Printing Processes and

Image Carrier Preparation

C.ARAVINDHAN
Printing Plates
Screen Angles
Registration marks
Letterpress
 Flexography
• The first plates developed for flexographic
printing were made of natural or, more
commonly, synthetic rubber, and were
manufactured much like letterpress plates.
• Although photopolymer plates are now widely
used in flexographic platemaking, rubber still has
its adherents, primarily because of its economy,
its simplicity, and its compatibility with ink
solvents that cannot be used with photopolymer
plates.
 Operation principle of flexography
printing
• Tƒ he image elements of the printing plate are raised above
the non image elements, forming a relief pattern of the
printed image.
• Printing ink is applied onto the image elements via an anilox
roller that has small cells engraved evenly onto its surface.
• The surface of the anilox roller is first flooded with ink from
an ink chamber after which excess ink is removed with a
doctor blade. ƒ
• As a result, ink remains only in the cells. ƒInk is then
transferred onto the raised image elements of the plate and
further onto the substrate. ƒThe nip pressure is 0.1-0.5 MPa. ƒ
• The plate is made of soft and flexible material which
improves the contact formation at the ink transfer points. ƒ
The ink layer is then dried with hot air.
 Anilox rolls
• Anilox rollers are typically coated with ceramic
material or chrome and the cells are engraved
onto its surface
ƒ either electromechanically or
with a laserbeam. ƒ
• Today, ceramic rollers are more common due
to their smaller cell size.
 Flexographic printing plates ƒ
• Flexographic printing plates are typically made of
photopolymer ƒThese plates are first back-exposed to UV
radiation to determine the relief depth. ƒ
• After this, the plate surface is exposed to UV radiation
through a film negative. ƒThe exposed image areas
polymerize and become insoluble.
• The unexposed material is then removed in a washing
stage. ƒ
• CTP (computer-to-plate) plates are imaged directly from
digital page data. The plates have a black coating onto
which the page negative is formed by ablating it with a
laser. ƒOtherwise, the plate making steps are similar to the
conventional plates.
• CTP plates have improved register accuracy. Thermal
imaging improves the print quality further.
 Flexography
• The factors affecting the ink transfer and print quality
are: ƒthe cell geometry of the anilox roller, anilox roller
type, ink viscosity, plate material, plate imaging,
printing speed, nip pressure, and substrate properties.
• Flexographic printing inks have low viscosity of 10-200
mPa.s contributing to the ink flow and improving the
ink transfer.
• The ink layer thickness is 0.8-1 µm but with UV inks the
thickness can be 2.5 µm. Recent developments in the
laser engraving have increased the ink layer thickness
to 6-8 µm
 Flexography printing

