A common misconception in water based ink cleaning is the thought that to be effective it would need to have a high pH and thus, be hazardous to the user or equipment. In reality there are two parts for these cleaners to be effective, pH and alkalinity. The alkalinity levels in these cleaners is what causes … Read More...
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Your doctor blade and end seal are an important part of your ink metering system. Most printers would agree that the effectiveness of your doctor blade is critical to your print quality and ultimately your success with your customers. The efficiency and longevity of the doctor blade and the containment blade ultimately lead to more run time between … Read More...
Are synthetic doctor blades a viable option to replace your steel doctor blades? The answer is quite simply YES. Synthetic is safe, reliable, greatly reduces anilox scoring and increases longevity compared to many steel options. Don’t be fooled, this is a premium blade with a precision edge that is available in any tip configuration, capable … Read More...
The flexographic printing process is inherently tough on small type. Press settings, anilox selection, artwork, and mounting tape all play a role in how small type is reproduced on the substrate. Accurate and legible printing of small type is especially critical for applications such as pharmaceuticals and food packaging. In this blog post, we'll take a look … Read More...
Record Attendance as Flexographers Prioritize Process Control APR’s recent March Madness event catered to an eager-to-learn crowd as flexographers from across the Midwest gathered to hear industry experts discuss the latest technology addressing downtime reduction, QC, process optimization and color control. The event brought together nine speakers including APR personnel and representatives from APR’s supplier … Read More...
Rubber platemaking has been around since the early 1900s. For many decades, rubber plates were the standard for flexographic printing. Even today, some printers are using rubber for special applications where extreme durability is mandatory. This form of platemaking is becoming more rare, but it still has a place in modern flexography. The process of … Read More...
Most converters would not consider bypassing an annual Preventative Maintenance (PM) of their flexographic press. While day to day good housekeeping practices and lubrication are key to a well performing printing press, nothing can take the place of a press shut down where proper dryer balance is achieved, rollers aligned, electrical systems checked, tension and … Read More...
Why Should I Measure Dyne Levels? When measuring dyne levels of a substrate for Flexo Printing you are measuring the substrates surface tension. If an ink is to spread over a substrates surface in a uniform layer, or wet out, the substrate must have a surface tension higher than that of the ink. Polymer films … Read More...
All Printing Resources (APR) and SpotOn! Press have released a new version of SpotOn! Flexo that allows flexographic converters to import and export CxF files SpotOn! Flexo is a pressroom software tool that provides the press operator optimal ink densities for spot or special colors to match a reference color by using a predictive analysis … 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...