Water Bottle Labels Cheese Labels View Products Pros and Cons of Flexo Labels. Rotogravure tends to be more efficient in shorter runs as the cost or cylinder making is lower. Flexographic printing is faster than rotogravure. Submit a Post. Growing up, I was always an athletic kid who participated in a lot of varsity sports. It’s cost-efficient. In other printing processes, several layers of ink are required to attain the proper saturation and richness. Since the 1970's, newspapers have in fact been largely printed with soy-based carbon black ink. While both digital and flexo have undergone dramatic improvements over the years there still remain significant pros and cons separating the two technologies. Here are the nine pros and cons of flexography printing: Essentially a different take on rotary printing, flexography involves impressing a raised image onto a flexible surface. All opinions on this blog belong to each of the Kens respectively. Flexography is known for providing quality results with its efficiency in speed. That’s where flexographic printing comes in. This technology makes use of flexible… As result, the horizontal registration is often much less accurate on the rotogravure press, as the width of the substrate gets wider the accuracy declines. You have several options when it comes to custom printing on boxes, but the main ones are Flexographic and Lithographic Lamination. If you’re trying to decide whether or not you want to use flexography for your next printing project, big or small, there are a few things you should take a look at. Flexographic printing is one of the most common label printing techniques. Cons. Flexographic Printer Pros. In this age of digital printing, flexography holds its own when it comes to large orders and long print runs, particularly when it comes to packaging. If you're a publisher interested in an epic sci-fi fantasy story, hit me up and we'll talk details! The flexo printing process allows printing, coating, die-cutting, foil stamping and more all to pass through the machine. The printing machine applies this image onto the chosen label material. One interesting fact about me is that I really like to cook. The branding on the interior was flexographically printed before the boxes were die-cut and creased on completion. Due to the fact that the plates used in flexographic printing are so durable, it really only makes sense to use this method when you’re doing a medium to large volume job. This post is designed to take a closer look at the key differences in flexo printing vs. gravure printing. Given the pros and cons of different printing processes, it is up to you to decide which printing method is most suitable and which is going to give you the best results for the price. Flexographic vs Lithographic is definitely an interesting topic to have a discussion on but, both of them have their share of pros and cons. From Popular to Lesser Known: 4 Types of Biodegradable Packaging. 1.) Fundamental Thoughts. It’s essential to weigh the pros and cons, but you could benefit the entire company, as well as your customers. It guarantees high-quality images. With so many materials and techniques available to you when it comes to packaging, you might be spoilt for choice. You have several options when it comes to custom printing on boxes, but the main ones are Flexographic and Lithographic Lamination. If you have an interesting topic or some insightful commentary, submit the content to us and we'll get back to you. Do you want packaging that’s stylish, sustainable or simply an extension of your brand? Its disadvantages include the cost of its plates, the consumption of costly stock and the large amount of time needed for setup. Most label printers use flexo printing. Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of buying a used machine vs. purchasing a new flexo-press. The accompanying tissue paper was printed with opaque white ink on white paper, continuing the subtle message of their branding throughout. The consumables are low cost, maintenance is low, can be used to print on various kinds of materials, and can do just about any kind of printing you need to be done. Flexographic plates can be created using three different methods. The advantages and disadvantages of flexo printing. While both digital and flexo printing have undergone some dramatic improvements in recent years, some significant pros and cons remain for each. I was born in Canada, but did travel around a lot as a kid since my dad worked and lived in England. Used types of equipment are way cheaper than new ones. In case you were wondering, Ken's Commentary is actually managed by two different individuals, both with the same name. Migrate to Digital Flexography comes with many pros. Another advantage of flexographic printing is its versatility. Flexo Printing – Pros and Cons. A flexographic printing press offers many different components which help facilities to increase efficiency and reduce their costs. Work with a branding specialist who already has this equipment as flexo printing a great option for your corrugated packaging. Digital label and digital printing technology has progressed significantly in the last 3 years and it is now possible to get very high quality digital labels with short lead times on a variety of substrates from standard papers to clear synthetics and even metallics. Every flexographic print operation is different. This is due to the possibility of the widespread use of this technique for printing on both absorbent and nonabsorbent bases. List of the Cons of Flexography. The Pros and Cons of Flexo and Digital label printing. It takes more time to set up each job. An advantage of flexography is that is a fast and economical method to print relatively simple designs on stand up packaging. Flexographic printing on uncoated paper can … That’s why we’ve created our complete guide to product packaging design with everything you need to know about packaging production and design so you can choose the right one for your brand. There are a few advantages and disadvantages before you decide whether or not flexographic