Flexography is a high-speed roll-to-roll printing process commonly used to print labels and packaging. It uses flexible photopolymer plates and can print on a variety of substrates up to 80 inches wide. The process involves applying different colors sequentially with cylinders and dryers between each printing deck. Technology advances aim to increase automation, color gamut, and hybrid flexo/inkjet systems.
Manufacturing of Printing Inks with Formulation (Flexographic Inks, Typograph...Ajjay Kumar Gupta
Manufacturing of Printing Inks with Formulation (Flexographic Inks, Typographic Printing Inks, Planographic Inks, Intaglio Printing Inks, Gravure Printing Inks, Special Inks, Offset Printing Inks, Ball Pen Inks, Fluorescent Inks, Phosphorescent Pigments, Silk-screen Fluorescent Printing, Inorganic Pigments)
Printing ink sector in India witnessed a growth of around 7.5% per annum during the Past years. Printed packaging accounts for around 27% of the demand for printing inks in India followed by newspapers at 20%. Commercial printing/promotional and printed advertising together account for around 19% of the demand. Other key end user segments for printing inks include books and stationery. With the print sector forecast to grow at around 8% per annum, in coming years, printing ink segment is expected to grow strongly.
See more
https://goo.gl/tG4l6B
https://goo.gl/TTuhMC
https://goo.gl/8hpMA3
Tags
Printing Inks with Formulae, Printing Inks with Processes, A Guide to Popular Printing Techniques, best small and cottage scale industries, formulation of printing inks, Gravure Printing industry, Growth in the Printing inks, How Ink Is Made, How Ink is manufactured, How printing ink manufactured in factory, how to manufacture ink, How to Start a Printing inks Production Business, How to start a successful Printing inks business, How to Start Printing inks Industry in India, Ink and Printability Testing, Inking Rollers, Inking Rollers uses, Manufacture of Inks and varnishes, manufacturing of varnish, Modern Printing Process, Most Profitable Printing inks manufacturing Business Ideas, new small scale ideas in inks manufacturing industry, Newspaper Printing Ink, Packaging Inks Market - Covering the Printing Inks, Coatings and Allied Industries, Printing inks Based Small Scale Industries Projects, Printing inks Business, Printing inks manufacturing Industry in India, Printing inks, manufacturing Projects, printing ink formulation, printing ink manual, Printing Ink Manufacturing, printing ink manufacturing process, Printing Ink Technology and Manufacture, Printing Inks & Applications, Printing Processes and Printing Inks, Profitable Small Scale inks Manufacturing, Robust Growth in the Indian Exports of Printing Inks, screen printing process, Setting up and opening your Printing inks Business, Setting up and opening your Printing Business, Small Scale Printing inks manufacturing Projects, Starting a Printing inks manufacturing Business, Starting a Printing Business, Starting an Offset Printing Press, Start-up Business Plan for Printing inks, Startup Project for Printing inks Business, offset printing ink manufacturing process, formulation of Offset Printing Inks, Ball Pen Inks, Fluorescent Inks, Phosphorescent Pigments, Silk-screen Fluorescent Printing, Inorganic Pigments, Offset printing technology, How printing ink manufactured in factory, offset printing ink formulation
Manufacturing of Printing Inks with Formulation (Flexographic Inks, Typograph...Ajjay Kumar Gupta
Manufacturing of Printing Inks with Formulation (Flexographic Inks, Typographic Printing Inks, Planographic Inks, Intaglio Printing Inks, Gravure Printing Inks, Special Inks, Offset Printing Inks, Ball Pen Inks, Fluorescent Inks, Phosphorescent Pigments, Silk-screen Fluorescent Printing, Inorganic Pigments)
Printing ink sector in India witnessed a growth of around 7.5% per annum during the Past years. Printed packaging accounts for around 27% of the demand for printing inks in India followed by newspapers at 20%. Commercial printing/promotional and printed advertising together account for around 19% of the demand. Other key end user segments for printing inks include books and stationery. With the print sector forecast to grow at around 8% per annum, in coming years, printing ink segment is expected to grow strongly.
