Flexographic Printing Plates: A 2023 Guide
Flexography, commonly known as flexo printing, is a variant of relief printing. It uses a flexible, compressible plate to transfer ink to a substrate. Unlike other printing methods, the image areas on the plate are raised above the non-image areas, allowing for precise ink application.Get more news about Flexographic Flat Printer,you can vist our website!
Core Classifications of Flexographic Printing Plates
Photosensitivity Classifications:
Rubber Plates: Made from natural and synthetic rubber materials. They do not rely on photosensitive chemicals to create the image. Suited for short-run jobs on coated substrates.
Photosensitive Resin Plates: Use photopolymer resins that harden when exposed to light. Two sub-types exist:
Solid Photosensitive Resin: Uniform solid sheet construction.
Liquid Photosensitive Resin: Rely on liquid-type resins. Offer high resolution and print consistency across long-run jobs.
Platemaking Process Classifications:
Traditional Plates: Require negative films to transfer the image. Higher production times and costs due to film requirements.
Digital Plates: Replace traditional film with digital laser etching of the image onto the plate. Enables a more streamlined platemaking process.
Plate Thickness Classifications:
Thick Plates (3.94mm+): Highly elastic thick plates withstand pressure fluctuations on uneven or irregular substrates. Well-suited for packaging applications.
Thin Plates (0.76mm to 2.28mm): More dimensionally stable and rigid. Ideal for labels, folding cartons, and flexible packaging.
Development Method Classifications:
Solvent-Wash: Solvents remove unexposed polymer portions during development. High productivity.
Water-Wash: Aqueous solutions used for developing, reducing environmental impact.