printing is the right option for you. Gravure printing is the only high speed and volume print process capable of printing continuous tone images; As a direct print process gravure printing results in better ink laydown and more consistent print quality; Printing times are extremely quick, with modern presses able to produce up to 14m of film per second. In this case, printing “plates” are thin sheets of polymer material, laser engraved with an image of your digital artwork. Which is right for your business products? Pros of Flexographic Printing. Once the machine starts running, the printing process is very quick. Yep, we accept guest submissions! It’s suitable for large printing jobs: the price per 1000 labels goes down as the number of labels goes up Disadvantages of offset printing While the printing as a whole endures criticism for the effects it is having on the environment, flexography offers a more sustainable solution. The retail bags were produced using embossed paper. Set up time is another cost for the conventional flexographic process. Labels for Africa | For more information on Digital Labels vs Flexographic call us on 0860LABELS. We Label America - At Ample Industries, we produce food packaging labels, wine labels, supplement labels and more. This was made with the introduction of the Indigo Omnius digital press. Flexible Printing Plates. Due to the influx of new technology, some of the laborious methods associated with flexography can start to feel dated when compared alongside modern alternatives. One method uses a UV reactive polymer . Although you know all about this style of printing, there’s still a lot you can learn about the other printing techniques you can use for your packaging. Especially when dealing with solid colours, flexography is both faster and will save you money on ink. Digital printers could even use recycled paper to further reduce waste. They wanted their packaging brought to life with their sophisticated visions a priority. It can be used on nearly any non-absorbent material. When creating their eCommerce mailer boxes, they showcased what can be achieved using flexo-print on corrugated board. Flexographic Printing In the year 1993, the label industry was first impacted by digital printing. Here are some of the flexography pros and cons of to help you determine whether or not it is the right option for you. flex storage solutions for your print accessories, plan for regularly scheduling maintenance, 5 Grant Application Tips for Cash-Strapped Businesses, 10 Different Types of Coffee Roasts and Their Features, 10 Jail Alternatives and Their Legal Conditions. See KYMC blog, we lay out some of the comparison factors for you to judge water based ink or solvent based ink is better to meet your flexo printing needs. With the ability to use fast-drying inks, for example, flexography is a great option when it comes to packaging, printing newspapers, and other similar publications. When I'm not writing, you'll probably find me somewhere outside on my trusty mountain bike, being one with nature. Flexo also uses quick-drying, water-based inks which can accommodate printing on a number of packaging substrates including cardboard, kraft paper, chipboard and even cellophane. On porous or non-porous surfaces, flexographic printing can give you that deep, saturated colour that you’ve been looking for. The Risk Of Buying Used. The relief plates used in flexography are also quite durable, which means you’ll only need to replace them after a few million impressions. When buying used equipment, you can have savings. Because of the quick turnaround times and the relatively low cost of printing materials such as ink, flexography is significantly cheaper than other printing methods. It’s suitable for large printing jobs: the price per 1000 labels goes down as the number of labels goes up Disadvantages of offset printing. UV light is shined onto a film negative positioned over the polymer. Disadvantages of flexographic printing. Flexographic Printing. Pros. MPS EF 430 multisubstrate flexo press. Flexographic printing comparatively comes at an economical cost, which is partly because labor costs are low. This was made with the introduction of the Indigo Omnius digital press. Surface Tension Test Ink Makes Measuring Wettability Easy. We also have the flexographic equipment in Scurry, Texas you need to … (Reality Check). That means flexography works better when printing … If you are thinking about moving to flexographic printing methods, it could be an excellent time to do so. Hence, once you are clear about parameters like a number of boxes to print, your budget, quality requirements and time in hand, you can make an informed decision. 1. When you ask for a quote to your packaging manufacturer, you are only limited to the printing technology that they have access to. The Cons. Although the printing process is relatively quick compared to other methods which are available today, the time to set up each job is more time-consuming. Pros and Cons of Digital Label Printers. Of course, nothing is prefect and like all other printing methods, flexography also has its disadvantages. I was born in Italy and immigrated to Canada at the age of four. They both have pros and cons individually, but did you know that both processes can be utilized during the same product life cycle to save money? Costs – The cost of printing plates can still be high for flexography, although the development of new plate materials has made the pricing more competitive; Print Quality – Flexo printing does not support continuous tone images, so is very difficult to achieve the same print quality possible with rotogravure, especially for complex artworks. Now we keep in touch by blogging together. Utilising a mountain motif and grayscale colour palette, they designed a spectacularly sophisticated packaging solution for their garments. In summary, there are pros and cons to the two different printing processes. It can be used on nearly any non-absorbent material. I'm also a bit of an adventurous spirit. 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