See more
https://goo.gl/tG4l6B
https://goo.gl/TTuhMC
https://goo.gl/8hpMA3
Tags
Printing Inks with Formulae, Printing Inks with Processes, A Guide to Popular Printing Techniques, best small and cottage scale industries, formulation of printing inks, Gravure Printing industry, Growth in the Printing inks, How Ink Is Made, How Ink is manufactured, How printing ink manufactured in factory, how to manufacture ink, How to Start a Printing inks Production Business, How to start a successful Printing inks business, How to Start Printing inks Industry in India, Ink and Printability Testing, Inking Rollers, Inking Rollers uses, Manufacture of Inks and varnishes, manufacturing of varnish, Modern Printing Process, Most Profitable Printing inks manufacturing Business Ideas, new small scale ideas in inks manufacturing industry, Newspaper Printing Ink, Packaging Inks Market - Covering the Printing Inks, Coatings and Allied Industries, Printing inks Based Small Scale Industries Projects, Printing inks Business, Printing inks manufacturing Industry in India, Printing inks, manufacturing Projects, printing ink formulation, printing ink manual, Printing Ink Manufacturing, printing ink manufacturing process, Printing Ink Technology and Manufacture, Printing Inks & Applications, Printing Processes and Printing Inks, Profitable Small Scale inks Manufacturing, Robust Growth in the Indian Exports of Printing Inks, screen printing process, Setting up and opening your Printing inks Business, Setting up and opening your Printing Business, Small Scale Printing inks manufacturing Projects, Starting a Printing inks manufacturing Business, Starting a Printing Business, Starting an Offset Printing Press, Start-up Business Plan for Printing inks, Startup Project for Printing inks Business, offset printing ink manufacturing process, formulation of Offset Printing Inks, Ball Pen Inks, Fluorescent Inks, Phosphorescent Pigments, Silk-screen Fluorescent Printing, Inorganic Pigments, Offset printing technology, How printing ink manufactured in factory, offset printing ink formulation
Presentation on green chemistry in gravure printingAdesh Katariya
Growing concern for the Global warming leading to green house effect is the result of excessive use of solvents and pollutants in the atmosphere.
This presentation is based on risks of chemicals used in gravure printing , details are for toxicological, Eco-toxicological concerns.
Flexographic Printing vs. Digital PrintingLabelValue.com
Ever wondered what the difference was between flexographic printing and digital? Learn the difference and what the benefits and drawbacks of each printing solution are.
Screen printing is a printing technique whereby a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. Screen printing is also a stencil method of print making in which a design is imposed on a screen of polyester or other fine mesh, with blank areas coated with an impermeable substance.
See more
https://goo.gl/Rkw9rA
https://goo.gl/TTuhMC
https://goo.gl/EJ7x26
Contact us
Email: npcs.ei@gmail.com , info@entrepreneurindia.co
Tel: +91-11-23843955, 23845654, 23845886, 8800733955
Mobile: +91-9811043595
Website : www.entrepreneurindia.co , www.niir.org
Tags
Process technology book on screen printing, Screen Printing Technology book, Aluminum Frames: Screen Printing, Aluminum Screen Printing Frames, best screen printing small business, Business start-up, Great Opportunity for Startup, How does printing work?, how to do screen printing, How To Screen Print -Step by Step process, how to screen print t shirts, How to screen print your own t-shirts, How to Screen Printing on Fabric, How to Start a Screen Print Business, How to start a screen printing business, How to start a successful screen printing business, How to start screen printing Industry in India, How to Start Your Own Screen Printing Business, Is screen printing a good business?, Most Profitable screen printing Business Ideas, New Screen Printing Technology, new small scale ideas in screen printing industry, Printing on unusual surfaces, Printing processes, Printing Surfaces, profitable small and cottage scale industries,project for startups, screen print kit, screen printing Based Small Scale Industries Projects, screen printing business plan, screen printing business profit, screen printing business start up cost, screen printing Business, screen printing frame India, screen printing frame making, screen printing frames, screen printing Industry in India, screen printing materials, Screen Printing Press, screen printing process, screen printing process step by step, screen printing Projects, screen printing technique, Screen Printing Technology, screen printing tutorial, screen printing wood frames, Screens and Screen Printing Frames, Setting up and opening your screen printing Business, Setting up of screen printing Units, Small scale Commercial screen printing, Small Scale screen printing Projects, Small Start-up Business Project, Start Up India, Stand Up India, Starting a screen printing Business, Starting Your Own Screen Printing Business, Start-up Business Plan for screen printing, startup ideas, Startup Project, Startup Project for screen printing, startup project plan, surface printing techniques, The Printing Process - How Offset Printing Works, The Printing Process: Screen Printing, T-shirt Screen Printing
Presentation on green chemistry in gravure printingAdesh Katariya
Growing concern for the Global warming leading to green house effect is the result of excessive use of solvents and pollutants in the atmosphere.
