LANSKROUN, Czech Republic—SOMA, producer of flexographic printing presses, slitters/rewinders and laminators, announced it has continued its launch of Intelligent Automation for its Optima² flexographic presses with the introduction of its Change-over Wizard.
During a webinar held on Nov. 4, hundreds of participants watched a live demonstration of the Intelligent Change-over Wizard in action on the SOMA Optima flexographic press. The primary benefits of SOMA Intelligent Automation are greater automation, more efficient workflows and results that mean fewer mistakes, less waste and less time for operators. SOMA also showed an ultra HD gravure-like design created by Project Blue technology developed by Reproflex3, a global prepress agency specializing in sustainable flexographic solutions.
By connecting to SOMA’s robust cloud-based S-Cloud system, users of an Optima² flexographic printing press can ensure the safe and speedy transfer of job data and take advantage of other features that are unique among flexographic presses. There is only one, unique, defined recipe used to set up each job on a plate mounter as well as on the flexographic press. Using one recipe for all equipment avoids human error and provides the groundwork for the Change-over Wizard feature on the press.
The new Change-over Wizard guides the press operator during the process of changing jobs. In doing so, it reduces the number of tasks required, defines their optimal order and automates as many steps as possible, minimizing operator error. With ARUN technology, registration and impression on the press are also set completely automatically. Part of the changeover is job tuning. It is a specially designed software algorithm, performed during job setup, that minimizes the bouncing effect for each design. It contributes to exceptional print quality.
“During development of Intelligent Automation, SOMA focused a good amount of resources on maximum efficiency and use of operator time,” stated Petr Blasko, marketing director. “The S-Cloud Solution allows users to monitor the efficiency of an Optima² press operation online and prepare job recipes from the office. From there, the Change-over Wizard makes it easy to set up the next job on the press.”
During the SOMA webinar, a challenging design created by Reploflex3 and using Project Blue technology with Kodak NX plates was printed. The ProjectBlue technology utilized an exclusive patented plate surface cell pattern together with a unique anilox cell format for optimized ink transfer. It featured expanded gamut (EG) printing from the same inkset that was already on press from the previous job. As could be seen in the backgrounds, smooth vignettes were capable throughout the entire, 100 percent tonal range.