Retroflex Inc.

While not a headline-catching subject, doctoring systems have a big impact on printing quality and overall production costs. ALTHOUGH NOT A particularly glamorous topic, package printers know that doctoring systems represent a complex challenge. The selection, operation, and maintenance of these systems can have a major impact on consistent print quality, along with longer term cost issues when it comes to roll maintenance and life. When selecting the right doctor blade for your application, there are any number of places to begin and approaches that can be taken. For starters, Perry Lichon, president of Retroflex, lists blade material composition, tip design, thickness, and

Facing off in the laminating ring are in-line vs. off-line laminators; and while each has their own punches to throw and to receive, it is the converter who decides the champion. by Joy English, Assistant Editor JUNE 19, 1936 MARKED the day that heavyweight champion Joe Louis and Max Schmeling squared off in what would be a boxing match to remember. Schmeling entered the ring as the underdog, but claimed the titled when he handed Louis his first ring defeat. It wasn't until two years later that Louis would reclaim his heavyweight title from Schmeling. Today, squaring off in the laminating ring are in-line

Terms define technology, but for package printers, wide-format presses are enabling them to define their industry. by Joy English, Assistant Editor THE PACKAGE-PRINTING industry is filled with numerous terms and definitions, spelling out the processes that form its daily functions. Although these definitions help with understanding and categorization, in the end, it's the equipment that must perform. Today's wide-format presses do this well, providing the converter with everything from ease of operation and increased speeds and widths to customization. Functionality Multifunctionality, especially in regards to press capabilities, is vital to a converter's ability to add value to its customers' printing jobs. And top press

J AAA PRESS INT'L Doctor blade assemblies and parts for all narrow-web presses. Blade compounds: fiberglass, metal, and plastic. Sizes from 0.4˝ to 2˝ wide and custom lengths. Visit www.aaapress.com Allison Systems Advanced doctor blade systems/ holders, specialized steel, laser-hardened alloy, composite, lubricant plastic blades. Visit www.allisonblades.com J ARC International Offers a complete line of Xcalibur steel doctor blades in various sizes and configurations, including the X-90 linear edge blade, the X-91 beveled blade, the popular X-92 extra smooth radius blade, the X-95 lamella blade, and X-97 synthetic retainer blades. Visit www.arcinternational.com J MAX DAETWYLER CORP. High quality, custom-made blades available from MDC include:

The following suppliers offer coating and laminating equipment, from traditional flexographic and gravure coating machines, to hot melt, slot die, and reverse roll units, and solvent-based and solventless laminating equipment: Acumeter Modular roll or slot die coating modules that can be press- or floor-mounted in an existing process line. Coating widths available from 6˝ to 80˝ . Visit www.acumeter.com American Int'l Machinery The Signature brand of sheet-to-sheet laminators accommodate single- or double-faced corrugated board up to 8,000 sph and stock sizes up to 63˝. Visit www.aim-inc.net Bachofen & Meier Coaters (gravure, five- and six-roll, slot die, curtain,

What products and companies were most sought-after in 2001 by packagePRINTING readers? Here's the scoop on the year's most-wanted technologies, ranked below based on responses to both editorial features and display advertising.*** TOP 10: Prepress Equipment 1. Anderson & Vreeland—Photopolymer plate processing systems, rubber plate molding presses, flexo platemaking materials, digital imaging systems and software 2. DuPont Cyrel—Photopolymer plate and prepress systems, including Cyrel FAST thermal technology 3. BASF—Nyloflex® and nyloprint® equipment combinations for processing flexo and letterpress plates and sleeves 4. MacDermid—Sheet, liquid, digital, and water-wash photopolymer plates, platemaking equipment, sleeves, and plate mounting systems for flexo printing 5. CreoScitex—PDF-based packaging

AapexX Coating and laminating machines for paper, film, foil, or paperboard, using solvent or water-based coatings and adhesives. Solvent-based machines are available. Widths range from 20 in. to 100 in. and speeds from 20 fpm to 2,000 fpm. Also available, NCR coater, self-adhesive coater, and solventless coater/laminator. Visit www.aapexx.com ADM Tronics Unlimited Develops and manufactures diversified line of water-based, environmentally safe chemical products for the converting, food packaging, printing, and related industries. Visit www.admtronics.com American Int'l Machinery The Signature brand of sheet-to-sheet laminators are built to accommodate single- or double-faced corrugated board up to 8,000 sph. Visit <a

Package printers are finding faster options in the wide-web market, allowing for more jobs to go the wide-route. By: Chris Bauer THE SLOW SET-UP of wide-web presses has long been a thorn in the heel of printers faced with short-run jobs. And in this day of print-on-demand, just-in-time delivery, and more personalized jobs, that thorn is digging deeper into shops that are trying to meet these demands while still needing to turn a profit. To bring some relief to printers in this position, vendors have been working to reduce make-ready times and the labor involved in setting up the press. Tom Jacques, marketing strategist