FTA Annual Meeting (Cont’d from Page 8)
Technical Innovation Award Three winners were awarded 2019Technical Innova- tion Awards at this year’s Awards Banquet.The Award honors those who have helped in continuing to ad- vance the flexographic industry toward exceptional performance, productivity and efficiency. In the Prepress - Pressroom category, a Technical In- novation Award was given to Koenig & Bauer Flexo- tecnica for Augmented Reality-DataGlass Remote Sup- port. It provides remote support personnel the ability to experience what a printer’s technical team sees and hears in real time, improving the time in which tech- nicians can fix issues and instantly provide support. The project took approximately 18 months to create, modify and rework parts of the hardware and software so it can work with different devices and machines. The device has a noise-canceling microphone, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and battery built into a band that wraps around the sides and back of a press technician’s head with a camera mounted over the right eye to allow for hands-free operation.This innovation has reduced the number of on-site service calls and provides remote support with a clear understanding of what parts to bring along if an on-site visit is still necessary. Plus, calls are recorded and accessible for the technician to watch and rewatch, if needed. In the Prepress Graphics category, a Technical Inno- vation Award went to Esko for its Print Control Wizard (PCW), a wizard-driven software used in prepress that automates the role of the color expert. It reportedly generates perfect screens and curves for any applica- tion, allowing for plates to be exactly the same. The company worked closely with plate manufacturers from around the world for nearly two years to build an accurate database of specifications for PCW, out- putting screen algorithms called Esko Crystal Screens. What would typically take more than an hour to do, can now be done in 10 to 15 minutes on average, ac- cording to the company. In the Heavy Metal category, a Technical Innovation Award went to Paper Converting Machine Co (PCMC) for SteadyPrint, a combination of hardware and soft- ware that reportedly reduces bounce, improves press speeds by 200 to 400 percent and reduces waste by 35 percent. FTA Hall of Fame Dave Nieman was inducted as the 57th member of the FTA Hall of Fame. Both a business man and a family man, Nieman is a genuine person with everyone he meets. Whether (Cont’d on Page 12)
Flexo Market News May 13, 2019 11
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