CTP Digital image on flexo plate CTF Digital inkjet film making
CTF 175 / 133 / 85 lpi dot CTS digital image on screen LaserBlack- black film enhancer @FLEXO bag liquid plate making @FLEXO plate making machine Model: EZ (Easy type) Model:A4/A3/A2 2436/3040/4050/4260 New automatic washout m/c Clean & wash after printing Stamp Making Super Crystal Stamps StampBag making system Matrix plate (New by liquid) Photopolymer plates Letterpress plates Flexo plates (solvent wash) Water wash flexo plates Digital photopolymer plates Liquid photopolymer resins For cup.can.tube.pad printing For block print Cushion Backs = F-Bak Double-side tapes for printing In plant plate making
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ECONOMIC AND QUICKEST FILM MAKING FOR PLATES
VIEW DVD demo from ON-LINE EXHIBITION first:
LaserBlack for Screen plate - Flexo Inkjet Prepress Technology CTP inkjet image on flexo plate - Flexo Inkjet Prepress Technology (flexotech.com.tw)
LaserBlack Enhancer
LaserBlack Enhancer has been granted invention patent in most countries of the world for over 10 years, but still it is a simplest / economic instrument for negative and positive film making ever now.
Photosensitive films are getting out of market, while inkjet film is not so wide accepted, for small jobs within A4 and A3 size as stamp, silk screen, card, label, corrugated box printing .....
LaserBlack Enhancers are acting as a most practical and money saving way for film making to be exposed with a plate for printing.
Pandemic help and support
DoubleBlack Systems
NozzleBlack + LaserBlack
Double Black for film making = LaserBlack (since 2002) + NozzleBlack (since 2014)
LaserBlack is a black density 3x enhancing method from a print by laser printer.
NozzleBlack is a direct image on flexo & screen plate from inkjet printer without film.
NozzleBlack CTP (Computer To flexographic Plate) is the only system direct image on a plate by inkjet printer in the world. Since 2014, 20000+ users over the global enjoying no film direct image on flexo plate as well as on a screen frame emulsion coated for no film / no vacuum. Can be exposed by an in line LED / UV on an inkjet printer for 100% successful job without failure, covenient with a very sharp image.
Due to print from a laser printer was a most clear / sharp image / with nice black density good for reproduction text / character in the past days. It is however, still not good opaque enough for plate exposure when print on a film or tracing paper by a laser printer.
LaserBlack enhancer was the product for plate making purpose from an image print out by a laser printer at that time. Convenient / economic / easy to operate was the slogan….. after laser print then go through LaserBlack enhancer to get 3 times black density to expose a plate nicely. We have twenty thousands of users in the global market and keep on growing until now due to cheap and convenient.
In addition to CTP direct inkjet image on a flexographic / letterpress plate, we also equipped in line on the inkjet printer with back exposure UV lamps under the flat bed for non-turn over relief exposure to save labor and damage. This was the advantaged technology we used with our 40 year-experience of manufacturing flexographic plate making machine so as to the usage of a LED/ UV lamp in line to harden the printed image right after inkjet print at the same time. This is also most important for CTS (Computer To Screen) because of no film / no vacuum will benefit screen plate making from more sharp image / time saving / no vacuum failure for repeat making any more as well as a skillful engineer is not required any longer.
With invention patent in 40 countries and 20000 users over the world, consumers still always complain that the printer is too small for them, for there is very few laser printer size over A3, this was the inventive of why Team@flexo have to develop inkjet printer for film making: CTF + CTP + CTS these 3 C actually become an important motives of Flexo Technology in the past 5 years to make a change to create a really applicable film making technology for plate makings. At the time while everybody is keen on CTF Computer To Film making we believe that we have the obligation to develop more advanced technologies of CTP / CTS for no film / no vacuum plate makings by inkjet printer for big size / good enough density negative film making which is a far cheaper method than to use an very expensive laser ablation device.
And fortunately, we have made it possible. (190505)
First announcement of LaserBlack Enhancer in Bogota / Columbia Andina-Pack 2003
Print ready film in minutes
A desktop system which allows the production of high density
Film from a laser printer, is available from Flexo Techonolgy Inc.
in Taiwan.
