The purpose of this technology is to improve the quality of the preparation process of flexo plates made of photosensitive polymer for printing and to reduce rinsing water consumption. The technology consists in integrating the plate preparation device with the membrane separation system based on ultrafiltration. Also, the assumption is made that a method will be developed for the precipitation of polymer residues generated during the treatment of rinsing water. The existing technological solutions used to prepare flexo plates for printing consist in reusing rinsing water. Thus, the concentration of flushed polymer in water gradually increases. As a consequence, plate quality deteriorates considerably, and polymer residue progressively accumulates in operating components of the machinery. Shifting the technology towards ultrafiltration will enable a continuous separation of polymer residues, making it possible to reuse rinsing water over and over again. This will result in reducing the consumption of clean water and machinery maintenance chemicals. Another assumption is that the technology will use the flocculation process which will enable separating the concentrated polymer and reusing the water (which constitutes the retentate flow). This will allow to essentially minimize wastewater emissions (to ca. 10% of the level generated by existing technologies). Another important aspect is that the technology is not only innovative but also environmentally friendly.
The “Membrane technology for treatment of water used for flexo plate preparation” was developed by the Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Food Sciences and Nutrition of the Poznań University of Life Sciences, in cooperation with the Poznań Science and Technology Park of the Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation based in Poznań.
Well before the completion of research, the Poznań Science and Technology Park of the Adam Mickiewicz University hired an independent expert company to assess the market value of the technology. Authors of the solution contributed to the valuation process with their expertise. After the tests, the University employees who co-authored the technology reported the outcomes of scientific research and the related know-how to the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer as per the applicable procedure. The report on the outcomes triggered a dedicated procedure to make the decision on the commercialization of the solution in accordance with the Management rules for copyrights, related rights, industrial property rights and the principles for commercialization at the Poznań University of Life Sciences. In parallel to the preparation of the commercialization process, an agreement governing the rights to technology was made and entered into between the Poznań University of Life Sciences and the Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation based in Poznań, because that matter was not regulated under the rules of the Innovativeness Incubator program. The Director of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer issued a favorable opinion on the suitability of the technology for commercialization. The opinion was accepted by the competent Deputy Rector. As a next step, the Board in charge of Commercialization and Intellectual Property of the University adopted a resolution authorizing the University to launch the commercialization process. Upon meeting the internal procedural requirements, an invitation to submit offers for the purchase of technology package licenses or acquisition of technology rights was published at the website of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer. A proposal to purchase a license for the technology was submitted by Print Sp. z o.o.
In September 2015, after negotiating the conditions governing the acquisition of rights to specific know-how covered by the technology package, Print Sp. z o.o. and the Poznań University of Life Sciences signed the license agreement.
Print Sp. z o.o. is preparing to implement the technology and keeps the University informed of the progress through implementation reports delivered as per the agreement.