corrugated segment seemed immune to the allure of CTP, but recent investments by some high profile Tradeshops suggest that there is a change Speaker Sessions underway. The productive and economic benefits that have been achieved in other segments are finally being realized in the corrugated workflow. When these manufacturing benefits are combined with the overall packaging trend toward a global distributed digital workflow, a compelling argument can be made that the time is right to go digital.
 

This unique joint presentation by DuPont and Esko Graphics will examine the recent developments in consumables, equipment and software applications that are coming together to make the CTP workflow for corrugated a reality.
 

Back to Basics: Plate Making Efficiencies at the Tradeshop
Colleen Twomey, MacDermid Printing Solutions
 

In today’s world of reduced delivery times, just-in-time inventories, shorter print runs, and cost pressures, it is imperative that efficiencies are streamlined at all levels of a tradeshop. We will revisit plate making, where waste hides its ugly head, and how to improve yields in the plate room; thus reducing costs.

Plate Construction: Using Statistically Designed of Experiments (DOE) to Obtain the Optimum Plate and Cushion Tape Combination
Rich Emmerling, Flint Group Printing Plates
 

Choosing the optimum plate and tape combination is a difficult task and can be mind boggling if you consider all of the possible combinations of cushion tapes and plate types. Without proper planning, an understanding of this optimum package may never be reached and will be a costly process.

This presentation will discuss the following items, which will assist in planning an approach to the process.

• Planning for the experiment

• Results of a recent plate construction DOE designed for the flexible packaging industry.

• How to implement this process in your plants.

Save Time and Expedite Orders with Revolutionary PDF Production Tools
Bob Dalton, Kodak
 

In 2006, the FPPA awarded the coveted Technology Innovator of the Year Award to Kodak for its PDF Compare and PDF Merge software. What can PDF Compare and PDF Merge do for your business? According to Kevin Bourquin, Technical Prepress Development Manager of Cyber Graphics in Memphis, Tennessee, “PDF Compare and PDF Merge have had the biggest impact in helping us manage last-minute changes – what used to take us 30-45 minutes, we can now turn around in 10-15.”
 

Until now, there has been no efficient, automated way to merge changes made in the design file to an existing production-ready file. Flexographic trade shops and converters have had to invest in high-cost editing workstations to accomplish this. Fortunately, a set of simple, affordable, “smart” PDF plug-ins have been developed to help reduce the time and costs associated with managing correction cycles.
 

PDF Compare, PDF Merge and other PDF production tools have been designed to work together in an integrated and intelligent way to move files through the workflow – and onto press – more quickly and easily. The overall result: more accurate quality control, fewer errors on press, reduced material waste, and quicker time-to-market for your customers!
 

This presentation will include a live software demonstration and comments from suppliers who have incorporated these tools into their workflows.
 

Helping Your Customers Sell Their Print Capabilities
Dr. Page Crouch
 

Page Crouch has been conducting public and in-plant programs on “understanding and selling your print capabilities” to corrugated converters for the past five years. Attendees have often followed up their participation by bringing the programs into their own plants. This session will discuss how these education programs can be used as a “business development” activity by prepress providers.
 

There is a significant void in the technical understanding of printing and prepress among the converters. Those who recognize this are more likely to participate in a sponsored program conducted by prepress suppliers who tend to know more about their business and process capability.
 

Digital Data Exchange: Web Hosting, File
Formats and Continued Advancements in PDF
Dan Lacey, Artwork Systems
 

The evolution to digital workflow continues and the prepress supplier is in the middle of the action. Today, trade shops not only receive art files digitally, they work with these files in digital format and increasingly supply press ready digital files to converters for direct-to-plate imaging.

Technologies are now emerging to make this whole process simpler, less error prone, more productive, and more profitable. On the front end, certified PDF technology enables design houses to create PDF files which don’t need to be rebuilt from scratch when they arrive at the prepress supplier. Web hosting products and digital asset management portals enable real time connection between designer and prepress house. New PDF editing tools enable all the power of high-end packaging software to be applied without ever leaving the PDF file format. Advancements in PDF functionality enable press ready files to be delivered digitally to converters around the world.

The presentation will describe what these technologies mean to the business side of the prepress supplier and highlight some of the products and technologies that make it all possible.
 

Customer Panel
Panelists include: Al Perez, Georgia Pacific;
Craig Demarest, RJ Reynolds Tobacco; Bruce Riddell, Spectrum Label
 

The discussion will include ways in which brand management and print quality come into play and will include examples of what these companies are looking for from their suppliers and what they value from tradeshops. This is a nuts-and-bolts exchange of what your customers need and want from their suppliers.

Product Test Results

FPPA’s Technology Task Force, in cooperation with Clemson University, will be presenting Phase 2 of this plate material test. Participating suppliers in this year’s tests include DuPont, MacDermid, and Flint. Among the findings to be discussed:

• What plate packages demonstrate greatest latitude when printing different ink films?

• What plate packages demonstrate least dot gain?

• What plate packages demonstrate least fluting in their optimum ink film bands?

• What line screens are appropriate for step two

• What plate packages show best latitude for printing combination images?

Phase 2 will be a four color profile test from last year’s Phase 1 leaders. Last year’s tests provided information on density, dot gain, and clean print data. This year’s tests will determine whether last year’s entries would have performed even better if mounted the way other top performers were configured.

Thanks to our event sponsors:

Anderson & Vreeland

Artwork Systems

DuPont Imaging Technologies

Flint Group Printing Plates

Kodak

MacDermid Printing Solutions

The Pitman Company

Click here if you are interested in becoming a sponsor.