Which Flexo Plates

Which Flexo Plate is Best for my Corrugated Application?

This Friday, October 10th, Jessica Harkins Harrell will be leading a FPPA webinar that will focus on “Plate handling – best practices for the plate room”. As a preview, she’s outlined below the flexo plates that fit best with different corrugated applications.

 

The quality of flexo printing for corrugated applications has improved significantly in recent years due to improved technology and flexo plate materials.  Advancements in liquid and sheet photopolymer plates allow corrugated printers to consistently offer their customers better quality printing.

I am often asked, “Which flexo plate is best for my corrugated application?” This is a very legitimate question as the selection of flexo plates continues to grow as plates become more specialized to address specific requirements. There are also a number of manufacturers offering flexo plates for corrugated applications that further confuses the situation.

The following is a summary of flexo plates for corrugated preprint and postprint with which I have first-hand experience.

 

Liquid photopolymer

AVCorrugated (AVC) is specifically formulated for corrugated applications and is a highly resilient, durable plate that provides excellent ink transfer. AVC is a 25 or 34 Shore A durometer plate with a wide imaging latitude and delivers exceptional results from demanding artwork.

Sheet photopolymer…Corrugated Preprint

nyloflex® ACE & ACE Digital

This is a high durometer plate for corrugated preprint and other flexo applications. It provides sharp reproduction of the finest elements, screens, text and line work… and is ideal for High Definition Flexo (HD Flexo).

 

nyloflex® ACE UP Digital

Offers the highest print performance, especially with water-based inks for printing corrugated preprint. Excellent ink transfer provides high ink density and homogenous, smooth solids, especially on paper substrates

 

nyloflex® ACT & ACT Digital

Medium hard plate, optimized for the designs that combine halftones and solids in one plate. Ideal for all absorbent and non-absorbent commonly used substrates.

 

nyloflex® FAR

Great versatility – established all around plate for standard applications, including corrugated preprint. Ideal for printing basic screens, solids and line work.

 

Sheet photopolymer…Corrugated Preprint and Postprint

nyloflex® ART & ART Digital

Suitable for printing on folding corrugated board (especially fine flute) and high-quality postprint on corrugated.

 

Sheet photopolymer…Corrugated Postprint

nyloflex® FHC

Hard plate for standard applications in corrugated postprint. Offers very good ink transfer with excellent coverage and minim dot gain in halftones.

 

nyloflex® FRC & FRC Digital

FRC is user friendly and chip resistant for deep plate relief requirements. Ideal for all corrugated print applications – from challenging graphics and multi-color designs to simple line work.

 

nyloflex® FAC & FAC Digital

High performance in corrugated postprint – performs well with challenging and multi-color designs. Perfect adaption to corrugated board structure that reduced the washboard effect.

 

nyloflex® FCC

FCC is the durable standard in postprint, especially on coarse corrugated fluted board, with uncoated and half-coated papers. Optimized for use in inline corrugated print production.

 

nyloflex® FSC Digital

Soft plate for corrugated postprint, especially for transit packaging – unique hardness in the solid plates segment. FSC Digital has a low plate hardness and high print quality offering excellent area coverage, very good ink transfer and good intermediate depths.

 

 

Hopefully, this at-a-glace summary will help clear up some confusion. If you still have any questions, please feel free to contact our Technologies Team at Anderson & Vreeland. You may also be interested in an October 10th FPPA webinar I am leading that will focus on “Plate handling – best practices for the plate room”.

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