Flexo Printing: Understanding the Basics of this Remarkable, Accomplished System

Today, in this article, we are going to share with you the basics of an amazing Flexographic printing system, known as Flexo Printing, and explain how we, at Croft Printing, use this process to achieve high quality results for our clients. As one of the best label printing companies in Nottingham and the Midlands, we use this label printing technique to provide our clients with an exceptional service for all their labelling needs. In this blog we explain the basics involved in the process of creating labels using Flexo Printing together with the benefits of using this method of printing.

Flexographic Printing, also known as Flexo Printing, is the process of preparing flexible, photopolymer plates which transfer images and text on to the substrate, usually paper rolls or plastic. These then coil around multiple rotating cylinders, using a minimum of four ink colours, black, cyan, magenta and yellow. There is also the option of using spot colours and over varnishes, depending on the image or text required by the client.

The next part of this highly precise process of label printing involves four key rollers and tension controls.

The first of these four rollers is the Fountain Roller which rolls through an ink pan and collects ink that is transferred to a ceramic roller known as the Anilox Roller.

The Anilox Roller holds the ink taken from the Fountain Roller and the process continues through the Doctor Blade which scrapes the Anilox Roller’s surface to ensure the smooth and consistent movement as the ink is then rolled onto the Plate Cylinder.

The Plate Cylinder holds the ink as the substrate passes along it and imprint the text and images onto the labels that are being used. The printing substrate is held precisely between this cylinder and our last cylinder, the Impression Cylinder.

The Impression Cylinder’s specific use is to apply pressure onto the printing substrate and the Plate Cylinder so the ink that is applied to the printed material via the Plate Cylinder is firmly pressed into the label material. We then repeat this process using the colours required for the printing of the labels over multiple print stations. When all the processes are complete, we send the final, expertly created product to our client.

One of the many benefits of this system is the ability to use this method of printing on many different kinds of materials. Croft Printing uses this method for materials such as:

• Plastic
• Paper
• Card

Another amazing bonus of using Flexo Printing is the speed of this process which enables us to produce a high volume of labels at an incredibly fast pace. This process also offers the benefit of supplying our clients with mass produced labels in the quickest time possible whilst maintaining a high-quality product.

Minimal waste production is a major benefit with this form of label printing. This streamlined process doesn’t just involve the reduction in actual physical waste it also includes time waste and resource usage which allows us to minimise clean up and waste production. Our clients benefit from increased efficiency alongside our consistent, high-quality results throughout the printing process.

The use of Flexographic Printing, the materials and the precise processes we work with at Croft Printing enable us to provide our clients with affordable, high quality label printing options for all their business requirements.

If you are interested in learning more about our printing processes, please check out our label printing page.

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