40 Years in Flexo: Two Cyber Graphics Employees Look Back

Earlier this year, Cyber Graphics celebrated an impressive milestone for two of its veteran employees: Forty years of service with the Bryce Corp. family of companies. Over their careers, Mark Parrish and Edwin Woods have seen massive changes come to the flexographic printing industry, and have personally worked their way through many of the challenges that made flexo what it is today.

Here they share some of their wisdom about the industry, and what it takes to build and grow with a company over such a long career. These interviews were conducted and compiled by Erica Morrison, marketing coordinator at Cyber Graphics in Memphis, TN.

Parrish
Parrish

Mark Parrish

Current Role: Director of Customer Service at Cyber Graphics in Memphis, TN

First Role: Roll Wrapper at Bryce Corp. in Memphis, TN

Erica Morrison: What was flexo like when you first came into the industry? What challenges did you face?

Mark Parrish: In 1975, our press department consisted of three Kidder presses that were “two roll inking systems” with no doctor blades. Ink roll metering was faster for job changes and carrying up high volumes of ink, but required constant pampering, grinding and replacing. The ink rolls were prone to small defects and streaks that would show up in the print. Metering for linescreens above 85 was a challenge.

This system was not created for printing high linescreen process images. All settings were manual, meaning the press operator relied on handles, knobs, switches and “touch” to accomplish registration, ink impression, ink settings and speed. Ink viscosities were checked manually with a No. 2 Zahn cup and a stop clock. Less than 5 percent of all flexible printing had process images and those that did were simple 85 linescreen.

Because 100 percent of our printing plates were rubber and not polymer, low spots, registration, smudging, dirty print and plate lifts were common issues that had to be addressed daily. Rubber plates were made from matrix board, which was vulcanized from magnesium engravings that were etched in an acid bath from negatives created in a dark room.

In the late 1970s, our company began to see a major shift from surface printed “cellophane” to reverse printed polypropylene. In practical terms, this meant the press operators needed to reorient themselves to ink printing sequences and drying that were the total opposite of what they had been accustomed to, with white ink now printing in the last deck rather than the first deck.

Run speeds averaged from 450 fpm to 500 fpm and job changes averaged from one and a half to two hours. All inks were mixed, checked and qualified by eye. Standards were created by eye and signed by the ink mixer, press operator and printing coordinator. It was not unusual for a customer approval to last from four to six hours, with four and five guys staring into a color booth at press side.

It is somewhat humorous now to remember that standard equipment meant there were ashtrays attached to the unwind and rewind sections of each press. “Quality control” was important but usually focused on checks and inspections after a master roll was completed. All data was recorded manually in process logs inside the quality control lab and at press side.

Mark Parrish large photo
“It is somewhat humorous now to remember that standard equipment meant there were ashtrays attached to the unwind and rewind sections of each press. ‘Quality control’ was important but usually focused on checks and inspections after a master roll was completed. All data was recorded manually in process logs inside the quality control lab and at press side.” – Mark Parrish

Morrison: What are the most notable changes you’ve seen across the flexo workflow? How has this impacted quality?

Parrish: With the advent of photopolymer plates, Apple’s Mac computers, and modern presses with doctor blade units, ceramic coated anilox rollers and computerized settings, a quantum leap occurred in printing that revolutionized the flexo market. Photopolymer plates moved from conventional imaging made from emulsion coated negatives to laser imaged plates made in a concealed chamber, with mounting devices that ruled out hand to eye coordination. With these advancements, we saw flexo begin to rival rotogravure competitors.

Web detection devices, robotic job changes, automatic deck washers and fully computerized presses saw press speeds double and then triple. Job changes in less than 45 minutes became the norm. Right before my eyes, I have seen perfect registration occur within two revolutions of the impression drum. Densitometers, viscometers, gearless presses, improved inks, ovens, plates washing devices—they have all made printing a science as well as a trade.

It continues to amaze me when I think of what has taken place in the past 40 years. Negatives have gone, magnesium engravings and rubber plates have been replaced with laser imaged polymer and laser etched elastomers. With the advent of expanded gamut separations, flat top dots and HD imaging, we continue to see quantum leaps in print clarity. It is now commonplace to see 133 and 150 line separations that greatly enhance standard flexo printing.

Years ago, we moved from quality control to “quality assurance,” which really meant we moved from a postprint inspection of materials to a preprint preparation and assurance that all standards are in place. By adopting the STAR approach—Stop, Think, Act, Review—at Cyber Graphics, we saw big improvements in the quality of graphics separations and plates from our plate room. STAR has become a strong mantra for our company. Recording data and allowing teams of people in each department to view it and improve processes addresses quality first and not last. Pushing decision making to the people doing the work and giving them the tools to improve quality is vital. Rewarding outstanding work and charting visible improvements is a motivator of our people.

Morrison: How have things changed working in the modern era, with the adoption of standards and specifications?

Parrish: Establishing standards by eye has been gone for years in both graphics and printing. Where we once relied on mixing dry ink “dust” for matching Cromalins, we now see sophisticated spectrophotometers measure color in the booths of the image separator and the printer. Standards are established based on a Delta E variance and not by eye. All colors are given a very specific number that is measurable, attainable and recordable. Color targets and tonal scales validate not only separations and plates but also print settings and execution. The industry as a whole is shifting from not just a skilled labor force but to a labor force with more formal training and education. Computers in all facets of the production stream require a workforce that understands how they work and how they are used.