This presentation is based on risks of chemicals used in gravure printing , details are for toxicological, Eco-toxicological concerns.
Flexographic Printing vs. Digital PrintingLabelValue.com
Ever wondered what the difference was between flexographic printing and digital? Learn the difference and what the benefits and drawbacks of each printing solution are.
Screen printing is a printing technique whereby a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. Screen printing is also a stencil method of print making in which a design is imposed on a screen of polyester or other fine mesh, with blank areas coated with an impermeable substance.
See more
https://goo.gl/Rkw9rA
https://goo.gl/TTuhMC
https://goo.gl/EJ7x26
Contact us
Email: npcs.ei@gmail.com , info@entrepreneurindia.co
Tel: +91-11-23843955, 23845654, 23845886, 8800733955
Mobile: +91-9811043595
Website : www.entrepreneurindia.co , www.niir.org
Tags
Process technology book on screen printing, Screen Printing Technology book, Aluminum Frames: Screen Printing, Aluminum Screen Printing Frames, best screen printing small business, Business start-up, Great Opportunity for Startup, How does printing work?, how to do screen printing, How To Screen Print -Step by Step process, how to screen print t shirts, How to screen print your own t-shirts, How to Screen Printing on Fabric, How to Start a Screen Print Business, How to start a screen printing business, How to start a successful screen printing business, How to start screen printing Industry in India, How to Start Your Own Screen Printing Business, Is screen printing a good business?, Most Profitable screen printing Business Ideas, New Screen Printing Technology, new small scale ideas in screen printing industry, Printing on unusual surfaces, Printing processes, Printing Surfaces, profitable small and cottage scale industries,project for startups, screen print kit, screen printing Based Small Scale Industries Projects, screen printing business plan, screen printing business profit, screen printing business start up cost, screen printing Business, screen printing frame India, screen printing frame making, screen printing frames, screen printing Industry in India, screen printing materials, Screen Printing Press, screen printing process, screen printing process step by step, screen printing Projects, screen printing technique, Screen Printing Technology, screen printing tutorial, screen printing wood frames, Screens and Screen Printing Frames, Setting up and opening your screen printing Business, Setting up of screen printing Units, Small scale Commercial screen printing, Small Scale screen printing Projects, Small Start-up Business Project, Start Up India, Stand Up India, Starting a screen printing Business, Starting Your Own Screen Printing Business, Start-up Business Plan for screen printing, startup ideas, Startup Project, Startup Project for screen printing, startup project plan, surface printing techniques, The Printing Process - How Offset Printing Works, The Printing Process: Screen Printing, T-shirt Screen Printing
Wide format inkjet technology- part 3 grand format printersUsman Ali
Grand-format printers are high-capacity inkjet printers that can print on rolls of vinyls, canvas, films, papers, and fabrics more than 100 inches wide.
“What you see is not always what you get”
Truer words were never spoken when it comes to managing
expectations for printed material. The following presentation gives an overview of print realities, and sets out guidelines to help navigate the complex world of print.
“What you see is not always what you get.” Truer words were never spoken when it comes to managing expectations for printed material. This toolkit identifies the biggest challenges in print production to help you navigate the complex world of print.
Challenge #1 Colour: CYMK vs. RGB vs. Pantone
Challenge #2 Printing methods: Offset vs. Gravure vs. Flexo
Challenge #3 Substrate
Challenge #4 Dot gain
Is there a digital press in your folding carton future? It's here today with digital print solutions to supplement offset, flexography, and gravure. This paper describes the fundamental differences and best application for the various technologies including electrophotographic, ink jet, nanography, digital creasing, and laser cutting.
The choice of printing process for paperboard packaging is influenced by a number of key parameters including Product Applications, Design Features, End Use, Print Performance, Run Length, sustainability, and Overall Value. These are discussed as it regards Sheetfed and Web Offset Lithography, Flexography, and Digital Printing.
Inkjet sublimation printing part 1 textiles and soft signageUsman Ali
Inkjet Sublimation Printing Learn the difference between inkjet dye-sublimation and direct-to-textile sublimation processes for decorating fabrics for apparel, décor, and soft signage.
