Flexography is a printing technique that involves using a flexible, rubber relief plate. It is another printing method that is used for high volumen prints. Flexography is less expensive to use for prints than offset lithography, but it often cannot print sepcial effects well. Gradience effects on prints often do not come out as well as offset lithography can print it. However, flexographic printing can handle unusual substrates well, like coated paper and cardboard. The process includes platemaking, mounting, and printing.
Flexography Process:
- The plate is made by rubber or photopolymer and mounted on the cylinder for printing
- Ink is rolled onto the anilox by the rubber ink roll from the ink pan
- The ink is then transferred onto the printing plate cylinder with the raised image areas
- From the printing plate cylinder the ink is pressed onto the substrate that is between the plate cylinder and an impression cylinder
Printing Methods 