Flexo Printing
Flexographic printing has grown to the most used print technology in the label printing industry today, providing an optimal combination in quality, productivity, and flexibility. But what is flexo printing and how does it work? In our operator and engineer trainings I will explain this printing technique. This blog gives you a little introduction to flexo printing, and hopefully it will help you make a more confident decision on what printing method is best for your business.
Flexographic printing is a technique that uses a flexible printing plate. In the past, these printing plates were made of rubber, and nowadays businesses use flexible photopolymer printing plates. The plates are wrapped around cylinders on a web press. The inked plates have a raised image and rotate at high speeds to transfer the ink through small holes from the anilox roll to the substrate; each color requires a different printing plate. Due to developments of anilox rolls, printing plates, inks, and the printing press amongst others, you can print images with high line count in flexo.
Flexo printing is unique because it adapts well to different materials (like our own EF multisubstrate flexo press that prints on thin film, paper, cartonboard, shrink sleeves, inmould, lamitube and flexible packaging) and can use a wider range of inks, including water-based inks and UV inks. Because this type of printing holds up and is adaptable, it can be printed on almost any kind of substrate, like plastic, metal, and paper.