Last January, we posted this roadmap to Solvent Zero that focused on switching to water-washable plates. Now that we have shown you how Asahi is a powerful, and sustainable, partner for your pressroom, let’s take a deeper dive into the products and technologies that can take your Solvent Zero goals from lofty to fully achieved.

Certified by the Carbon Trust, Asahi AWP plates are the sustainable choice for flexographic printers looking to drastically reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing performance. AWP technology is able to eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from your processes while delivering customers results they love.

In additional to building stronger brand value by meeting consumer demands for eco-friendly business practices and creating a safer work environment for your team, AWP plates deliver distinct operational advantages:

• Enable high-resolution printing with precise registration for high-quality applications such as flexible packaging and labels
• Smooth tonal transitions, excellent ink transfer, and reduced press cleaning
• Potential improvements of up to 33% in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) compared to traditional plates
• Stable print quality ideal for Expanded Gamut Printing (EGP)

Transitioning to water-wash technology is a unique way to drive profitability and give your business a competitive edge while doing right by the planet. Next, let’s look at three of Asahi’s most popular AWP plates and see what makes each one unique.

Asahi’s flagship water-washable plate for high-quality applications such as flexible packaging and labels, AWP-DEW was among the first plates developed with an eye on moving away from VOC solvent plate processing.

As the best-in-class performer, AWP-DEW delivers no plate lift-off for easy mounting on small diameter printing cylinders along with high screening resolution, small dots, excellent ink transfer and smooth tonal transitions.

• Fewer plate cleaning stops drive greater profitability
• Easy job transfer from other printing technologies
• Compatible with solvent-, water- and most UV-based inks
• <1 hour total platemaking time
• Up to 33% improvement in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) over other plates

A water-washable FlatTop plate used for beverage cartons and flexible packaging, AWP-CleanFlat is suitable for printers seeking enhanced ink transfer and environmental benefits without requiring special workflows or equipment.

• Provides high-quality printing press consistency
• Improves ink laydown
• Compatible with standard workflows, including UV bank light tubes, UV LED, or FULL HD exposure systems, as well as modern microcell screening technologies

Known for being an out-of-the-box solution, AWP CleanFlat plate ensures stable, high-quality printing from start to finish. Its flat contact area allows excellent ink laydown on various substrates—from smooth film to rough paper—with minimal pressure, making it ideal for long runs and repeated jobs.

Offering a less hard FlatTop plate solution, AWP-CleanFlat Medium enhances ink laydown on rough substrates such as wide web uncoated paper or recycled film, and in any similar application where improved ink density and coverage are essential.

• Works seamlessly with other AWP plates if needed
• Compatible with standard bank light or XPS exposure technologies, and suitable for solvent-, water-, and UV-based inks
• Enhanced plate flexibility prevents lift-off on small cylinders
• Complete platemaking in under an hour

AWP-CleanFlat is the right water-washable plate choice when you need to strike a balance between flexibility and durability, making it suitable for challenging substrates.

As the global leader in integrated software and hardware solutions for the packaging and labels markets, ESKO was the perfect fit to join forces with Asahi to develop the world’s first fully-automated flexo platemaking solution, CrystalCleanConnect.

By reducing the steps from twelve to one, CrystalCleanConnect streamlines platemaking to both eliminate time-consuming manual processes and increase overall efficiency. Delivering see-it-to-believe it performance, the automation cuts operator time by an impressive 90%. What once required 36 minutes of manual action can now be accomplished in just 2.5 minutes per plate. This reduction in human involvement lowers the risk of errors and boosts overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) by an average of 25%, making it ideal for businesses seeking reliable and consistent output.

CrystalCleanConnect is also environmentally conscious, using eco-friendly technology that eliminates the need for VOC-based solvents. This cleaner approach not only enhances workplace safety but also aligns with sustainability goals, delivering high-quality print results in a simplified, more sustainable manner.

Along with lowering your ecological impact, CrystalCleanConnect:

• Reduces operator touchpoints from 12 to 1
• Reduces printing press idle time by 40%
• Decreases ink consumption by 20%
• Cuts plate waste by 10%
• Produces highly consistent flexo plates
• Eliminates VOCs for a safer workspace
• Maximizes floor space by reducing equipment footprint by 40%

Finally, let’s take a look at Asahi’s wastewater recovery system that can reintroduce up to 70% of wastewater back to the processor for the next plate washout process.

While the technology is cutting edge, the way AWP-LOOP works is relatively straightforward:

1. Dirty wastewater is pressurized and sent through a hollow fiber membrane
2. Once cleaned and filtered, the water returns to the plate processor through fiber micro channels
3. Remaining waste exits the system and collects in a tank as sludge for removal

On average, AWP-LOOP reduces the total water usage to just 3 liters per square meter of water-wash flexo plate, down from 10 liters in systems where wastewater is not recycled. This innovative solution represents another milestone in water-wash platemaking and gives flexo platemakers even more incentive to switch to a Solvent Zero platemaking environment. 

Additional features include:

• Remote online performance monitoring
• Fast and efficient – recycle 200 liters of wastewater in just 5 hours
• Recovery up to 50% of washout detergent
• Easy-to-change filters only need to be replaced after 1,200 washout cycles

The prospect of integrating all the newest technologies in sustainability and workflow automation in your pressroom is both thrilling and overwhelming. Carbon neutral solutions not only lower your footprint, but also improve business efficiencies and take money out of wastage and put it back into your bottom line.

But where to begin?

That’s where Wikoff Graphics comes in.

We are here to help you along your Solvent Zero journey. To recommend the right upgrades for your unique situation and provide all the necessary support to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Simply reach out using this contact form and our team will be in touch as soon as possible.