Die makers => flexo plate making
Die making and flexo plate making seems nothing to do each other with no intersection at all. But actually both of the industries are using a same drawing / design for production. As a matter of fact, die drawing is only a little bit bigger surrounding of the image drawing.
For a die maker looks difficult to start with plate making, but due to inkjet printer and supported by various software, it is now everything in digitalization and automation. For color separation and dot screening jobs it is no longer like in the old days needing well trained engineers to work for a long time. As in 50 years ago a 4-color separation job can be made 4 sets in a day, and for the screening job you have to repeat again and again until it is found proper from a printed proof.
Everything is under SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) now, as long as a click no matter who push the button and with experience or not. In addition to the image making part, a CTP (Computer To Plate) direct image on plate system can give color separated and screened dots perfectly from an inkjet printer with RIP (Raster Image Processor) software to do all jobs directly on plate without film, which was not possible for an unskilled person to do it so quickly.
As to the plate making process, due to technology of inkjet direct image on plate, exposure problem caused by vacuum to ensure no air in between film and plate are now all avoided. With automatic plate processing equipment, you just put it into auto washout machine after UV exposure. A beautiful plate is coming out in few minutes waiting for drying and finishing then to mount on printing press. By these innovative machine, flexo plate making is as easy as die making now.
This is a proper timing for people who want to make plate and die together in order to serve the same customers with same drawing (file)
Or who is now suffering with no technical engineer to do the job / no SOP of plate making / lack of plate making technology, it is good for you to consider and start it now. For we have many experience to help die making customers switched to plate making successfully in the world.