Reduce print shop customer acquisition costsUsman Ali
Reduce Print Shop Customer Acquisition Costs
To maximize profitability, it’s important to get the most from every dollar in your marketing budget. Your print shop should pay close attention to key metrics such as customer acquisition costs and customer lifetime value.
Improving profitability for small businessBen Wann
In this comprehensive presentation, we will explore strategies and practical tips for enhancing profitability in small businesses. Tailored to meet the unique challenges faced by small enterprises, this session covers various aspects that directly impact the bottom line. Attendees will learn how to optimize operational efficiency, manage expenses, and increase revenue through innovative marketing and customer engagement techniques.
Personal Brand Statement:
As an Army veteran dedicated to lifelong learning, I bring a disciplined, strategic mindset to my pursuits. I am constantly expanding my knowledge to innovate and lead effectively. My journey is driven by a commitment to excellence, and to make a meaningful impact in the world.
As a business owner in Delaware, staying on top of your tax obligations is paramount, especially with the annual deadline for Delaware Franchise Tax looming on March 1. One such obligation is the annual Delaware Franchise Tax, which serves as a crucial requirement for maintaining your company’s legal standing within the state. While the prospect of handling tax matters may seem daunting, rest assured that the process can be straightforward with the right guidance. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the steps of filing your Delaware Franchise Tax and provide insights to help you navigate the process effectively.
Discover the innovative and creative projects that highlight my journey throu...dylandmeas
Discover the innovative and creative projects that highlight my journey through Full Sail University. Below, you’ll find a collection of my work showcasing my skills and expertise in digital marketing, event planning, and media production.
Memorandum Of Association Constitution of Company.pptseri bangash
www.seribangash.com
A Memorandum of Association (MOA) is a legal document that outlines the fundamental principles and objectives upon which a company operates. It serves as the company's charter or constitution and defines the scope of its activities. Here's a detailed note on the MOA:
Contents of Memorandum of Association:
Name Clause: This clause states the name of the company, which should end with words like "Limited" or "Ltd." for a public limited company and "Private Limited" or "Pvt. Ltd." for a private limited company.
https://seribangash.com/article-of-association-is-legal-doc-of-company/
Registered Office Clause: It specifies the location where the company's registered office is situated. This office is where all official communications and notices are sent.
Objective Clause: This clause delineates the main objectives for which the company is formed. It's important to define these objectives clearly, as the company cannot undertake activities beyond those mentioned in this clause.
www.seribangash.com
Liability Clause: It outlines the extent of liability of the company's members. In the case of companies limited by shares, the liability of members is limited to the amount unpaid on their shares. For companies limited by guarantee, members' liability is limited to the amount they undertake to contribute if the company is wound up.
https://seribangash.com/promotors-is-person-conceived-formation-company/
Capital Clause: This clause specifies the authorized capital of the company, i.e., the maximum amount of share capital the company is authorized to issue. It also mentions the division of this capital into shares and their respective nominal value.
Association Clause: It simply states that the subscribers wish to form a company and agree to become members of it, in accordance with the terms of the MOA.
Importance of Memorandum of Association:
Legal Requirement: The MOA is a legal requirement for the formation of a company. It must be filed with the Registrar of Companies during the incorporation process.
Constitutional Document: It serves as the company's constitutional document, defining its scope, powers, and limitations.
Protection of Members: It protects the interests of the company's members by clearly defining the objectives and limiting their liability.
External Communication: It provides clarity to external parties, such as investors, creditors, and regulatory authorities, regarding the company's objectives and powers.
https://seribangash.com/difference-public-and-private-company-law/
Binding Authority: The company and its members are bound by the provisions of the MOA. Any action taken beyond its scope may be considered ultra vires (beyond the powers) of the company and therefore void.
Amendment of MOA:
While the MOA lays down the company's fundamental principles, it is not entirely immutable. It can be amended, but only under specific circumstances and in compliance with legal procedures. Amendments typically require shareholder
What is the TDS Return Filing Due Date for FY 2024-25.pdfseoforlegalpillers
It is crucial for the taxpayers to understand about the TDS Return Filing Due Date, so that they can fulfill your TDS obligations efficiently. Taxpayers can avoid penalties by sticking to the deadlines and by accurate filing of TDS. Timely filing of TDS will make sure about the availability of tax credits. You can also seek the professional guidance of experts like Legal Pillers for timely filing of the TDS Return.
