At the Lion’s Den session of the Packaging & Label Gravure Association (PLGA) Global 2012 Technical Conference, Harper Corporation’s Tony Donato showcased Harper’s ceramic coated laser engraved cylinders to today’s top gravure professionals. The Lion’s Den segment of the conference provided speakers with the opportunity to convince three gravure experts that their product is innovative. Donato and other participants were granted 10 minutes each to present their chosen product, after which the floor was opened to a question and answer session.

During the segment, Donato explained the benefits of ceramic cylinders over traditional copper-chrome models while showcasing the LaserKote totem pole, which features a high degree of detail and multiple geometries. He also spoke to the merits of Harper’s XDI imaged cylinders used for long-running one- and two-color product gravure jobs and cold-seal applications. Ceramic has a life expectancy that is 10 times greater than the more conventional cylinders. Additionally, the life of the engraving is increased and the ceramic cylinder can undergo reverse metering without damage from the doctor blade. In addition, the ceramic material better withstands being inside the press for extended periods of time due to its porosity of less than 0.5 percent.