LaserBlack is claimed the first desktop film system to produce
Print-ready film in minutes without hazardous chemicals, no
Messy sprays and no costly equipment. LaserBlack enhances
Laser printed transparency by increasing image density,
making the output suitable for exposing silk screens or
photopolymer plates used in screen, letterpress and flexo printing.
Simply print your image from your desktop laser printer, then
Run it though the LaserBlack unit and dry it with the heat gun
You have just produced your first print-ready film, With LaserBlack
You can produce film positive or negatives quickly, easily and
Cheaply with an image density suitable for exposing all kinds of plate.
LaserBlack is a non-toxic, environment friendly chemical.
The film’s opaque density can reach or exceed 3.50, and results
Are as good with fine line characters and dots.
The company suggests that HP or Canon Laser Printers are used
For best results. One liter of LB-Solution can process 2,000
Sheets of A4 size tracing paper or transparent film.
SGIA
SPECIALTY GRAPHIC IMAGING ASSOCIATION
LaserBlack Enhancer
history
LaserBlack enhancer, the idea is very easy to think of and originally comes from alcohol to melt the black toner from a laser printed image on tracing paper or film then coating by a simple machine as a laminator. This easy and simple concept make Laserblack Enhancer able to be granted for a worldwide invention & patent over 20 countries in the world since 10 years ago.
At that time film making by an inkjet printer was not so popular and not so well accepted while photographic film is disappearing gradually. Sales including export broke 10000 units quickly in few years after putting into market although the size is limited to A4 and A3 size, but it is nice to make a positive / negative with black density enough tracing paper / film so economic and convenient for all kinds printing including letterpress, flexographic and screen printings including stamp making.
Hardware basically is designed according to the construct of a lamination machine, but due to alcohol is used as enhancing solution so we have to pay more attention to all parts should be resistant to strong solvent when it is necessary to use as a ingredient to solve the black toner evenly with no image spreading. It is also important for us to use carbonate fiber as raw material for the out case in order for long endurable and longtime using. Total parts used for this machine is over 50 pieces since we want the machine to be able to do minor adjustment of the different
gauges of tracing paper / film and do not want fine images and dots to expand.
Ever since the beginning of having this idea to make an excellent enhancer, at the design period from out looking and structure of the unit until the mold making for out case injection procession, the team of LaserBlack enhancer is proud of to make everything successful as expected and to achieve the goal of 10000 units sell quickly in such a short time.
FTA
FLEXO TECHNICAL ASSOCIATION
ALL DEVELOPMENTS START FROM LaserBlack
CTF→CTP→ CTS
Keep on development and creation with
total solution and technology service
45 years in flexographic prepress field (since 1974), started from flexo and letterpress plate making consumable and equipment, from small to big, from liquid photopolymer FlexoBag to solid plate, from solvent washout to water washable, from negative film to plate materials. Flexo Technology based in Taipei Taiwan has gained reputation in the global market as well as keep on developing and creating new method, new applications for flexographic industry.
LaserBlack-easy negative making
LaserBlack Enhancer was the first idea and product before inkjet printer was not using so popular at beginning period of 21 century. At that time laser printer was commonly used as a print our instrument as well as it was the most clean and clear image can be printed for art workers after layout for film reproduction by using process camera. The laser prints on film was not opaque enough for plate exposures due to the particles of toner was not fine enough to array closely enough in order to avoid the gap in between when show up the image.
The enhancer actually is a simple coating machine to apply an even layer upon the laser printed material by using a water based solution to melt the toners over the print and the image will not spread out with no or very less dot gain but gaining the black density x3 up to 4.50 optically measured by transmission densitometer. This was the most cost economic way of negative making from consumable and equipment sides for every office was using laser printer to print their documents at that time.
LaserBlack Enhancer was so widely used in the decade over the world only the size was limited to A4 and A3 because there was not so many bigger size laser printer in the market even if have it the price was so expensive that nobody will buy it to make film. Customer’s demand for the big size film made us to keep on researching the inkjet printer with ink and film for use economically and in substitution of photographic film which is apparently will disappear in the earth soon.
CTF-as good as photo film and for repeat use
Due to experiences with laser enhancing system fortunately it is easy for us to develop new methods of film making by inkjet printer as long as we can find proper printer, proper ink, proper film and proper software able to RIP the dot precisely and to do the color separation job by only a click without experienced engineer any more. Thanks to the technical innovation, new inkjet printers with finer reproduction and less cost effective investment to make film by inkjet printer as good as a photo film from an image setter and the cost is less than a photo film. The dream is coming true.