The world of search engine optimization (SEO) is buzzing with discussions after Google confirmed that around 2,500 leaked internal documents related to its Search feature are indeed authentic. The revelation has sparked significant concerns within the SEO community. The leaked documents were initially reported by SEO experts Rand Fishkin and Mike King, igniting widespread analysis and discourse. For More Info:- https://news.arihantwebtech.com/search-disrupted-googles-leaked-documents-rock-the-seo-world/
Enterprise Excellence is Inclusive Excellence.pdfKaiNexus
Enterprise excellence and inclusive excellence are closely linked, and real-world challenges have shown that both are essential to the success of any organization. To achieve enterprise excellence, organizations must focus on improving their operations and processes while creating an inclusive environment that engages everyone. In this interactive session, the facilitator will highlight commonly established business practices and how they limit our ability to engage everyone every day. More importantly, though, participants will likely gain increased awareness of what we can do differently to maximize enterprise excellence through deliberate inclusion.
What is Enterprise Excellence?
Enterprise Excellence is a holistic approach that's aimed at achieving world-class performance across all aspects of the organization.
What might I learn?
A way to engage all in creating Inclusive Excellence. Lessons from the US military and their parallels to the story of Harry Potter. How belt systems and CI teams can destroy inclusive practices. How leadership language invites people to the party. There are three things leaders can do to engage everyone every day: maximizing psychological safety to create environments where folks learn, contribute, and challenge the status quo.
Who might benefit? Anyone and everyone leading folks from the shop floor to top floor.
Dr. William Harvey is a seasoned Operations Leader with extensive experience in chemical processing, manufacturing, and operations management. At Michelman, he currently oversees multiple sites, leading teams in strategic planning and coaching/practicing continuous improvement. William is set to start his eighth year of teaching at the University of Cincinnati where he teaches marketing, finance, and management. William holds various certifications in change management, quality, leadership, operational excellence, team building, and DiSC, among others.
RMD24 | Debunking the non-endemic revenue myth Marvin Vacquier Droop | First ...BBPMedia1
Marvin neemt je in deze presentatie mee in de voordelen van non-endemic advertising op retail media netwerken. Hij brengt ook de uitdagingen in beeld die de markt op dit moment heeft op het gebied van retail media voor niet-leveranciers.
Retail media wordt gezien als het nieuwe advertising-medium en ook mediabureaus richten massaal retail media-afdelingen op. Merken die niet in de betreffende winkel liggen staan ook nog niet in de rij om op de retail media netwerken te adverteren. Marvin belicht de uitdagingen die er zijn om echt aansluiting te vinden op die markt van non-endemic advertising.
3.0 Project 2_ Developing My Brand Identity Kit.pptxtanyjahb
A personal brand exploration presentation summarizes an individual's unique qualities and goals, covering strengths, values, passions, and target audience. It helps individuals understand what makes them stand out, their desired image, and how they aim to achieve it.
Affordable Stationery Printing Services in Jaipur | Navpack n PrintNavpack & Print
Looking for professional printing services in Jaipur? Navpack n Print offers high-quality and affordable stationery printing for all your business needs. Stand out with custom stationery designs and fast turnaround times. Contact us today for a quote!
India Orthopedic Devices Market: Unlocking Growth Secrets, Trends and Develop...Kumar Satyam
According to TechSci Research report, “India Orthopedic Devices Market -Industry Size, Share, Trends, Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2030”, the India Orthopedic Devices Market stood at USD 1,280.54 Million in 2024 and is anticipated to grow with a CAGR of 7.84% in the forecast period, 2026-2030F. The India Orthopedic Devices Market is being driven by several factors. The most prominent ones include an increase in the elderly population, who are more prone to orthopedic conditions such as osteoporosis and arthritis. Moreover, the rise in sports injuries and road accidents are also contributing to the demand for orthopedic devices. Advances in technology and the introduction of innovative implants and prosthetics have further propelled the market growth. Additionally, government initiatives aimed at improving healthcare infrastructure and the increasing prevalence of lifestyle diseases have led to an upward trend in orthopedic surgeries, thereby fueling the market demand for these devices.
India Orthopedic Devices Market: Unlocking Growth Secrets, Trends and Develop...
