MacDermid's Digital MAF photopolymer printing plate vaslty reduces fluting in corrugated print applications. Read more here.

1. Reduced Fluting by
Building a Better Dot
A White Paper

2. 2
Executive Summary
Digital MAF is the latest innovative plate technology from MacDermid Printing Solutions that
substantially reduces fluting in corrugated print reproduction without adding any additional
steps. Current practices require an additional step to the workflow – lamination, nitrogen
exposure, or high intensity UV exposure – all of which increase overall exposure time and cost.
All three traditional methods use a one-dot-fits-all approach to flexo printing in the corrugated
segment. Digital MAF utilizes a sculpted dot optimized for corrugated. This latest innovation
from MacDermid is an application specific development with an engineered solution that
addresses the specific problem of fluting in the corrugated segment.
DMGC 3%
DMGC LUX 3%
DMAF 3%

3. 3
Background: The Evolution of Dot Engineering
In 2010, MacDermid Printing Solutions established itself as the flat top dot expert with the
introduction of the award-winning LUX® process. IMAGE 1 shows the difference in dot shape
between analog, digital, and LUX – the change in dot profile for the digital plate made using the
LUX process was striking. LUX combines the best of analog and digital platemaking. The digital
plate made using the LUX process delivered the fine imaging fidelity of a digital plate with the
consistent and robust print performance of the analog dot shape. The result for corrugated
printing applications was a dramatic reduction in fluting with the utilization of the flat top dot
technology in place of the traditional“round top”digital technology.
Digital MAF takes this technology even further, yielding benefits in print quality and fluting
performance without the need for additional procedures, equipment, or consumables.
IMAGE 1: MGC & Digital MGC
5% highlight, 85 LS
ANALOG PLATE DIGITAL PLATE DIGITAL PLATE +

4. 4
IMAGE 2 highlights a similar dot shape between Digital MAF and LUX Lamination; however,
there is not an added platemaking step or additional equipment needed with Digital MAF. A
reduction in workflow steps reduces exposure time and minimizes costs. Although the Digital
MAF dot shape is similar to the LUX Lamination dot shape, it is important to note that Digital
MAF dot shapes have been optimized for even greater fluting and dot gain performance
against the“flat top”technologies in play today.
IMAGE 2:
5% highlight, 85 LS
DMGC DMGC-LUX DMAF

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Building the Better Dot: Reduced Fluting
Fluting is a problem that has plagued corrugated printing from the very beginning. Simply
described, it is a striped area of print having higher dot gain along the tops of the flutes vs. in
the valleys between the flutes (see IMAGE 4). Currently there are no truly innovative solutions
that are specifically tailored to the corrugated print environment. Regardless of manufacturer,
the approach to fluting has remained the same: one-dot-fits-all, then add steps to adjust for
segment specific issues.
As the industry’s flat top dot experts, MacDermid has studied fluting extensively in order to
understand the influence of dot profile on flute performance. The first step for MacDermid
to tackle was to develop a process to quantify the amount of fluting evident in the printed
sample. Simply relying upon human judgment was imprecise and subjective.
IMAGE 4

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Bycombiningsoftwareand
hardware, a method was
developed to measure the
change in dot gain across a
printed sample. The graph
shown to the right (IMAGE
5) visually depicts what is
seen in the print.
The variation in optical density is
reduced to a single number, Fluting
Factor (or F-factor). In the above case,
this represents a significant amount of
fluting. The following graph (IMAGE 6)
is similar; however, the measurement
was made on a board that most would
consider to have a minimal amount of
fluting.
IMAGE 5
IMAGE 6

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ExamplesofflutingforanaloganddigitalplatesareshownontherightinIMAGE7.Itisgenerally
known that digital plates tend to flute worse than their analog counterparts.
Using the same conditions for line screen, ink, board, anilox, etc. and only adding the LUX
process to digital platemaking, IMAGE 8 illustrates a marked improvement in fluting.
There is a profound change to the dot profile and more importantly to the reduction in fluting
in the printed sample when adding the LUX Lamination process to the workflow. Although
there is a substantial improvement over the traditional digital dot, the improved dot profile still
requires an extra step and additional exposure time.
Analog Digital
IMAGE 7
Digital + LUX
IMAGE 8

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While Digital MAF has the inherent advantage of reduced exposure time and increased
workflow efficiency, the most striking feature of this innovative technology is the change in
dot profile and the resulting reduction of fluting as seen in IMAGE 9.
The graph in IMAGE 10 summarizes the comparative performance of Digital MAF against
standard digital platemaking and two different flat top dot technologies. Even in cases where
the flute reduction is not as large, the benefits are still dramatic with respect to the lack of any
ancillary steps or materials in order to achieve these results.
DMAF
IMAGE 9: DMAF side profile
30% flute on 85 LPI
IMAGE 10

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MacDermid conducted extensive alpha testing for the Digital MAF product with a prominent
European trade shop, and the following are print tests/samples that were then used by the
customer to promote this technology (see IMAGE 11).The results are amazing and immediately
evident when compared to their original flat top dot option.
IMAGE 11
Competitive
Flat-Top Dot Technology
Digital MAF

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An additional print test was also conducted at a major North American trade shop again
comparing Digital MAF against their current competitive flat top dot option. Again, the results
with Digital MAF were noticeably better than the existing material. IMAGE 12 clearly illustrates
the low fluting in print compared to competitive flat top dot technology, even on lower quality
substrates..
During this test period, Digital MAF clearly outperformed multiple competitive flat top
technologies under various print condition. Digital MAF simply flutes less.
Competitive
Flat-Top Dot Technology
Digital MAF
IMAGE 12

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CONCLUSIONS
Digital MAF represents the culmination of MacDermid Printing Solutions’dot evolution program.
Leveraging our LUX process technology with our innovative approach to generating these dot
structures right out of the box, MacDermid was literally able to reengineer dots specifically for
the corrugated application, tailoring the dot shape until we found the optimum structure. As a
result, customers are now able to expand their print capabilities without sacrificing platemaking
time and without additional consumables or special exposure equipment. Only the flat top dot
experts at MacDermid Printing Solutions can bring this type of application specific technology
to the marketplace. We have gone beyond building the better photopolymer; we have built the
better dot.
For More Information About Digital MAF
visit www.macdermid.com/printing
or email mpsproductinfo@macdermid.com.