G7 and Flexo

[Bill W]

Those that know me know that I am involved in introducing G7 methodology to my company, a well know narrow web flexo printer. We are presently setting up trials to qualify an "ink company of choice'. These trials will include testing different anilox roller configurations as well as running a P2P target.

Three of the major flexo ink companies we have interviewed know very little about G7 and mentioned that they feel this may just be another "fad" such as opal tone (CMYKRGB) printing. I have been slowing educating a few ink companies and while I have learned, applied and tested G7 inks and methodology on different kinds of flexo presses and inks achieving dE's of less than 2.0 for primaries, I kinda feel like I am a guy with cateracts leading blind people across a busy NY intersection.

My questions is to the offset people:

How do you feel G7 is being accepted by the offset world and do you feel it is looking like more that a "fad".

Anyone in the flexo world testing with G7 methodology?

Thanks to all that reply.

-Bill-

 

[Louis Dery]

Re: G7 and Flexo

Hello Bill,

About major ink companies you’ve mentionned, have you saked them what is THEIR solution for print standardization and optimization? Which solutions are they using or recommand?

Louis

 

[meddington]

Re: G7 and Flexo

> My questions is to the offset people:
>
> How do you feel G7 is being accepted by the offset world and do you feel it is looking like more that a "fad".

From the printers I'm familiar with, both big and small, G7 is being well received. Most have undergone implementation or are planning on doing so. Looking at the Opaltone OT7 calibration process, it looks similar to G7 in many respect (without regard to the use expanded gamut inks). Anyway, given adoption of G7 within Gracol, SWOP and FIRST 4.0 (so I'm told...whenever that's due to come out), and the potential benefits it has with cross process implementaion, I would consider G7 more than just a fad...though I would still wear parachute pants if I could find them.

Louis makes a good point...what do your ink companies recommend? My guess is either they don't have a recommendation...or anything that doesn't require them to change their ink formulations.

 

[rich apollo]

Re: G7 and Flexo

Good ole "Flexo-Bill",
Truly you are "a man in the wilderness". Have you looked at any of the ink vendors that have certified people on staff? Gans, Superior, INX, Flint, all have G7 certified employees (there is another one that I know of, but I forget the name - Ink Systems or something like that). I was speaking to someone from Hostmann-Steinberg recently who was scheduled to attend certification training. I've spoken to Sun Chemical folks who are knowledgeable.

 

[Bill W]

Re: G7 and Flexo

Louis - Interesting that you should ask that. One a recent press run with one of the ink companies, I asked the ink rep what was meant by the dE number on their "COA" label affixed to the ink jug. He said is was .5 dE to their standard. When I asked again what that meant he started to define what dE meant. I politely said that I was quite familiar with what a dE was and asked him again what it meant in terms of their standard. He stated again that it was .5 dE to their standard. I then asked him what his standard was, to which he responded it was their standard. Finally he confessed that he did not know what the standard was. I also asked him how he was insuring that the color would be correct on the anilox roller we were using. He then said the "you guys from prepress always ask the hard questions".

I am relatively new to dealing with ink companies and QC procedures of ink by both the ink companies and our company. My sense so far is that ink is a "take it from the shelf, pour and print" activity. More questions need to be, and will be asked at our ink trials during the week of August 4th.

-Bill-

 

[Luc St-Pierre]

I “shopped” around for more than a year for a G7 flexo ink. Amazing that you can order a full can of PMS whatever dead on the nose and many ink manufacturer don't know what Magenta or cyan really mean. I had many ink manufacturers produce drawdowns for me and spent hours of analyzing all of this. I finally found an ink manufacturer that knew exactly what I was talking about and I finally stopped thinking I was a total wack. Try Siegwerk inks for G7. You will cry out a huge Alleluia!

 

[Bill W]

G7 and Flexo

Greeting Luc,

Was that UV ink or water based ink?

 

[Luc St-Pierre]

We use mostly solvent-based and thermal solvent-based, but I am sure they have at least UV inks too. The results, if not totally G7 yet, are amazing as far as colors are concerned. The gamut is way better than what we used to have. Better oranges reds, flashy greens, better deep purples, what we all should expect when primaries are dead-on hues.

 

[Bloodsaler]

One of my friend now starting G7 trial in his flexo company in china.I don`t know his rate of progress,but if you need some information share,I`d love to help.
I`ve down several G7 test in litho field,I also encountered the ink problem,most affected by magenta ink.I tested several inks in china,but all have the same magenta problem.
But I curious to know how`s the flexo color standard?
Does there has some profile like ISO12647-2 which set up a flexo standard?

 

[Luc St-Pierre]

ISO12647-2 applies for flexo as well.