What is flexographic printing
1. What is Flexographic Printing?
Flexography is a roll-feed web printing process. Flexographic printing is commonly used to print high
volumes of labels and packaging. Presses can print on a variety of films, foils, papers, corrugated board,
and paperboard and achieve speeds of 500 to 2000 feet per minute.
Products printed on flexo presses include adhesive and shrink-sleeve labels (bottle wraps); ice cream
cartons; folding cartons; shopping bags; plastic bags; pouches; packets; gift wrap; tissue; envelopes;
wallpaper; and disposable plates and cups.
How It Works
A flexible, photopolymer plate is wrapped around a rotating cylinder for each color. Like the letterpress
printing process, the graphics and text for each color are raised from the surface of the plate. Only the
raised areas of the plate are inked.
2. The typical flexographic press includes four types of rollers; a fountain roller, an anilox roller, the plate
cylinder, and the impression cylinder.
The fountain roller delivers ink from an ink pan to a steel or ceramic ink-metering “anilox” roller and
then to the plate cylinder. The ink is applied to the substrate as the paper passes between the plate
cylinder and a polished metal impression cylinder. The impression cylinder applies the pressure required
to transfer the ink from the plate to the substrate.
In flexography, the anilox roller is used to transfer a uniform thickness of ink to the flexible printing
plate. Each anilox roller has finely engraved cells that have a specific ink capacity. An optional doctor
blade scrapes the anilox roller surface to ensure that the only ink delivered to the printing plate comes
from the ink in the engraved cells.
As the substrate moves through the press, a different color or coating is applied at each printing deck.
Drying units between the printing decks help ensure that each color of ink is fully dried. Dryers use hot
air or infrared or ultraviolet light, depending on the application.
In a stack press, the printing decks are stacked vertically. The press can print on both sides of the
materials as it travels through the press.
In a central Impression (CI) press the printing decks are located around a single, large impression
cylinder. CI presses provide excellent registration.
In an in-line press, the printing decks are positioned in a straight line for easier handling of heavier
substrates such as corrugated boards.
Different models of wide-web presses are built to handle rolls of material from 21 inches up to 80
inches wide.
3. Narrow-web presses are typically 10 inches wide or smaller because they were originally developed to
print labels. Today, narrow-web presses up to 20 inches wide are being used to print shorter runs of
flexible packaging including bottle wraps and the smaller packets and pouches used for teas, drink
mixes, and single-serve packs.
Inks
Flexographic printing for packaging water-based, solvent-based, and energy-curable inks. Energy-curable
inks are quickly cured either by ultraviolet (UV) light or electron beam (EB) systems. EB curing systems
deliver energy directly to the inks in the form of energetic electrons and don’t require photoinitiators as
UV-curable inks do.
Water-based inks are popular for printing corrugated packaging Solvent-based inks are used for plastic
shopping bags and industrial films. UV and EB inks are used to print outer wraps for food packaging.
Substrates
Flexographic presses can print on uncoated or coated paper, carton board, liner board, aluminum foil,
and different types of plastic films, including low-density polypropylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP),
bio-oriented polypropylene (BOPP), and polyester (PET). They can also print on non-woven fabrics and
different types of laminates.
In the packaging world, laminates are multi-layered materials made from different combinations of
substrates, such as aluminum foil, film, and paper. Laminates provide the barrier layers that flexible
packages may need to keep the contents fresh or protected from air, moisture or chemical
contamination.
4. Prepress, Platemaking, and Press Set Up
Because flexography is such a high-speed process, a lot of ink and materials can be wasted if defects in
print quality are discovered during a press run.
Print quality can be affected by a number of factors, including the types of plates used and how they
were created. Because there are so many variables, preparing the artwork, images, and plates for
flexographic printing requires expertise and experience.
For example, the image elongates as the flexible plate is attached to the cylinder. This means images to
be reproduced should be created slightly shorter than their final specified size.
The dots in a screened halftone image can grow in diameter when printed due to the fluidity of the inks,
the nature of the substrate, and the pressure of the impression cylinder. This dot gain can cause colors
to look dark or muddy. Adjustments for the predicted amount of dot gain can be made during design
and prepress.
The first flexographic printing plates were made of rubber. Today, they are typically made from
photopolymers. These UV-light sensitive materials are either viscous liquids of solid sheets of a
designated thickness.
