Technical Committee
February 2010
Sanibel Island
Florida
Your Technical Committee at Work!
Updates
• Technology News
• Sustainability
– PET
– GT Cushion
• NMFTA Numbered Package Regulation
Changes
• 2010 Technology Innovator of the Year Award
• 2010 Sustainability Entries
Technology News
Technology News
NASA
discovers
world’s
smallest dot!
Flexo industry
upstaged!
Technology News
Dave Norton testing new
“Crosshairs”
Sustainability
.030” PET Mounting Material
• polyethylene terephthalate
– a form of polyester
• 30% of plastic bottles
• 60% of synthetic fibers
• Recyclability
– Most urban areas collect PET
– PVC is not commonly collected nor recycled
– PVC manufacturing is hazardous
• vinyl chloride, the building block of PVC resin, has been classified
as a human carcinogen
• None made in USA
PET
•
•
•
•
Manufacturer: ThyssenKrupp
Semi Transparent
.030” x 48” wide roll
Cost – Double .030” PVC per sq. in.
• Cost at volume unknown
• Density unknown
PET
Target
Observation
Pass
Thickness
.030” =/- .002”
.0290” to .0295”
X
Transparency
Max. opacity .25D
.17D
X
Lay Flat
Max .25” wave in 24”
length
See Photos
X
Curl Set
No reverse curl required
to remove curl set
Excessive curl set
X
Impact
Resistance
No shattering after hard
impact with blunt
instrument at 0 to 120
degrees F
No Shattering
X
Fail
PET
Target
Observation
Pass
Scribe / Cut
After .005” scribe with
knife, material will
separate after bending
back 90 degrees and will
follow scribe.
Separated with less
than 90 degree bend
X (*)
Sewing
Will not crack or shatter
as a result of sewing.
No cracks or shatters.
X
Flexibility
Minimum of 30, 180
degree bends before
cracking or separation
Very flexible.
X
Adhesive and
Sealer
Resistance
No welting from
adhesive or sealers
No welting visible
X
* May break along scribe too easily.
Fail
PET
PET
Observations
• Roll edge “waves” unacceptable.
• Curl set unacceptable.
• Material may break along scribe too easily.
• High cost.
PET
Conclusions
• Development needed to overcome flatness,
curl set and scribe-break issues.
• Volume may drive cost down.
• .010” PET established in market.
• Replacement for .030” PVC?
– Not yet, but very possible solution.
Green Technology (GT)
Cushion Material
• Cushion mounting
material with 17%
recycled tire content
• Under development
and soon to be
distributed by The
Pitman Company
GT Cushion Material
Targeted Properties
Physical Property
Unit of Measure
Result
Lb/ft3
8.5 – 11.5
Shore 0
22
Tensile Strength
psi
120 (min)
Elongation
%
120 (min)
Lb/in
13 (min)
Compression Set
50% - 22 hours @ 73F
%
3 (max)
Compression Force
Deflection 25%
psi
4 - 10
Compression
Deflection @ 25%
Psi
10 - 16
Density
Hardness
Tear Strength
Color
Grey
GT Cushion Material
Field and Bench Testing
• .125” GT material with adhesive mounted to
.010” Mylar
• CGC .125” ProFlex as control
• 532,000 impressions with .013” impression
setting.
– Wash-up and dry every 50,000 impressions
GT Cushion Material
Bench Test Results
Physical Property
GT Material
Control
Original
.134”
.136”
532k Impressions
.135”
.135”
Original
26
26.5
532k Impressions
26
26
Overall Thickness
Hardness (shore O)
GT Cushion Material
Bench Test Results
Physical Property
GT Material
Control
Original
14.94
14.98
532k Impressions
12.94
12.31
86.6%
82.2%
2.6
2.8
Compression
Deflection
0.050” (37%)
PSI
Compression Set
0.062” (50%) for 24 hrs
%
Original
GT Cushion Material
Observations
• Comparable performance in bench tests to
control.
• Possibly more resistant to deterioration –
compression deflection.
• Possible less compression set.
• Price unknown.
• Print trials underway (look good).
NMFTA Numbered Package
Regulation Changes
NMFTA Numbered Package
Regulation Changes
NMFTA
• National Motor Freight Traffic Association
• A nonprofit membership organization
headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia.
• Membership is comprised of 950 motor carriers
operating in interstate, intrastate and foreign
commerce.
• Publishes the National Motor Freight
Classification (NMFC), which is a standard that
provides a comparison of commodities moving in
commerce.
NMFTA Numbered Package
Regulation Changes
• Oversees BMC’s and Numbered Package
Certificates
• The Package Number is printed within a
rectangular stamp that is used in lieu of the
normal round BMC.
• NMFTA wants its members to start using the
Package Number.
• The new rules became effective on January 9,
2010.
NMFTA Numbered Package
Regulation Changes
• NMFTA is saying that if the shipping container
does not follow the NMFC then the freight
carriers insurance does not have to pay for
damage to the shipment.
• Not many box makers have been following the NMFC
regarding numbered packages.
•
The NMFTA has no idea of how it will regulate this.
•
Most of our customers have no idea that numbered package requirements exist.
•
The FBA has asked that we get the word out.
•
So we better get the word out, or one of us will have to pay.
•
Good luck.
2010 Technology Innovator of the Year
Entrants (in reverse alphabetical order!)
MacDermid – Liquiflex
Kodak - Digicap NX Screening
GMF - Final Print Assurance
Esko - HD Flexo
DuPont - DigiCorr
MacDermid
LiquiFlex
“The new MacDermid LiquifleX platemaker
represents the latest advancements in liquid
photopolymer platemaking technology. It
combines the benefits of liquid, such as low
plate cost and flexibility of operation, with the
simplicity of sheet platemaking.”
Kodak
Digicap NX Screening
“A unique solution to boost ink transfer in flexo
printing. Kodak Digicap NX delivers increased
visual impact of final print through higher
densities and expanded color gamut with no
increase in ink usage.”
GMF Flexo Prepress Inc.
Final Print Assurance
“The primary objectives of Virtual Press
Approvals are to eliminate on-site Press
Approvals, to guarantee Quality Assurance
and give clients the opportunity to control
their own Color Management.”
Esko
HD Flexo
“HD Flexo is a new product by EskoArtwork that
revolutionizes digital flexo by offering high
quality, easy to use imaging. HD Flexo is a
combination of hardware and software
technologies, including 4000 dpi highresolution optics for the Cyrel Digital Imager
(CDI) – a finer image.”
DuPont
DuPont Cyrel DigiCorr
“A unique method of exposing photopolymer
printing plates in an inert atmosphere to
change the dot profile that is more favorable
to printing on corrugated board.”
2010 Technology Innovator of the Year
And the winner is…
DuPont
Cyrel DigiCorr
2010 Sustainability Entries
Entrants (in alphabetical order)
Asahi Products – David Chinnis
Dynamic Dies, Inc. – Pat Sullivan
United Engravers – Dave Newberry