Esko’s Equinox extended gamut technology is one of the components the project
The Revo project, launched to drive flexography forward in response to demands for shorter runs, global quality and total flexibility, was first announced in February this year.
The team of seven industry leading companies, Nuova Gidue, UPM Raflatac, Adare, Esko, Flint Group, DuPont and Apex Group of Companies, which started the cooperation in December 2013, is focusing on UV flexo, extended colour gamut and digital process automation as the three technology drivers to support flexography to become ‘digital’ and maintain its position in labels and packaging industry.
‘We want to create an industry move towards flexo digitalisation,’ declared the team members. ‘We are openly sharing all our latest innovations, and this cooperative approach is the key to success.’
The project uses new software, hardware, UV flexo inks, digital plates, new generation anilox rollers, seven colours separation, standardised substrates and digital automation on press exclusively provided by the team members. The aim is to provide an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution to labels and packaging converters, with a defined protocol of consumables, software and hardware technologies.
The Revo Digital Flexo Standards will be available to the industry six months after the official presentation of the project. Partners agree to promote an ‘industry move’ of flexo towards full digitalisation of the process, and have agreed to share at a later stage all the standards and the protocols defined for the best performance of the Revo Digital Flexo Revolution. The project standards will be available to all flexographic industry players willing to share the project objectives.
Daragh Whelan of Adare said, ‘If you can measure it, you can control it, and if you can control it you can reproduce it. This is one of the many advantages Revo gives to the converter. Having digital control of all of our variables ensures brand consistency and enables Adare to emulate pantone shades out of seven colours. With Revo ‘digitally’ optimised technologies, we are quicker to market and have also reduced the minimum order quantity for laminated flexible packaging products to as little as 5 kilos. It is like having a digital press with flexo costs.’
A Revo Open House, held at Gidue’s premises in Florence on 10-12 June 2014, will introduce the project to the labels and packaging market, with live demonstrations and the participation of all team members.