In traditional platemaking, a digital imagesetter makes film negatives of content that will be printed at
each print deck. Photographs and illustrations with tonal gradations are processed with halftone
screening methods that re-create tones with different sizes of dots, dot placements, and ink
combinations.
The film negative is placed onto the photopolymer plate material and loaded into an exposure unit and
exposed to controlled amounts of UV light. The exposed photopolymer plate material is then developed
with water or solvents that remove the unexposed image areas from the plate. (Dry thermal polymer
plate processing is an alternative platemaking method that eliminates the need to wash the plates after
exposure.)
Digital photopolymer plates eliminate the need to create film negatives. A black, light-sensitive layer
covers the surface of the plate material. A digital imaging device then uses a high-powered infrared laser
to remove the black layer where the image will be produced on the plate. This process is called laser
ablation.
When the digital photopolymer plate is exposed to UV light, the light activates the photopolymer plate
material where the black layer has been removed. The plate is washed, dried, and cut to the size that
will be mounted on the cylinder.
Some users of flexographic presses send digital files to flexo-printing experts at platemaking service
bureaus.
As expectations for fast turnaround times grow, makers of prepress software and equipment have been
automating the flexographic prepress and platemaking process. Automation will reduce the need to
5. outsource platemaking and minimize the risk of errors in designing files for full-color flexo prints that
will be converted into different types and sizes of packages.
For example, Esko packaging design software helps designers create and preview three-dimensional
designs for folding cartons, shrink sleeves, corrugated boxes, and flexible packaging. The Print Control
Wizard for Esko’s digital platemaking systems takes into account variables such as imaging resolution,
exposure settings, plate materials, substrate, anilox, press type, and inks to generate the proper screens
and dot-gain compensation curves for each application.
Registration (the precise alignment of ink combinations on the substrate) is also critical to color accuracy
and print quality. Registration errors can be caused by prepress or plate mounting mistakes, defects in
the impression cylinder, dirty cylinders or plates, lateral movements of the webbed substrate, the
improper surface tension of the substrate and other factors.
Post-press
Finishing processes such as die-cutting, cold foil stamping, and varnishing can be integrated into in-line
presses to improve the efficiency of producing ready-to-use rolls of labels.
Slitting machines are used to cut large rolls of printed materials to their specified width.
Specialized folders, gluers, die-cutters, and other converting equipment transforms the printed rolls of
materials into folding cartons, corrugated boxes, sealable pouches, and other forms of packaging.
6. Technology Advances
Flexographic technology is advancing rapidly to meet the growing demands for higher-quality prints,
shorter run lengths, and faster turnaround times.
Technologies are being developed to (1) reduce the time and expertise required for prepress,
platemaking, and plate changeovers; (2) improve the recyclability of printed labels and packages; and (3)
minimize the high levels of waste caused by prepress or press set-up errors.
In 2013, the flexo-printer manufacturer BOBST launched the REVO DigiFlex project in conjunction with
manufacturers of quality-control systems, inks, plates, color-measurement tools, and other pressroom
supplies. This consortium of companies has been collaborating to build an automated, extended
color-gamut flexographic printing system that will require minimal operator intervention. The goal is to
provide global color consistency and repeatability in labels, flexible packaging, folding cartons, and
corrugated boards. The project will also help ensure color matching between flexo-printed materials and
digitally printed materials.
Extended Color Gamut (ECG) flexo printing uses orange, green, and violet inks, in addition, the cyan,
magenta, yellow, and black inks to match a higher percentage of Pantone colors. Digitized systems will
control the mixing and delivery of these seven process colors of UV-curable inks. Systems to
automatically engage the plate cylinder set the proper impression, and register each color have also
been developed.
Hybrid flexo/inkjet printing systems are another avenue of technology development. Some flexographic
presses have been retrofitted with inkjet-printing units that can add full-color variable data to
flexo-printed materials. This allows flexo print shops to better serve customers who want to add codes
for tracking or authenticating packaging or enabling consumers to connect to online content.
Follow Us on Social Media
This post is part of a series we’re producing to explain the basics of different analog and digital printing
processes. At the end of this series, we’ll review the strengths and limitations of each process, provide
helpful glossaries, and talk about pricing models.
Follow Ordant on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter to learn when the next post in this series is published.
Related Posts
What is Screen Printing?
What is Offset Printing?