The AFP-DCV and the AWP-DEW plates use the company’s pinning technology for OEE clean transfer, which it says is unique and improves both print quality and efficiency.

The AFP-DCV digital flexo plate, is designed to produce vibrant colour prints for water- and solvent-based inks in flexible packaging applications.

The AWP-DEW plate, is designed specifically for wide-web film printing applications.

It has the quality properties of AWP-DEF plates with the addition of a faster plate processing speed, according to Asahi.

“This is a water washable plate and will process faster than any other AWP plate,” David Galton, sales director of Asahi Photoproducts Europe said.

“When combined with fixed-palette printing, it delivers significant quality and efficiency benefits for the wide-web film printer.

“It’s the first plate on the market, which will have the best balance between deep vibrant colours and small halftone reproduction capabilities.”

Galton said the plate required fewer press stops for cleaning, which improves printing stability and production efficiency.

“AWP is the highest quality pinning technology plate that we make and considered by many printers to be the best in class.

"AWP is a unique integrated process, water is used to process the plate. Fine screen ruling up to 200 lines per inch is often used, particularly in the label market."

Both plates use “a unique multi-layer photopolymer solution created by Asahi engineers,” said Galton.

“Photopolymer is chemically engineered to be able to form very small features and very small dots are printed using the new polymer.

“OEE is a significant improvement when four-colour fixed palette is used and the colour space is particularly enhanced when we use seven. Sometimes this is known as extended colour gamut printing.”

Galton also outlined a case study where using the new plates could save up to €300,000 (£240,000) a year. Asahi is in Hall 11 at the show, in Dusseldorf, from May to 10 June.