The top 5 problems with flexo printing
I love top 5 lists. I mean, who doesn't really? Top 5 movies of all time? Easy, Spider-man into the Spider-verse; Black Panther; Good Will Hunting; Office Space; Batman Begins. However, when it comes to business lists, it seems like all I see though are positive top 5 lists for an industry. So, I have decided to put out some lists on the top 5 problems with certain print methodologies. Why?
Well, for one, I think it's much more important to understand what doesn't work, then to simply regurgitate what does work. Also, understand, I will be speaking in generalities. I understand there are many different flexo presses and not every problem applies to every flexo press.
Here is your top five list:
1) 4 color process images - of course a flexo press can print 4 cp images, but due to high speeds and the manual process of ink mixing and plate setting, sometimes these images can be less impactful and look not so great when compared to other methods
2) Registration - This is the big killer of flexo often times as plate and material movement on press can disrupt what is supposed to be a lovely print on a screen concept.
3) Plate costs - I have talked about this on LinkedIn before, but plates are a very real cost to printer. Almost every printer will charge for the plates and it's a product that you, as the brand owner, purchase, but never really own.
4) Change overs - a 10 color flexo press that has to be broken all the way down and then reset all the way back up can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes from last good to first good. Since printers only make money when they are printing stuff, this becomes problematic.
5) Trapping - Having to apply trap in artwork is not what the artist has in mind when she/he creates the file. However, in many cases, if you don't apply the trapping, then the plates will pop out and you'll see color you just don't want to see.
Let's have a discussion then. What other problems do you see with straight up flexo printing? Feel free to share in the comments!
Coordinateur Packaging- Cha?ne Graphique / Fabricant chez FLEXOCOLOR -ICONE GRAPHIQUE
5 年Alot of machine operators put too much pressure on the cliches which gives an effect of vibration in the fine texts or lines?
Account Manager at Packyard labels & packaging
5 年Chosing Flexo print for your product/packaging always has it's pros and cons; limiting the quality issues you describe can be possible by; working with a Quality oriented printer - chosing to work with HD flexo and not common flexoprint - a printer that makes his own plates is better capable to ensure a better? quality. Choice for Flexo is often also quantity/budget based; with lower quantities and/or multiple designs it can be very interesting to take Digital Printing as an option?! A printer that can offer both qualities and printing techniques can easily calculate what can be the best option for the job.?
Flexodrukker at Belona B.V.
5 年Trapping is a great issue. Use or not use. Maybe the “artist” has to less knowledge of flexo Trapping must be, in my opinion, “invisible” and not troublesome Don’t use it on negative text, only with black contour By using color in color trapping is recommend
Member of the Board - DuPont Polska, Sales Manager NCE DuPont Cyrel ? Solutions ? Electronics & Industrial Printing
5 年I’d add (perhaps at 1st place) HUMAN FACTOR and its influence on the aspects mentioned by Adam. Loooong discussion :)
UK Technical support Flint Group
5 年A good conversation provoking piece! I personally love Paul Larkin’s description of Flexo as “an incapable process”. To master it and get around all of the pitfalls is the challenge we all face.