Flexo and gravue printing process
Printing is mainly used for shopping bags which many companies could customize the printing image with their logo, brand name, information about products. When getting orders with printing image, we will order printing plates (printing cylinders from Plate Company) and put into printing machines then print the plastic poly bags. Images are analyzed into different colors; and printing will be controlled by technicians if the bags need print many colors or printing images are difficult. HANOI PLASTIC BAG JSC can produce plastic bags by gravure printing or flexo printing. It is best to use gravure printing for luxury shopping bags with natural and complicated images. For simple print or small quantity of plastic bag, people prefer flexo printing. With the most modern printer and experienced technicians, HANOI PLASTIC BAG JSC can print plastic bags or plastic film perfect 100% ink coverage from 1 color until 16 colors (8 colors for each size), print CMYK with very complicated images which no company in Vietnam can do it. The printing process is considered the most difficult cause ability and experiences of workers and technicians are the most important factor in order to make shopping bags printed nicely and perfectly. Level of each manufacturer is impressed by such the printing process.
Gravue printing
1/ Inks:
Gravure inks are fluid inks with a very low viscosity that allows them to be drawn into the engraved cells in the cylinder then transferred onto the substrate.
2/ Process overview:
Gravure printing is characteristically used for long run, high quality printing producing a sharp, fine image. Gravure printing is an example of intaglio printing. It uses a depressed or sunken surface for the image. The image areas consist of honey comb shaped cells or wells that are etched or engraved into a copper cylinder
3/ Applications:
Typical gravure printed products include: luxury plastic shopping bags, food packaging, wall paper, wrapping paper, greeting cards, and magazines. Etc
Bottom line: The disadvantages to gravure printing: its costs are significantly higher than using flexo printing.
Flexo printing
1/ Inks:
Flexographic inks are very similar to packaging gravure printing inks in that they are fast drying and have a low viscosity. The inks are formulated to lie on the surface of nonabsorbent substrates and solidify when solvents are removed. Solvents are removed with heat.
2/ Process overview:
In the typical flexo printing sequence, the substrate is fed into the press from a roll. The image is printed as substrate is pulled through a series of stations, or print units. Each print unit is printing a single color.
3/ Applications:
Flexo printing is the major process used to print packaging materials. Flexography is used to print plastic bags, corrugated containers, folding cartons, multiwall sacks, paper sacks, milk and beverage cartons, disposable cups and containers, labels, adhesive tapes, envelopes, newspapers, and wrappers (candy and food).
Bottom line: The disadvantages to flexo printing are that it is not capable of producing an image as high resolution as gravure printing. It does however produce a better quality for images than screen printing.
If you want to understand details modern and professional printing technique of Hanoi Plastic Bag JSC, you can get into our web: www.hanoiplasticbag.com to see our machines and products or you can visit our company. We are always welcome you to visit us at your convenience.