Aniloxes
One of the key components of any flexographic press, the anilox roll has seen its share of upgrades and advancements recently. Modern plates can print comfortably at 175 and 200 lpi, with dots smaller than 10-µ. With an increase in line screen, a plate’s cell walls become more susceptible to wear and tear. On this end, plate makers have worked to improve the durability of the roller surface and experiment with different cell patterns.
“Manufacturers compete on quality, offering measurement and verification of aniloxes before they are dispatched,” Smithers Pira states. Offering accurate rollers to customers necessitates the use of interferometry for measurement, which involves reflective light waves that create a 3-D image of each cell.
Postprint, rollers should be cleaned thoroughly to prevent ink from drying in cells and plugging them. Rollers with more cells will have more opportunities for dried ink to become lodged and require additional care and attention.
Both plate cylinders and sleeves have seen a shift to light weights, both in materials used and finished products.
Process Color
Printing spot colors to match a brand’s particular hue or shade is becoming an old practice, replaced by the use of process colors. Printing with a standard ink set, rather than needing to stop and add in specific colors, allows for more press uptime and less waste, two key factors in efficiency.
Improvements to wet on wet trapping are also in the works. “This is a result of process printing to recognized standards becoming more widely accepted,” Smithers Pira notes. Standardized printing conditions are also enabling brands to use multiple converters in different locations, as well as reducing cycle time and redone work. Programs like FTA’s FIRST Certification and related Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST) 5.0 further this aim.
Better Press Control
Servo motors have led to new levels of press automation and faster changeovers than ever before, while also improving setup times. Smithers Pira mentions that manufacturers often offer high definition cameras, plus automated registration and tension control systems that, in unison serve to identify and correct print defects. The camera also enables an instantaneous comparison between the artwork file and the printed examples.
“High quality print, increased efficiency, higher productivity and improved sustainability are the desired results to boost the competitive position of flexography,” the report ends. That has long stood as a general purpose goal for any flexographer.