Flexo Printing Machinery

Flexo Printing Machinery and How Does it Work

Flexo printing machines are industrial-class print technologies that are equipped with a flexible printing plate typically manufactured by using synthetic materials such as rubber and photopolymer with the help of which printing ink is transferred to substrates such as paper, films, and plastic. These high-speed printing solutions are widely used to make elegant prints on cardboard boxes, plastic labels, paper bags, and many more. The high printing speed makes them cost-effective for large printing volumes.

These industrial machines are equipped with a series of mechanical components such as anilox rollers, blades, press, and printing plates that function together to make high-quality prints. The cylinder holds the image plate that carries the design that is going to be printed. This plate is then passed through an anilox roller which applies ink and the excess ink is swept away with the help of a doctor's blade. After that, the press mechanism presses the substrate against the printing plate to transfer the design. The print sheet is then passed through a drying system to prevent ink smudging.   

Different Types of Flexo Printing Machinery Available on the Market

Flexographic Printing Machines can be classified into various types as per their sizes, control types, and application where they are going to be used. Some of the popular types are mentioned below:

Non-Woven Flexo Printing Machines: These are specially designed to make prints on thermally or chemically bonded non-woven fabrics. They are in high demand within applications such as bag making, hygiene products, medical products, and industrial materials.

High-Speed Flexo Banner Printers: These industrial units are used to make multicolor graphics and text on synthetic sheets to make high-quality banners, large posters, and other flexible print media. They are in high demand within printers and are commonly used in the advertising and signage industries.

On-Line Flexographic Printing Machines: These printing units are used to make prints on materials with narrow webbing. These are compatible with various materials, such as plastic, paper, and cardboard.

CI Flexo Presses: Also known as central impression printing machines, these printing units are usually used to print large continuous substrates. They are in high demand due to their capability to print in multiple colors.

Benefits of Using Flexo Printing Machinery

Flexo Printing Machines are popular within various industrial sectors due to the following advantages:

Large Printing Volume: Flexo printing machines are equipped with high-speed drives and advanced technologies that make high-quality prints in large quantities with low ink consumption, which makes them suitable for large-scale printing jobs.

Compatibility: One of the most important benefits of these machines is that they are capable of making print on various types of substrate materials such as plastic, paper, metallic foils, and cardboard.

High-quality prints: these machines produce prints with excellent color saturation and sharpness without any risk of ink smudging.

Environmentally friendly: Flexo-printing machines use water-based or UV-curable inks that do not emit any volatile or toxic compounds that result in high eco-friendliness.

Cost-effective: The low power consumption, less use of ink, and zero material wastage make them economical for small as well as large-scale printing jobs. 

Common Applications of Flexo Printing Machinery

Flexo printing machines are high-performance printing technologies that can be used in several industrial applications:

Packaging: The capability to print materials such as cardboard, plastic films, metal foils, paper, and others make them suitable to print packaging materials for industries like food, pharmaceutical, medicine, cosmetic, agriculture, and many more.

Labels and tags: These machines are ideal to create product tags and labels for branding and information purposes.

Bag Making: Flexo printing machines can be used to print non-woven fabrics and plastic sheets which make them ideal for printing shrink sleeves, non-woven bags, plastic pouches, and re-sealable bags.

Wallpaper: The continuous print capabilities of these make them suitable to print elegant images and patterns over wallpapers used for the interior decoration for homes.

Corrugated containers: These industrial printing machines can be used to print corrugated cardboard containers for branding purposes to make them useful in e-commerce and retail.
 

Future of Flexo Printing Machinery

The future of any industrial machines depends on the long-term benefits they will provide. In the case of flexo printing machines, these printing solutions are highly advantageous in various industrial sectors, resulting in their bright future for printing applications:

Increased Automation: The fully automated and semi-automated variants of these printing machines are highly demanding due to quick printing, zero wastage, and less labor force.

Digitalization: It is expected to see more digital printing technologies within flexo printing machinery that will allow operators to make intricate design patterns with high print quality and greater flexibility.

Customization: These machines are well suited to provide personalized print solutions that make them in high demand for a large market of e-commerce businesses.

Integration & compatibility with Other Technologies: The smart and intelligent programmable control systems and technologies such as AI when combined with the flexo printing process will enhance the printing capabilities.

Eco-friendliness: As we are finding ways to use the environment-friendly system for the safety of the atmosphere, the flexo printing industry is no exception as they use non-toxic and recyclable materials for printing processes. 

FAQs: Flexo Printing Machinery

Q. What are the main components of flexo printing machinery?

Ans. Flexo printing machines are industrial-grade printing machines that are equipped with several mechanical and automation components. The mains parts of these machines are:

• Printing plates: These flat elements are fabricated by using polymeric materials. They carry a design which can be a text or image to be printed on substrates.
• Anilox rollers: These components are responsible for efficiently transferring inks to the printing plates.
• Printing cylinder: This cylindrical spare is designed to apply pressure on printing plates to transfer print designs onto the substrate.
• Doctor blade: It is used to remove excess ink from an anilox roller to prevent the risk of ink smudging.
• Ink fountain: It is a storage unit that carries ink and supplies it to the anilox roller.
• Drying mechanism: To ensure quick drying of ink flexo printing machine comes with radiation-based curing systems that improve the print quality.

Q. What is the average cost of flexo printing machinery?

Ans. There are many different types of flexo printing machines available in the market. The price range of these industrial machines varies according to their sizes, features, power ratings, printing speeds, and print capabilities. The estimated range of average cost of flexo printing machinery in India is between 500000 to 3500000 INR per unit. Apart from the buying cost, other additional costs may be included, such as training, maintenance, installation, and repairs.
 

Q. What factors should be considered when selecting a flexo printing machine?

Ans. Choosing the right flexo printing machine for your business may be a challenging task. There are various factors that one needs to keep in mind while selecting the right machine for you:

Substrate material: Consider the types of materials you are going to print. If you have a good budget then it is advisable to select a machine that is capable of printing various types of substrates such as plastic, paper, and metal.

• Printing volume: this factor needs to be considered as per the size of your industrial facility.
• Printing width: the width of the substrate you are going to print will determine the size and type of machine you will need.
• Features: Always go for automated and integrated technologies that can be easily updated.
• Budget: Consider your budget and machine requirements before selecting your machine model.

Q. What is the typical lifespan of flexo printing machinery?

Ans. The service life of flexo printing machines depends on several factors which include application areas, daily work hours, maintenance and others. Usually, these machines are capable of operating for a longer run. The proper care and servicing of the offered machines further increase the service life of the machine for up to 5 years. Servicing factors such as lubrication, cleaning, and replacement of worn components also result in increased service life.