CTP-no film plate making
To follow up a victory and press the attack, CTF (Computer To Film) is well accepted for the printing industry to make film good for plate exposure.
Now we are thinking far more than this. To think of using no film, no vacuum. We have to concentrate much more on making image directly on plate (any plate), we are now able to print image upon the plate directly for no film, no vacuum exposure to prevent failure of plate making to the less.
For this purpose CTP (Computer To Plate) system by inkjet printer, dream is also come true, digital plate is not necessary and expensive laser ablation machine is not requiring any more, any kind of plates can be printed with direct image on it. Furthermore by using new technology of LED, a UV lamp can be also equipped on the nozzle head of the printer to expose the plate simultaneously to cure the polymer or to harden the surface for no vacuum exposure protectively this is especially helpful to the big plate making.
CTS-no vacuum, no exposure
It is always a big problem of vacuum with frame when screen plate making. CTP direct image upon plate can be also used for screen plate making as it is emulsion coated. Besides the frame thickness of one to two inch which is difficult to do the vacuum well during exposure, if the air bubble in the middle between or vacuum power is not strong enough, it will fail and have to repeat again. More over screen printers know which kind of emulsion is good for what kind of ink to do the right job. In addition to this CTS (Computer To Screen) system with direct image, LED / UV exposure in line (no film / no vacuum / no exposure any more), it is also not necessary to change the emulsion you are using in order to prevent printer’s trouble of selecting proper solvent critically if the emulsion is changed.
CTF, CTP and CTS are new innovative developments of our team in these years. CTF is now able to make films up to 175 lpi dot reproduction and the quality is as excellent as photo film good for offset, label and flexible package printing. CTP flatbed printer is now made up to 64 x 110 inch (1626 x 2800 mm) jumbo plate making for huge corrugated box printing for motor cycle package. While CTS printer is now not only good for big screen frame direct image but also able to inkjet images on many small frames at the same time with UV exposure ready for developing and plate making as long as the frames can be put on the flatbed.
How to do next
when photographic film disappears?
The first few wave of rumors in the past that photographic film manufacturers will announce to stop manufacturing as well as photographic film is about to terminate the production and disappear again recently. For printing and plate making industry how to respond it, how to choose alternative plan to face this problem for future production requirement?
This is one of the sectors to make your choice:
LaserBlack Enhancer: Although the size of only A3 / A4, it is difficult to meet the use of the industry, the dot gain rate may also be less than 10%, but for those small plate makers is a very affordable method, the reason is cheap equipment, table-top machine can be used in the office either from a A3 laser printer or a small four-in-one A4 machine with also good results, use of tracing paper the cost is very low, if to be printed with many colors can use the film for good registration with a laser printer to print, and then go through the LaserBlack machine to dissolve the black toner powder into a thin black layer covering the black image area to make a higher black density over3.50, which is good enough for a variety of printing plate making. (LaserBlack Enhancer currently marketing 20000 units worldwide). Small, economy and convenient, and with the application of Photoshop… and other software color separation with screening dot also can be made. Many users of the industry love it, especially for stamp / nameplate / stickers / T-shirts and all other printing industries.
Frequently answered questions (LB / FAQ)
LaserBlack Enhancer
1. How is LaserBlack used?
Images on monitor, printed on translucent paper or transparent film by laser printer, then go through our LaserBlack Enhancer can get dark enough density as traditional photo film for exposing plate directly to make all kinds of printing plate.
2. How is the result of it?
The density can be high up to 3.0 to 4.0 (Depends on your printer).
3. Does it effects the blank areas?
LaserBlack is a clear solution, leaving no visible residue effecting the density in transparent areas.
4. Will it fix the toner image forever?
Yes, it will not only solve the toner evenly and stick on the surface forever but also will fill the gaps between the toner, it is really incredible. (See “feedback from users.” On our website)
5. Will it work on inkjet prints?
No, LaserBlack is designed for laserjet printers only.
6. How about consumption of LaserBlack solution?
A4 2000 sheets per liter, A3 1000 sheets per liter.
7. How about finest character and dot?
8. Is it really non-toxic and no harm to human?
Yes, we use hi-tech non-toxic solution, not harmful to human.
