By Contributing Editor Hallie Forcinio
The Gravure AIMCAL Alliance Committee (GAA) honored winners in its annual Golden Cylinder Awards competition at a special ceremony Sept. 26 during the 2022 AIMCAL R2R USA Conference in Orlando, FL.
The Best in Show Award, co-sponsored for the second year by ACIMGA (the Italian Manufacturers Assn. of Machinery for the Graphic, Converting and Paper Industry), went to a paper label for Bush’s Best Flavor Fusions Baked Beans printed by delfort’s Mundet Tennessee, Inc. (1).This paper label relies on silver metallic ink (unique to gravure) printed as a base layer and overprinted process colors to create tonal transitions across the label for the new line of flavor combinations. The result creates a satin-like sheen with smooth color breaks. Using this effect in combination with photographic imagery and a high-gloss overcoat creates an almost-3D appearance with images seeming to lift off the label. The accompanying brand colors deliver a bold striking appearance in contrast to the background effects. The resulting label complements the product – new, fresh and exciting.
The judges admired the smooth metallics on paper and noted the colors and vignettes stand out over the metallics. The label also exhibits excellent laydown of the nine-color overprint on metallic. Vignettes are smooth and transition well. All in all, the judges praised the excellent use of metallics, outstanding image quality, crisp copy and clean print and were unanimous in their decision that this was the Best in Show winner for 2022. This label also took top honors in the Packaging and Label (Paper) category.
Five other printed-product winners shine
2022 Golden Cylinder Award recipients were named in seven other categories.
In the Packaging and Label (Film-Film Lamination) category, Varna Limited took home a Golden Cylinder Award for the packaging for Maliban Double Twist Cookies [2]. This is an eight-color design with fine registrations on the reverse and surface sides of the substrate. Printing on both sides of the film is a departure from conventional practice. The adherence of a matte coating on an untreated, biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film surface also represents a unique feature. The specially formulated gravure Rotosheen matte coating supplied by Sithora Limited imparts novelty to the wrapper.
The judges felt this was an attractive package with crisp copy, flavorful colors and impressive line work and attention to detail. They particularly liked the combination of matte and glossy finishes, good registration and excellent print quality.
Inland Packaging captured the 2022 Golden Cylinder Award in the Packaging and Label (Film-Surface/Reverse Printed) category for the Nesquik-Chocolate Flavor label [3]. Printed on white film on a high-volume gravure press, the label uses both process and spot colors to deliver bright, attention-grabbing graphics. Tight print registrations and high line screens achieve the desired visual impact. The subtle, yet crisp, detailed graphics in the background convey the brand’s message.
The judges liked the label’s visual appeal, crisp graphics and sharp color. Described as “vibrant, fun and informative,” the judges noted the excellent print quality and use of four-color process in the six-color job.
In the Giftwrap category, American Greetings Corp. received a 2022 Golden Cylinder Award for an eye-catching design featuring the Dr. Seuss Grinch character [4]. This giftwrap is printed on LWC (lightweight coated) paper to reduce material costs and required overcoming registration and ink-coverage challenges with water-based inks. Process and line areas carry 1% to 100% coverage.
The judges applauded the choice of paper while noting it’s a challenging substrate. They also appreciated the good color coverage, visual impact and excellent black detail and registration.
O’Sullivan Films, Inc. was recognized for its Cobalt pool liner entry in the Vinyl Substrates category [5]. The substrate has a high degree of elasticity, but the design provides a tight register that is maintained throughout the wide sheet and enables printing an elevated level of detail. Color trapping gives the entire design a high pigment range and detailed, rich print design using a 120-line screen. Although pearlescent ink is difficult to RF (radio frequency) weld, the design allows successful sealing in the final application. The pattern strongly influences the color of the pool water and creates an unusual coloration of cobalt blues and teals with the shimmer of gold and a sense of pure luxury.
The judges noted a great use of metallics, nice definition and good register and image quality. They were particularly impressed by its brilliant color with gold highlights.
In the Decorative Laminates category, the Golden Cylinder went to OMNOVA Solutions Inc. – A Synthomer Business for Raintree Mink (543057) [6], a surf(x)® 3D laminate enhanced by a dimensional leathered surface and designed primarily for horizontal applications, such as countertops. Designed and developed with four highly defined print stages that layer and register a full array of tones, this stone-like image features a web of irregular bold veins that coexist with a crazed overall background. Advanced engraving and manufacturing capabilities allow delicate low print tones to deliver natural colorations and build a crisp image. Exceptional registration tolerance control is needed to print the design details precisely. Surface embossing adds further complexity to deliver texture without distorting the print. Process control is extremely demanding to manage material movement in the embossing process.
