You can brush up on your fundamentals. You can study for the Level 1 flexography certification exam. You can see an entire printing job, from unwind through inspection and bagmaking, or see smart labels printed right on the show floor. And that's besides the big “shopping/to-do” list you've got in your pocket as you roam the aisles.

CMM International 2007 show organizer Penn-Well has added several extra programs that extend and augment the traditional exhibition and conference set for June 4-7. As you make your travel plans, keep these adjunct programs in mind:

One of the add-ons that is predicted to bring attendees early is CEMA's Fundamentals For Converters seminars. According to the advance information, these seminars sponsored by the Converting Equipment Manufacturers Association (www.cema-converting.org) break into Slitting/Rewinding and Coating/Laminating tracks. Taking place on June 3 and 4, they focus on the real-life application of technology—the do's and don'ts, the “tricks” of the trade to assure greater productivity and higher-quality output. While maintaining a focus on the principles at work in equipment and process applications, CEMA instructors will blend in “understanding of new technologies and opportunities for increased productivity.” The programs are designed to address the entire converting operation, touching on all important process considerations.

On Monday, June 4, CMM kickoff remarks will be courtesy of Andrew J. McKenna, chairman of McDonald's Corp. (Oak Brook, IL). McDonald's is the world's leading foodservice retailer with more than 30,000 restaurants in 119 countries serving 50 million customers daily.

McKenna is also the chairman of Morton Grove, IL-based Schwarz Paper, an international distributor of paper packaging and allied products and also a printer and converter of paper products with facilities throughout the US, Canada and the United Kingdom.

In welcoming attendees to CMM, McKenna will share some of his professional experiences from both the retail and converter perspective. Following his remarks, he will also be available for a brief Q&A session.

Show partner DiTrolio Flexographic Institute (www.flexotraining.com) will present Flexographer's Skill Certification-Level I on June 5-6. The program is said to be ideal for beginning press operators and individuals who are interested in learning the basic principles and practices of flexography. At the completion of this course, attendees will be prepared to become responsible and effective press operators, and a Level I certification exam will be administered.

Covered in the seminar are fundamental theories behind the flexographic-printing process; hands-on press operation; applications and advantages of flexo printing; correlations between inks, solvents, and common substrates; basic color separation principles of two-, four- and spot-color printing; close registration jobs; and platemaking, mounting, and press operations. This seminar will also emphasize press safety and environmental concerns.

To see live demonstrations of the latest advancements in flexible-package printing and converting, and narrow- and mid-web converting on the CMM show floor, attendees can head to one of the two technology centers.

The Flexible Packaging Technology Center will feature a new Bobst/Schiavi electronic CI-flexo press—a 10-color EF 5060 model, Profama's Pratica 1200 slitter/rewinder, a Hudson-Sharp bagmaking machine, AirTrim's pneumatic edge-trim removal system, Comexi's latest coating/laminating equipment, and a variety of other equipment from leading suppliers. The machines in this dedicated area will be performing several converting processes during all four days of the show.

According to show management, the printing and converting demonstrations will include several types of consumer bags and other takeaway products featuring different types of printing to demonstrate the reproduction achievable for different requirements. The Bobst/Schiavi press, for example, will perform a 9-color print job on BOPP film in one of its two planned demonstrations each day.

The Narrow- and Mid-Web Converting Technology Center will draw attendees who want to better understand how they can combine both these technologies. Propheteer will provide one of its most popular narrow-web presses, and bielomatik will feature its high-speed RFID/smart label machine demonstrating high-volume HF/UHF smart-label manufacturing.

Built on a modular platform, the bielomatik machine accepts rolls of blank or pre-printed labels and rolls of transponders to process smart labels. A “live function test” will be performed with RFID readers to identify and mark defective labels prior to rewinding.