Flexography has had the majority share of package printing for some time, and forecasts out as far as 2020 believe this will continue. The rise of flexo has come in tandem with advancements in technology, which continue to be refined and iterated upon at an accelerated rate. The cycle is a virtuous one, where these advancements lead to efficiencies and make flexo more appealing. That brings more printers and suppliers into the fold, leads to research and development funneled into the industry and promotes continued advancements.
Specific to flexography, we’ve seen developments in plate technology and exposure methods, plate mounting procedures, print unit and press design, anilox rollers, inks, and curing and drying systems. And as that cycle continues, all of these will see further refinement and advancement.
What’s the best way to stay on top of these advancements? How to know which are worth investing in and which are mere lip service or empty promises? Smithers Pira, in its Flexographic Printing: The Five Critical Steps to Drive Your Business Forward, states that, “Whether an individual flexographic printing concern will flourish or not in the new environment will depend to a large extent on its technological investment decisions and how it adapts to changes in technology.” And as the name of the report implies, the market researcher offers five steps to pushing flexo businesses forward:
- Optimize prepress workflow to boost quality and turnaround
- Improved plate materials and imaging (by bringing computer to plate (CTP) in house?)
- Anilox technology, link to ink and plates to boost process color
- Growing use of process color to replace multiple spot colors, reducing changeover and waste
- Better press control through use of independent servo motors to improve setup
Prepress Optimization
Smithers Pira’s report contends that the prepress portion of the flexographic process is where the greatest changes have been. Some of those changes include:
- Plate technology has seen enhanced imaging, with CTP exposure improving reproduction quality, dynamic range and detail
- Converters and printings are providing additional service to customers by bringing CTP in house
- Better inks, more efficient curing and a wider variety of offerings
- Anilox roll that weigh less, with consistency and resolution upgrades
Those are in addition to other cited improvements like servo motors, chambered doctor blade ink units, camera feedback and more. Together, they provide a new level of control to printers.
Staying on top of these changes, implementing them in your plant and communicating those upgrades to customers are all critical to staying competitive.
Improved Plates & Imaging
The flourishing realm of prepress and means available to tighten control have led a number of printers to bring CTP in house, enabling them to “establish recognized specifications and quality monitoring, as well as improve the performance and productivity of the process,” according to Smithers Pira. The benefits of CTP, such as laser ablation masks and direct exposure systems, have continued the belief that flexo’s quality is directly comparable to that of offset and gravure printing.