Judges noted that this job also exhibits great color, plus excellent registration of print, veins and surface embossing. They described the reverse layout as “impressive” and liked the “fantastic” 3D feel and visual flip.
Three technical innovations help advance gravure
In the Technical Innovation – Image Preparation (prior to engraving) category, American Packaging Corporation (APC) [7] earned a Golden Cylinder Award for transitioning CLIF LUNA® to extended color gamut (ECG) technology. To support CLIF’s sustainability and efficiency initiatives, the CLIF Bar production team challenged APC Rotogravure to produce the entire Luna brand lineup with the least amount of print tools and spot-color inks to achieve the same visual appearance of packaging currently in the marketplace. Nineteen designs were recreated using ECG colors to duplicate the appearance of the spot-color versions.
Judges noted good color variation and excellent use of ECG technology. They also described the use of metallic behind the logo as “attractive,” with an effect that resembles a shimmery night sky.
Bobst Italia S.p.A. took home the 2022 Golden Cylinder Award in the Technical Innovation – Press category for its Registron® advanced register control [8]. The new system detects transversal and lateral errors of just a few microns. For transversal errors, the operator can make an adjustment immediately after the color is printed and knows the exact amount of correction to be applied on the skewing roller and in which direction. If the skewing rollers are driven by an electric motor, the register-control system automatically makes the correction during startup and production or after a roll splice. For lateral errors, the system provides immediate feedback to the operator. The advanced register control also can improve register quality in cases of residual material shrinkage and is key to ECG printing in gravure because it provides the tolerance (maximum deviation of 50-60 µm (σ2)) needed to achieve good spot-color reproduction. Advanced register control expedites changeover, reducing associated downtime and waste.
Judges said this advancement adds a level of quality and control that appears to be easy to manage. They also observed that the samples exhibited nice print quality with tight registration and color control and impressive tolerance. Benefits include substrate savings, higher quality and the potential to open up opportunities to gravure, particularly due to the enhanced agility it imparts to make gravure more competitive against flexography for shorter runs.
The judging panel also awarded an Honorable Mention in the Technical Innovation – Press category. It went to ENULEC for its ESA (electrostatic assist) Static Loop 360 system, represented by Enulec partner for North America, Steingraeber LLC. It measures gravure web static on an ESA platform, reading both web and nip static voltage. Protected by four patents, the web static-control technology overcomes the unknown variable of nip static and reduces web static up to 70%. The system neutralizes static via a patented safety-grounding mechanism, which safely earths electrostatic charges that reach a 2kV threshold of nip-static value. The system learns static values during the print run, then automatically adjusts ESA power and polarity to the lowest achievable static level. Reducing web-static charges to the lowest level is paramount for every gravure printer with ignition reduction initiatives. Direct integration with the onboard PLC gives the press control of the ESA system.
Described by the judges as an “awesome safety achievement,” the static reduction innovation provides true control of the process as well as cost savings.
Judging criteria and trophies
Best in Show and category winners took home a Cristaux glass trophy. Judges scored each entry using a one-to-10 scale and considered job difficulty, substrate choice, image quality and visual impact for printed submissions. Technical innovations were judged on their level of uniqueness and impact on the use of gravure technology. With all the entrants exhibiting outstanding work, the judges had a challenging job.
Judging took place in July 2022 and was hosted for the second year by Max Daetwyler Corp. in Huntersville, NC. The panel consisted of seven industry experts with a combined total of 262 years of printing experience.
The Gravure AIMCAL Alliance Committee (GAA) came into existence in 2021 when the Gravure Assn. of the Americas merged into AIMCAL. The GAA brought its gravure-process-focused, roll-to-roll (R2R) printer and converter members into AIMCAL where the use of R2R processing is stressed. AIMCAL will adopt a new name in 2023, the Association for Roll-to-Roll Converters. The group represents converters of metallized, coated and laminated flexible substrates and their suppliers.
More info: www.aimcal.org, https://gaa.org/awards/golden-cylinder-awards/