Flexo plate supplier Miraclon has launched new software that has been designed to boost its customers’ productivity.

The company was formed from the sale of Kodak’s flexographic platemaking division in 2019, and still retains use of the Kodak and FlexCel names.

It said the new Kodak FlexCel NX Central Software offered customers “a step change” in productivity by enabling manual plate layout time savings of up to 90% and a plate utilisation boost of up to 10%.

It also streamlines the platemaking process “and seamlessly enables the integration of multiple advanced plate surface patterning features designed to enhance print performance” – including those delivered within FlexCel NX Print Suite for PureFlexo Printing – into one automated plate layout.

Miraclon said the software would allow customers to complete more jobs in less time, and at a lower cost.

A successor to Kodak TIFF Assembler Plus Software from Miraclon, the new automated plate layout process is optimised across the user’s portfolio of media sizes to maximise utilisation, in turn increasing consistency and reducing errors by minimising human touchpoints.

FlexCel NX Central Software also allows for multiple users to remotely manage plate layouts, while its job tracking features are said to enable more accurate billing and a comprehensive breakdown of production costs.

Reid Chesterfield, chief technology and innovation officer at Miraclon, said: “FlexCel NX Central is designed to maximise the performance of Kodak FlexCel NX Technology and the efficiency benefits it brings to the pre-press and press rooms.

“It serves as the central hub for customers to interact with their FlexCel NX System, Miraclon’s ongoing technological innovations, and FlexCel support teams to ensure the productivity it delivers drives business growth and ultimately their financial bottom line.”

FlexCel NX Central Software is included with all new FlexCel NX System orders with immediate effect and is available as an upgrade for existing customers.