INK TRANSFER - FLEXO PRINT FORM

The flexo print form is a fundamental part of the printing process and has a significant impact on ink transfer and cleanliness, throughout the flexo printing process. Whether printing with photopolymer plates mounted on cushion tape, or ITR polymer or Direct laser engraved (DLE) elastomer sleeves, the Flexo print form package can be influenced by material, hardness and surface finish, together with in-accuracies or changes in size due to incorrect processing or on-press conditions.

Print forms need to be produced correctly and can be optimized to suit ink type (water, solvent, UV) and substrate material (PET, PP, PE, Paper, foil).

CONTROL THE MATERIAL & ACCURACY OF THE PRINTING FORM PACKAGE = CONTROL THE INK TRANSFER

So what are the factors that can affect or cause changes in ink transfer during printing and lead to defects such as Dirty Print and Filling-In?

Problems which can lead to changes of Ink Transfer, caused by the printing form

In correct plate type or thickness
In correct mounting tape type or thickness
Air bubbles between mounting sleeve, tape or plate, caused by the mounting process
Contaminiation of the plate surface, caused during processing
Wrong plate screen count specification for your inks and printing requirements
Wear or swelling of the plates, causing changes in ink carrying capacity
Deviations in circumference, concentricity and parallism of the printing form
Changes in printing package thickness caused by wear or swelling by inks or cleaning solutions
Problems with ink transfer between ink chamber to anilox to printing form to substrate

DIRECT LASER ENGRAVING OF ELASTOMER SLEEVES AND PLATES  WITH THE FLEXOSTAR CAN PROVIDE A FLEXOPERFECT SOLUTION FOR YOU, by ensuring printers have a choice of sleeve and plate material, which can by optimized to give best ink transfer.