9. Can I use inside the room?
Yes, you can use it inside the room, only suggest to open the door for venting.
10. Any shipping problem?
No, as we do not use strong and toxic solvent, there is no problem of shipment.
11. What is a proper material for printer?
As long as it is a translucent paper or transparent film can be printed with your laser printer which is good enough for our enhancer. However, if your requirement is critical, we will suggest you to use our paper or film to get best enhanced results for good registration for color printing.
12. After procession, is it really use water to clean off ?
After operation just wash off your hands with tap water.
13. Can I use any brand of laser printer?
Yes, but will suggest to use HP or Canon for best enhancing results.
14. Is the density anything to do with drying method?
Yes, each set of LB enhancer attached with a Quick-Black Gun, suggest to use this Q-B gun to get quick and best results.
15. Can I use recycle toner cartridge?
16. What kind of printing plate making can be used?
All kinds of plate making need a positive or negative film to expose the image can use LaserBlack R System. Now the density can reach 3.0, so it is no problem even to expose the longest exposure needed as for 7mm photopolymer plate directly for corrugated board printing.
17. Shall I adjust the enhancer frequently?
Unless you want to adjust it for applying more or less solution.
18. How about warranty from you?
One year warranty and after service for long.
19. Any tips to reach more black density?
It shows that if you lay down the paper 2-4 minutes after enhancing, then dry it with Q-B gun. The density can increase from 1.05 to 3.24 – 3.49, which means 309% to 332% black density increased. To put the enhanced paper aside for 2-4 minutes then drying it, you can get best enhanced results.
20. In addition to this, any other way to increase density?
21. If the black result is not so good what should we do?
Check if drying step is not complete / running out of toner in the cartridge / 100% black setting on your original file / using LaserBlack super black toner cartridge?
www.flexotech.com.tw flexotec@ms32.hinet.net
VCD demonstrations:
http://www.flexotech.com.tw/ch/DownShow.asp?ID=58
http://www.flexotech.com.tw/ch/DownShow.asp?ID=60
http://www.flexotech.com.tw/ch/DownShow.asp?ID=59
Young brother of NozzleBlack
PLEASE VIEW VCD DEMO from our ON-LINE EXHIBITION :
http://www.flexotech.com.tw/en/DownShow.asp?ID=58
http://www.flexotech.com.tw/en/DownShow.asp?ID=59
http://www.flexotech.com.tw/en/DownShow.asp?ID=60
Your image setter
Most economic film maker In the market.
Just a laser print on a translucent paper or a transparent film, go through our LaserBlack enhancer, the print can be 300-400% darkened in black density (over 3.5). no matter it is a positive or neqative, This is good enough for any
Positive – Negative Film output system
No camera No image setter No more photo-film
Available Models : LB-A4 A3
LaserBlack Price List
LaserBlack Enhancers in US Dollars
※ LB-A4 ex works 260.- LB-A3 ex works 310.-
(With 500ml LBS LaserBlack Solution x 1 and a Quick Black dryer each set)
Due to Pandemic spreading now freight subject to quote, please let us know your address/ postal code
in order to offer with best C&F price. (Paypal is in accessing)
Note: 1 Liter solution (for 2000 sheets of A4 tracing paper /1000sheet of A3)
No. 433 -1 Hua Cheng Rd. Hsin Chuang, New Taipei 24253, Taiwan
Tel:+886 2 85221125 Fax:85221530 email :flexotec@ms32.hinet.net
SAVE LABOR
CE Certificate & Declaration of LaserBlack
We are very proud to announce that we have been approved & granted Certificate of Test No. R08022201E, Meantime CE Declaration of Conformity is also available for all the EU dealers and clients from us under your request.
Re: C-2430ET/WD
I am delighted to report that the equipment works well. I made some excellent TOREFLEX plates yesterday using the C-2430ET/WD. I will have no trouble selling it. In fact, I plan to sell it next week to a customer in Melbourne. He is coming to inspect it tomorrow (or Monday at latest).
BEN CASTLEDINE
Product Manager - Consumables
_______________________________
GMS (Graphic Machinery & Supplies)
Australia
LaserBlack - Introduced at the 2002 SGIA show. We have no experience
with this product, however it appears to make the images on both our
Translucency and LaserFilm the most opaque we have ever observed.
We are very anxious to receive customer reports on this product.
