This is the second post in our Press Spotlight series. The first entry covered our hot stamp press. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the flexographic press.
What is a flexographic press?
Honestly, it’s just a fancy name for an ink printing press. Another term you might hear used is “flexo printing.” Flexo printing is often used to produce labels, disposable containers, and newspapers. We use the flexo press to print your custom ink labels, ink hang tags, and more.
So besides using ink, what is involved in flexo printing?
Well, after artwork is provided to the printer, the printer will make a printing plate out of a flexible material such as rubber, plastic, or a UV-sensitive polymer so that it can be put on a roller to apply the ink. These plates are made “in relief” – meaning that the design to be printed is raised so only that portion of the plate comes into contact with the substrate (that is, the material that is being printed on). The inks used in flexo printing are fast drying and have a low viscosity (or resistance to flow). On a spot color press, each color used in the design will be on a different plate and applied separately from the other colors. However, on a four color flexo press, four colors are used with a series of half tone dots to achieve a rainbow of colors.
Here are some of the basic parts of a flexographic press:
- Ink Roller: This transfers the ink from the ink pan onto the Anilox Roller.
- Anilox Roller: This roller transfers the ink from the ink roller to the plate in an even manner.
- Plate Cylinder: This cylinder holds the printing plate.
- Impression Cylinder: This cylinder puts pressure on the plate cylinder in order to transfer the image to the substrate.
To achieve a great-looking flexo printed label or other product, be sure to provide the printer with “camera ready” artwork. As is the case with any type of press, the effectiveness of the flexo press is directly related to the quality of the original artwork provided. After your project is printed on the flexo press, it will go through a finishing process which may include varnishing, cutting, or folding.
For more information on flexographic printing, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexography. If you have any questions about flexo printing or any of our printing processes, feel free to contact us at 888.281.0042.
