Unkown



DOT GAIN

Dot gain is a part of flexo printing, due to nature of the pressure sensitive process. Minimising and making Dot gains predictable are an essential task for any flexo printer.

Cause
Too great ink volume from the anilox.
Printing plate is too thick or swollen.
Mounting tape with wrong thickness or trapped air.
Printing pressure too high.
Inadequate ink setting.
Part of the press is damaged or worn-out.
Dirt on the impression or the printing plate cylinder.
Ink viscosity too low.

Solution
Use an anilox roller with a lower volume.
Use thinner plates. Replace the plate if there is residual solvent on the plate or it is swollen.
Change the mounting tape. Make sure that no air is trapped when mounting the plate. Remount plate.
Reduce the printing pressure (kiss print).
Use a metering system.
Check and replace damaged or worn parts (i.e. gears, mandrels, cylinders).
Clean the impression and printing plate cylinders.
Check, and maintain proper viscosity.


Helmut Mathes, troubleshooting defects supplied curtesey of Flexo & Gravure Int''l 2011

PRINTING PRESSURES

Flexo is a contact and pressure sensitive process. Increasing printing pressure, influences ink transfer and has a significant impact on print quality and performance

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INK TRANSFER - ANILOX

The shape and consistency of anilox cells makes a huge impact on ink transfer and cleanliness of the inking process to the printing plate.

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DIRTY ANILOX

Dried ink in anilox cells, can cause significant change in print densities. The FlexoStar laser can clean dried ink from even the smallest cells.

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The advantage of Direct Computer to Print

The advantage of Direct Computer to Print

Fast overall process with a simple digital workflow.

Total digital dot creation controls dot shape, relief depth and dot height

Direct engraving of ITR seamless continuous sleeves

Direct engraving eliminates washout and drying process

Perfect registration of plates and sleeves

'Cal-Kwik' automatic material calibration for engraving Polymer or Elastomer

'Perfect Balance' automatically re-balances the print form for high-speed printing