We realized throughout the course of this project that research was the best thing we could do to find a real, beneficial solution to help Fusion Flexo. Our initial purpose was to help fix a problem one specific company had. However, we also knew that the recycling of these photopolymer scraps is something that could help the flexographic industry as a whole and not just our specific company. So, the scope and purpose of this project branched off between two issues:
- Facilitating an actual relationship between Fusion Flexo and other companies
- Taking on a broader viewpoint that included finding ways to help the flexographic printing industry become more ecofriendly, even if it did not directly help our company
In order to explore the second issue, we decided to experience firsthand how these scraps could be changed in nature to fit another purpose. We partnered with the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Western Michigan University to use its plastics laboratory. There, we were able to use a Conair Jetro plastic granulator to grind up actual photopolymer scraps that we obtained from Fusion Flexo. We decided to proceed with an experiment like this because we felt like the project had been too research based thus far and we wanted some perspective into what were reasonable uses for this material.
Results & Discussion
After our experiment in the plastics laboratory, we were able to observe what ground up flexographic plates looked and felt like and logically think about how the material in that form could be used. Image 1 shows the photopolymer scraps that we received from Fusion Flexo. They were of variable width, length and thickness and came from the excess material that was trimmed off after the actual plate was made. Image 2 illustrates how the scraps were rolled up before being placed in the granulator. It was necessary to roll them in order to make the scraps denser and more easily ground up. If we had slid the scraps in flat, the granulator wouldn’t have been able to get a good grip and they wouldn’t have been chopped up uniformly.
Image 3 shows the actual granulator itself in the plastics laboratory. Dr. Paul Engellman, a faculty member at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, was able to show us how to set up, use and clean the machine. Finally, Image 4 shows the ground up photopolymer, the finished product.
The scraps that we obtained were different colors and thicknesses and once they were ground up, the results were very interesting. Most pieces were around 0.25-cm. long. This particular grinder gave the bits sharp edges, which we don’t think would be very helpful in any capacity where they would come in contact with skin. However, different types of granulators could potentially give the pieces rounded edges. It would also be interesting to use a grinder that could create larger particles and see how those felt, in terms of tactility. Another important thing to note is the clear backing that is attached to the photopolymer came off in the grinder and resulted in flaky, powdery particles that were mixed in with the photopolymer. Those flakes would definitely cause a problem if they needed to be separated from the photopolymer. They were a lot messier than the photopolymer and could cause clogging of machines.
Conclusions
Overall, we had two major goals for this project. The first was to facilitate a mutually beneficial relationship with Fusion Flexo and another company that would take the flexographic plates for free and be able to reuse them. The second goal was to discover a use for the plates in general that would benefit the flexographic industry as a whole.
We plan to meet our first goal by developing a relationship between Fusion Flexo and Consolidated Stripping, a company that has recently obtained a boiler for burning rubber in an ecofriendly way. Both companies are located in Plainwell, MI, which would make transport of the materials cost effective. We are still working out the details of the arrangement with Consolidated Stripping.
Based on our results from grinding up the plates, we think our second objective could be met by using the material in artificial turf. The ground up photopolymer has a texture and consistency similar to the rubber used in turf fields. We believe the ground photopolymer could add much needed cushioning to the turf. We are currently in contact with Dow Chemical to investigate the logistics of this idea.
About the Authors: Amanda Cockroft is a junior at Western Michigan University studying graphic and printing sciences with a focus on business. She is a member of the Lee Honors College and a print monitor at the WMU Print Center. This summer she will be studying abroad at a business college in Italy. Upon graduation, she hopes to pursue a job in the printing industry, specifically in the prepress area.
Katherine Dayton is a senior at Western Michigan University studying graphic and printing sciences with an emphasis on multimedia. She is a member of the Lee Honors College and also the assistant social media coordinator for the Office of Admissions. Upon graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in the printing industry. Katherine interned in the summer of 2014 at Specialty Print Communications in Niles, IL and plans to intern there again this summer.