Mike - I followed your link to the Laser Black site and got in touch with Tony Chu their rep in Los Angeles. He came down to San Diego to show me the system and I bought one. Really something else! I make positives for sikscreening and used to use Laser Buddy but the laser Black system puts that to shame. Not only does it make the image twice as dense but it also fills gaps in the toner. It is a bit more work but in the long run well worth it for a real quality positive. I sell a lot of film to printers in the area and they're all really stoked with the results as well. If not for your link I'd have never known about this. Thanks and Good Luck. - JM
James M. Madden
7431 Cuvier Street
La Jolla, CA 92036-5005I have been using Tony Chu's excelent Photopolymer wash solution when he introduced the Laser Black for making our negatives in house,I must say that not only it worked well, it reduced our cost of negs drastically and gave us much more flexibility in serving our customers. I highly recommand it.
Kazem Rezvani
V.P.Operation
Pacific Western Sales
Ever Great Screen Process
Films needed for screen printing supposed to be not necessary in a high end quality, however, reproduction by camera and developing in the dark room to make film for plate making is not a good way for our mass production jobs as well as too much time consuming. And most of all we can not afford the high cost to have film made by an image setter.
For these reasons, we have tried very hard to find a way to get the image from our monitor to have a final solution of getting a film for our plate making just from a printer, so we have tried all laser and inkjet printers, unfortunately the black opaque is not enough at all. We also tried to get a black print from color laser printer (which cost us lot of money) in order to get more density but still failed.
Until we find and use the LaserBlack Enhancer, now we only use our HP Laserjet printer to print on tracing paper / film then go through the Enhancer the density go up 300% immediately after drying. For the fine image and small dot the reproduction is as good as it is made by a camera or a setter. In the high peak season, we can make 1000 sheets A3 size enhancement in a working day. LaserBlack Enhancer is a important economic high efficient tool for us now.
You may not know that this is also a secret where our profit comes from!
Taipei / TuChen / Chen Min-Yo
EnChee Label printing
Our company is a label stick printer located far away from center of city, when salesmen received orders, they deliver the original to the image setter service center then bring the film back for plate making the next day, it is very inconvenient to wait for a long time and need a courier to get the film back. In case of any mistake or problem then we have to wait for another day.
Since we have installed the LaserBlack Enhancer, we can have a negative film right from image on our monitor in few minutes and ready to make a photopolymer plate for printing within an hour. We don’t have to wait so long as in the past any longer and we have increased lot of our productivity due to the efficiency.
At the beginning, we doubted with the opaque density from the enhanced quality is really good enough as a negative film to expose photopolymer plate. Until we find that the system not only melt the toners in a very even layer as a coating on the paper / film, but also we find that gaps between toners and toners are all filled up. This is really a marvelous invention that have helped us so much in production!
Although we are still rely on image setter for high fine dot reproduction, but 80-90%
of the jobs are done by the LaserBlack Enhancer. We all love it very much!China / ShenZhen / The-Hon Cheng
GiFong corrugated plate process co.
We are based in Taiwan and start our plate making business for corrugated board printing since 1999, now we have 6 plants located in China. All of our plants are using LaserBlack Enhancer to make negative film for our photopolymer plate making, we appreciate to have this brand new invention to make film and heard of that they have been granted inventions and patents in 20 countries including USA, Germany, Japan…..etc.
We used to have a camera and darkroom in each plant to make negative film for a long time, while LaserBlack system is only using a HP Laserjet printer, at the beginning we all afraid of the opaque density will be not good enough for the longest 7mm thick photopolymer plate exposure, however, LaserBlack Enhancer has a Super Black Cartridge and proved the quality of 300% black density increase immediately after drying, now we have cleared more room for us by drawing away the camera and film processor by tearing down the darkroom completely.
We are using HP laserjet printer to print the image on tracing paper / transparent film
and go through the LaserBlack Enhancer to get the high black density negative film to expose the photopolymer plate directly, this save us much of time, labor, cost and get very good efficiency, during this high price competition to have more productivity and cost saving are really very important for managements.Only very few times for the gradation back ground or the color separation jobs, we have to rely on an image setter service center. Actually over 90% of the films are made by LaserBlack Enhancing System, now we have 6 units of LB-A3 enhancers used in our factories satisfactorily.
China / QunSan / John Chang
