Flexography is a form of printing process which uses a flexible relief plate. It’s essentially a modern version of letterpress which can be used for printing on almost any type of material, including plastic, metallic films, cellophane, and paper. It’s widely used for printing on the non-porous substrates required for various types of food packaging.
Flexographic printing begins with plate making.
Plate making:
Flexographic printing requires plates that are flexible such as those made out of rubber or photopolymer. Plates can be crafted in various ways such through the use of light-sensitive polymers, laser etching or moulded in an acid bath. The plates are then mounted onto the printing cylinder with double-faced adhesive.
In the first instance, a negative of the image is placed between the photopolymer and the ultraviolet light source. The ultraviolet light then reacts with the image and polymer which hardens the image area, leaving a raised (relief) impression. This is becoming the most common way of producing plates for flexograph machines as it offers superior quality at a cheaper running cost than previous methods such as rubber plates.
At Focus Label Machinery ltd our PlateMate is the most effective system for mounting all types of flexible photopolymer printing plates. Guaranteed to be pin accurately every time, the Platemate machine is quick and simple to operate and has an integral adhesive tape dispenser.
No more valuable production time will be wasted due to mislaid plates - or costly downtime waiting for plates to be mounted. A complete set of printing plates can be pre-mounted, before going to press, with full confidence they will be square and accurate. Available for all Focus machine models, the PlateMate system is compatible with printing cylinders from almost every type of narrow web press, ensuring the full production press shop can enjoy the benefits of the system.
For more information on plate making, or any flexographic printing processes, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us.
Flexographic printing begins with plate making.
Plate making:
Flexographic printing requires plates that are flexible such as those made out of rubber or photopolymer. Plates can be crafted in various ways such through the use of light-sensitive polymers, laser etching or moulded in an acid bath. The plates are then mounted onto the printing cylinder with double-faced adhesive.
In the first instance, a negative of the image is placed between the photopolymer and the ultraviolet light source. The ultraviolet light then reacts with the image and polymer which hardens the image area, leaving a raised (relief) impression. This is becoming the most common way of producing plates for flexograph machines as it offers superior quality at a cheaper running cost than previous methods such as rubber plates.
At Focus Label Machinery ltd our PlateMate is the most effective system for mounting all types of flexible photopolymer printing plates. Guaranteed to be pin accurately every time, the Platemate machine is quick and simple to operate and has an integral adhesive tape dispenser.
No more valuable production time will be wasted due to mislaid plates - or costly downtime waiting for plates to be mounted. A complete set of printing plates can be pre-mounted, before going to press, with full confidence they will be square and accurate. Available for all Focus machine models, the PlateMate system is compatible with printing cylinders from almost every type of narrow web press, ensuring the full production press shop can enjoy the benefits of the system.
For more information on plate making, or any flexographic printing processes, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us.
