The Quiet [Plate] Killer One very common yet difficult question to answer in our industry is, “How many feet or impressions should I expect to get out of my photopolymer plates?” Considering the number of factors that must be taken into consideration, certainly anyone faced with this question should hesitate at least momentarily before answering. … Read More...
Articles on Process Control
Rich solids. Smooth vignettes. Intricate details. Design elements like these continue to challenge the Flexo industry to improve. Many of today’s flexo printers continue to rise to those challenges with innovations and processes that advance their Flexo print capabilities. In an effort to showcase the advancements in flat top plates, high-end screening, and UV-LED concurrent … Read More...
APR Narrow Web Flexo Production and Digital Printing Study Get the complete results of the study! Click Here to download a PDF containing the results from the APR Narrow Web Flexo Production and Digital Printing Study. (Acrobat PDF 309KB) All Printing Resources has commissioned an extensive market research project, the APR Narrow Web Flexo Production … Read More...
Learn how expanded gamut technology raises your productivity and makes printing more profitable. A lot of companies are still not sure whether or not fixed palette printing is a good idea. This document from Esko demystifies a number of common recurring beliefs about extended gamut technology that keep printing companies from reaching their full potential. … Read More...
We have recently introduced G7 Master Printer certification program for flexographic operations allowing us to assist in profiling flexo presses and confirm for printers that they're printing consistently based on G7 specifications. G7 is a process that helps printers print consistent color, with less preparation and less waste, and reliably produce high quality printing that … Read More...
The anilox roll is often considered the heartbeat of the pressroom. They are a major contributor to high quality and productivity or, in turn can be a direct cause of print defects and machine downtime. They also represent a large investment by the company. Many problems can be avoided and money saved with a well-maintained … Read More...
Why should I replace my bulbs if they still light? UV-A and UV-C exposure bulbs lose output intensity over time. The gases inside the bulb become inert, resulting in longer start up time, while the UV output diminishes. This results in longer, inconsistent exposure times. If you have an integrator on your exposure unit you … Read More...
Albéa brings flexo art and platemaking capabilities inhouse with the help of a full-service APR team With a flexo press that prints a wide variety of toothpaste and other tube-contained products, Albéa was heavily dependent on a third-party vendor for their artwork and platemaking. Besides the significant art and platemaking expense, this global consumer packaging … Read More...
Gray balance is a top requirement for overall color balance in the reproduction. The three process color inks - yellow, magenta, and cyan - most often will not produce a neutral. Nor will they always produce neutral light, medium, and dark grays in screened values. White light is made up of equal parts of red, … Read More...
Identify the Cause — Minimize the Cost - Part 3 of 3 The Conclusion In Part 1 of this series, the focus was on correctly defining and identifying print defects. Part 2 dealt with how the actions of support groups and reactions of the press operator can sometimes minimize the effect while other times they … Read More...