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Printing method - we use the following methods in our printing process
Flexographic Printing
Flexography is the major process used to print packaging materials. Flexographic presses are capable of producing good quality impressions on many different substrates and is the least expensive and simplest of the printing processes used for decorating and packaging printing.
Large quantities of inks are used during normal runs on flexographic presses. Major chemicals used in flexography include platemaking solution, water and solvent based inks, and blanket/roller cleaning solvents.
Flexography is a form of rotary web letterpress, combining features of both letterpress and rotogravure printing, using relief plates comprised of flexible rubber or photopolymer plates and fast drying, low viscosity solvent, water-based or UV curable inks fed from an "anilox" or two roller inking system. The flexible (rubber or photopolymer) plates are mounted onto the printing cylinder with double-faced adhesive. Plates are sometimes backed with thin metal sheets and attached to the cylinder with fastening straps for close register or ink alignment. This adds additional cost to the plate and requires more makeready time, but when quality printing is critical this type of plate can make the difference.
Gravure printing / Rotogravure printing
Gravure printing is characteristically used for long run, high quality printing producing a sharp, fine image. The gravure cylinder has a long service life and will yield a very large number of impressions without degradation. Gravure printing is an example of intaglio printing. It uses a depressed or sunken surface for the image. The image areas consist of honey comb shaped cells or wells that are etched or engraved into a copper cylinder. The unetched areas of the cylinder represent the non-image or unprinted areas. The cylinder rotates in a bath of ink called the ink pan.
As the cylinder turns, the excess ink is wiped off the cylinder by a flexible steel doctor blade. The ink remaining in the recessed cells forms the image by direct transfer to the substrate (paper or other material) as it passes between the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder.
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