Miraclon has announced the global launch of the FLEXCEL Prime Plate, a new flexographic plate technology developed to improve pressroom performance and production efficiency. The plate is designed to retain the established characteristics of FLEXCEL NX Plates while introducing additional features aimed at reducing press interruptions, extending plate life and supporting more stable print production.
According to the company, the development follows a multi-year research and development programme and field validation in commercial production environments. The FLEXCEL Prime system, comprising a new plate and film combination, has already been installed at more than 30 customer sites across 14 countries. More than 5,000 commercial print jobs have been produced using the technology during testing and early production deployment.
“Flexographic printing is operating in an environment of tighter tolerances and greater production demands than ever before,” said Reid Chesterfield, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Miraclon. “With FLEXCEL Prime, we set out to push the performance boundaries of the plate itself, reducing ink build-up and lowering impression requirements, which extend plate life and support more stable production.”
The plate incorporates two technical features intended to support longer press runs and more consistent performance. A Lift Resist formulation is designed to improve plate drape, reduce curl during mounting and allow easier re-mounting for reuse. In addition, revised surface characteristics are intended to reduce ink build-up and drying on the plate during press runs, helping maintain cleaner plates and fewer press stops.
“The biggest sustainability gains in flexo happen in the pressroom,” said Emma Weston, Chief Marketing Officer at Miraclon. She said the design allows printers to run longer with lower impression requirements while maintaining consistent print quality. The new plate and film combination is designed to integrate with existing FLEXCEL NX Systems without workflow changes. Commercial rollout will continue across customer installations worldwide.