Flexographic printing has ruled the printing industry for decades now. It is a widely used print technology that provides a perfect combination of quality, productivity, and flexibility. You are on the right page if you are new to the label printing industry and want to explore the flexographic printing machine and how it works. This blog will introduce you to flexo printing and everything you need to know about a flexographic printing machine.
A Brief Introduction
Flexographic printing has evolved with constant innovations to improve the efficiency of the process. It helps manufacturers make high-quality labels on different substrates, like film, paper, plastic, carton board, shrink sleeves, etc., and use a wider range of inks, including water-based inks and UV inks. The modern flexo printing machine available today offers a reliable way to produce large orders of high-quality custom labels at rapid speeds.
The machine carries the printing process with the help of flexible printing plates made of photopolymer. The plates encircle around cylinders on a web press. Ink is applied to the raised image on the plates. After that, they rotate at high speeds to transfer the ink through small holes of the anilox roll to the substrate. Each printing plate is filled with a different color to facilitate multicolor printing.
Advantages Of Using A Flexographic Printing Machine
High production speed
Flexo printing is a fast and reliable method of printing on multiple substrates. It has a quick production process. Setting up a flexo printing machine may take some time. However, the fast production speeds compensate for the same. Additionally, the machines use servo-based technology that facilitates even shorter job runs. This makes the entire production process more economical.
Option For Multiple Inks
The flexography printing machine has multiple plates, which you can fill with different color inks to attain a multicolor image. Moreover, the machine can accommodate multiple Ink types, including water-based and UV inks. The versatility makes it a viable option for almost any application. You can choose the ink based on the material printing needs to be done, ranging from porous & non-porous to paper, board, and unsupported films.
Automation
The machine has all the automatic features to carry the production process from start to finish with efficiency. After the machine is set, all the steps, like lamination over varnishing, sheeting, and die-cutting, can be carried out fast. The machine allows a constant flow of applications for continuous and fast production. The automation feature makes flexographic printing the best pick for volume production and fast turnaround requirements.
Save production cost
The process of flexo printing involves low operational costs. The cost of ink and materials is low as there is no special coating needed. Even if you consider the cost of the plates, the price per unit printed is still lower than the mainstream printing methods.
Production efficiency
A flexographic printing machine has a robust structure. It has parts that can work for a long time before asking for a replacement. The machine can significantly shorten the production time and deliver high-quality prints without errors. The machine can use up to 10 colors, with 4 color process images of photo quality and Pantone colors that you can hassle-freely produce commercially.
Environment-friendly
The flexographic printing machine is environmentally friendly as it uses water-based inks. These inks reduce the toxins released into the atmosphere. Moreover, the machine recycles the ink to minimize the release of chemicals. You can also control the drying systems to reduce energy wastage.
Disadvantages Of Using A Flexographic Printing Machine
Complex to handle
Initially, the machine is a little complex to use as it has many integral systems. Additionally, the several mechanical components make it challenging to plan regular maintenance to avoid expensive downtime and repairs.
Expensive
The printing plates are the most expensive part of the machine. If you get a small printing order with multiple colors requirement, you will require a separate printing plate for each color. This will increase your printing cost and leave you with little revenue in hand.
Takes time to set up
It takes considerable time to set up a flexographic printing machine. Moreover, the more colors you print, the more time it will take to set up. Although after the machine is set up in the production unit, it delivers faster production to cover up the setting time.
Competition from other technologies
The printing industry is under transformation, and you can see new techniques coming up offering bold colors printing and incorporation of highly-defined images & complex designs. Being a simple printing process, flexo printing may take a back and may miss out on opportunities.
The Flexo-Printing Process
There are different types of flexographic printing machines available based on the specifications and features offered. However, each machine uses a common printing process, which is explained below:
Plate-making
The most crucial element of a flexography machine is the printing plate. It contains text, image, or design in a mirror form. A separate plate is required for each color.
Platemaking is an art of its own. Three main methods are used to process the same.
Metallic plate etching/Rubber Plates: The image is first engraved in negative onto a metal plate and then washed in an acid bath. After that, a plastic mold is created to fashion the final printing plates out of a flexible, thermoplastic polymer. This is a time-taking and expensive method, rarely used today.
Photopolymer Plates: The print image is engraved through a photo negative straight onto a light-sensitive polymer plate. It is done with the help of ultraviolet light. After the polymer hardens, it is washed with water or solvent at a temperature around 40°C.
Digital plate making/Digital Plates: A digital image is engraved using a computer-operated laser. This excludes the need for a photo negative and saves time. It is the fastest-growing technique for plate-making applications.
Printing
The printing plates are placed into the printing press around the plate cylinders to begin the process. Each color needs a separate plate, the plates are mounted accurately on the press to perfectly transfer the images to the substrate. The use of a video-assisted mounting machine can ensure that every plate is aligned & positioned appropriately.
As the printing begins, the metering roller transfers the ink to an anilox or ceramic roller. This controls the collecting of ink onto the printing plates and ensures uniform coverage of ink. The surface of the anilox roller is covered with thousands of tiny, cell-like impressions that appear like tiny ink cups.
A doctor blade is used to clean the anilox roller to eliminate ink flooding or patchiness. The technique prevents smudging when the plate contacts the substrate. The outcome is a positive, high-quality print image.
After the image is transferred to the substrate, the ink dries quickly. This is the effect of the fan-powered Infrared dryers or the ultraviolet (UV or LED) curing, depending on the Ink type used.
Bottom Line
A flexographic printing machine is the best long-term business investment for medium to high-volume production. We hope that this article has provided you with enough information about the machine and the process.
If you would like to discuss any of the things mentioned above, do let us know in the comments!
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