Flexographic printing machines have become worldwide essential for the printing of packages and labels. These machines hold a competitive advantage over others due to their capability of printing on diverse materials including plastic films, paper, and metallic foils. This article will cover how flexographic printing machines work, their salient features, and the industries that utilize them.
What is a Flexographic Printing Machine?
As one of the most sophisticated flexographic printing presses, the flexographic printing machine utilizes a flexible printing plate, also known as the photopolymer plate, which is mounted on the substrate rotary drum to print images. Like all other forms of rotary printing, a flexography specialty relies on printing pictures and texts on a variety of substances in high-quality. It's the preferred technique for packaging and labeling due to the economy of scale it offers.
This type of machinery is capable of performing a flexo print on virtually any material; from containers, paper, labels, films, to even metallic foils and corrugated boxes. The main benefit flexography possesses over other methods like offset printing or letterpress printing is its ability to print on non-porous substances with high-quality outcomes, all due to the pliability of the printing plate.
The Essential Parts of a Flexographic Printing Machine
To fully grasp how flexographic printing operates, the essential components must be well understood. The following are core parts of the flexographic printing machine:
Printing Plate
Printing plates in flexo printers are among the most vital parts of the machine. In contrast to other printing procedures that employ solid plates, flexography employs semi-rigid, rubbery plates. Photopolymer or rubber makes up the plates as well as the cylinders they are mounted on. The surface of these plates contains engraving designs or texts that are meant to be printed. The strength of flexographic pans is that bends and irregular shapes can be printed as well. This feature enables flexographic printing to be applicable for many materials.
Anilox Roller
The anilox roller's duty is to apply the ink on the printing plate and its inked surface is a ceramic or steel roller with small to medium size cells molded on it. In this system, the anilox roller receives ink from the ink fountain system. The roller then meters and evenly applies the ink to the printing plate. The quality of the anilox roller determines the consistency of the ink and the quality of the print output produced.
Ink Fountain
An ink fountain is responsible for holding the ink to be supplied to the printer and regulating the volume sent to the anilox roller. In addition, ink fountains, regardless of their type, guarantee a uniform supply of ink to the printing plate to eliminate changes in color or coverage. Depending on the type of printing machine and job specifications, different size ink fountains are used.
Doctor Blade
The reason a doctor blade is used is that it scrapes off the surplus ink from the anilox roller and only leaves that which is required on the roller. Transfer to the printing plate is done in a very precise manner and it is critical that proper repetition with the desired coverage is achieved consistently throughout.
Drying System
Once the ink is put on the substrate, it needs to be dried before any subsequent printing. Flexographic printing machines usually come with drying systems that might include hot air, UV light, or infrared depending on the type of ink used.
How Does Flexographic Printing Work?
A flexographic press is built around a simple principle and few are as simple and as effective. A general outline of steps follows.
- Plate Preparation: This stage involves preparing the flexographic printing plate. The plate is covered with a film that contains the design, which is then scanned or engraved prior to attachment on the print cylinder alongside the flexo blade.
- Ink Application: Ink is provided from the fountain to the anilox roller. The anilox roller rotates and meters the ink on the surface of the printing plate.
- Printing: The printing process begins with feeding the substrate into the printing press. The inked plate touches the substrate and ink is released on it. Because the printing plate is flexible, it easily bends around the substrate surface enabling all of its portions to be adequately covered.
- Drying and Curing: Once the ink is processed, the substrate goes through a drying station for the ink to be properly set. For UV inks, this step requires curing the ink using UV light, which ensures that the ink is immediately cured.
- Finishing: Preparing the printed piece for additional processes and packaging is completed by either rolling the printed piece or cutting it into sheets.
Flexographic printing is best known for the ability to print high volumes of material in a short period without compromising quality. This makes it the optimal print process for labels, corrugated boxes and packaging materials in bulk.
Advantages of Flexographic Printing Machines
A variety of merits are granted by flexographic printing machines which are preferred by most industries. Below are the reasons why flexographic printers are so popular.
Speed and Efficiency
Flexographic printing machines are able to print at incredibly fast speeds. This makes them best suited for bulk prints where efficiency is a priority. Since flexographic presses deliver great quality at incredibly high speeds, they are perfect for large production runs.
Versatility
Flexographic printing machines can print using a variety of substrates, making them versatile. From flexographic printing plastic films, paper, and even metal foils or corrugated cardboard are all possibilities. Because of this flexibility, flexographic printing machines are particularly effective for a multitude of sectors from food and beverage packaging to medical supplies and consumer goods.
High-Quality Print
Even with their speed, flexographic printing machines enable sharp detail, vibrant colors, and excellent registration. As with other techniques, the use of flexible printing plates for details and smooth gradients is essential for product labels and packages that use high-quality graphics. With flexographic printing, the output’s detail, colors, and registration is maintained, therefore the quality is sure to be high.
Cost-Effectiveness
For larger production runs, flexographic printing techniques are often cheaper than the initial print methods. However, they are not cheaper than digital printing for large volumes, as the per-unit cost of printing dramatically improves when using flexographic printing. While the setup costs may be greater than other methods, these other methods cannot compete when the volume of prints increases.
Industries Using Flexographic Printing Machines
With the growth of technology, flexographic printing machines are now being used in an increasing number of industries. Here are some of the industries that use flexographic printing technology:
Packaging Industry
Flexographic printing machines are arguably the best for use in the packaging industry. Flexo presses are standard for printing on pliable packaging materials, including plastic bags, pouches, and films. The ability to print on different substrates, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and even aluminum foil makes these flexographic machines ideal in all areas of packaging industries.
Labeling Industry
Flexographic printing is widely accepted in the labeling industry as well for the production of product labels, tags, and barcodes. Apart from speed, the quality of print produced is top-notch containing a variety of vibrant colors and sharp details alongside design elements which drives branding and product selling.
Food and Beverage Industry
Packaging and labeling in the food and beverage industry rely heavily on flexographic printing. Flexo printing presses have become the norm for use in the different food packaging materials such as plastic wraps, snack bags, and even beverage cartons. Being capable to print in volumes in such a rapid fashion is crucial for sustaining in the cut-throat paced industry.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
Flexographic printing is applied in the pharmaceutical sector for packaging medicines and medical devices. Flexographic printing offers high quality and accuracy which makes it possible for vital product details like dosage and expiry dates to be read. The ability to print on different materials also enables the manufacturing of compliant packages with regulatory requirements.
KTETGROUP: A Leader in Flexographic Printing Machines
KTETGROUP is a premier manufacturer of high-speed flexographic printing machines and other businesses from different countries purchase them for thier printing and packaging work. They guarantee outstanding print quality, dependability, and productivity which is greatly needed for various sectors of packaging and printing labels.
For more information about KTETGROUP's flexo printers, check out https://www.ketegroup.com/pt/product-category/flexo-printing-machines/
Conclusion
Flexographic printing machines are indispensable assets in packaging and label printing. Their high-speed functions, combined with precision printing capability on various substrates, make them a preferred option in packaging, labeling, food and beverage, and drug industries. The operational flexibility, functional effectiveness, and quality output of these printing machines makes it easier for businesses to remain competitive in a continuously evolving global economy.
KTETGROUP is one of many providers that offers advanced flexographic printing machinery, and as such, they are closer to assisting businesses achieve superior product quality while positioning them ahead of the competition as technology trends change.