used mainly in packaging printing applications ƒ

The main advantages are: ƒ
• the wide variety of suitable substrates ƒ
• simple operation principle and press construction ƒ
rather accurately adjustable applied amount of
ink ƒ
Disadvantages include: ƒ
• the lower print quality ƒpoorer register accuracy ƒƒ
• the plate material limits the amount of suitable
inks.
 Offset printing
• Offset printing is the most common printing method in
newspaper and commercial printing in particular when
high print quality is required. ƒ
• Offset printing plates are quickly and easily produced ƒ
the plates have a long lifetime since the plate is not in
direct contact with the substrate. ƒ
• due to the high viscosity of inks drying can be done
after the last printing unit. ƒ
• However, the ink-water balance needs to be accurately
adjusted and the use of dampening water limits the
range of suitable materials to be printed. ƒ
• Waterless offset removes the difficulties caused by the
dampening water. In this case, silicone replaces water.
Offset Principle
 Operation principle of offset printing
• O
ƒ ffset printing is an indirect printing method where ink
is transferred from the printing plate onto the
substrate via an intermediate blanket cylinder. ƒ
• The image and non-image areas of the plate are on the
same level but they have different surface energies
• the image areas are ink-receptive and non-image areas
ink-repellent but water-accepting. ƒ
• Dampening unit applies first a thin film of dampening
water onto the non image areas after which inking unit
applies a thin layer of ink onto the image areas. ƒ
 Operation principle of offset printing
• The surface chemistry difference and the
dampening water layer prevent ink from
spreading onto the non-image areas.
• The dampening water also cools down the
printing unit. ƒThe ink layer is then transferred
onto the blanket cylinder and further onto the
substrate. ƒ
• After the last printing unit, the ink layer is dried
via absorption, polymerization, oxidation, or
evaporation.
 Offset plates
• O
ƒ ffset printing plates are typically made of aluminium
that is coated with a photopolymer layer. ƒ
• The photopolymer layer cross-links as it is exposed to UV
radiation. The unexposed material can be then washed
off with solvents. ƒ
• After development, the plate is protected and
strengthened by gumming and baking.
• CTP plates are today popular since they eliminate the
need of page films. However, these plates are more
expensive but due to their sensitivity the exposure time
and energy are greatly reduced. ƒ
• Nowadays, also thermal, chemistry-free, and process-less
CTP plates are gaining popularity. These plates improve
the print quality, eliminate several plate making steps, or
offer energy and cost savings.
 Offset printing
• Tƒ he print quality of offset printing depends on: ƒthe ink
properties, dampening water properties, substrate
properties, printing conditions, ink-water balance, design of
the inking and dampening units, as well as the plate and
blanket properties. ƒ
• The quality of the offset printing is difficult and complicated
to control. The most important quality factor is the ink-water
balance that controls the amount of waste and ink transfer.
• Offset printing inks have high viscosity (40-100 mPa.s).This
high viscosity prevents excessive ink penetration into the
substrate. ƒ
• The thickness of the ink film is typically 0.5-1.5 µm.
Dampening water consists mainly of water (95-98 %) and
additives such as isopropanol (IPA). IPA decreases the
surface tension of water to increase the spreading rate of
dampening water onto the non-image areas.
 Gravure Printing
• Typically used to print high-quality and high-
volume publications and packages . ƒ
• The advantages of gravure are: ƒthe simple
operation principle ƒsimple-structured printing
equipment ƒhigh production speed ƒhigh
resolution. ƒVarious solvents can be used since
the printing cylinders are resistant to most inks.
• Disadvantages are: ƒthe high costs of cylinders,
high quality demands for substrates ƒhigh
requirements for suitable process parameters
 Operation principle of gravure printing
• Tƒ he image-elements, i.e., cells are engraved into the surface
of the printing cylinder whereas the non-image areas remain
at the original level. ƒ
• The engraved printing cylinder rotates in an ink fountain as a
result of which the entire printing cylinder is inked and
flooded with ink. ƒ
• Excess ink is then wiped off with a doctor blade such that ink
remains only in the cells.
• Ink is then transferred directly onto the substrate in a printing
nip under pressure. The nip pressure is 1.5-5 MPa. ƒThe ink
transfer is often improved by creating an electric field across
the nip. This field lifts ink out of the cells into contact with the
substrate, thus improving the ink transfer. For example, the
emptying degree of the cells increases from 40-60 % to 80-95
% with ESA (Electrostatic assist) system. ƒ
• The ink layer is dried by evaporating the solvent with hot air.
 Gravure cylinders
The printing cylinder engraving: ƒ
Electromechanically with a diamond stylus: ƒ
• produces trapezoid-shaped as the stylus
penetrates into the copper coating of the
printing cylinder ƒgeometry of the cell depends
on the stylus angle ƒthe penetration depth of
the stylus ƒ
laser-engraving: ƒ
• produces round cells. ƒ
• shape of the cell depends on the energy of the
beam.ƒ
Etching:
• Solid areas are also reproduced by engraving individual
cells separated by cell walls
• The ink has to spread to some extent to produce solid
tones.
•After engraving, the cylinder is chromed to increase its
durability and improve the filling and emptying of the
cells.
Gravure Cylinder Making
 Gravure Cylinder
• Laser-engraving improves the filling and emptying of
the cells due to its round shape. ƒ
• Laser-engraved cells are finer and produced faster than
electromechanically engraved ones. ƒ
• Laser-engraving requires the printing cylinder to be
coated with zinc instead of copper. ƒThe cells have been
engraved in a form of a matrix of smaller dots (Extreme
engraving).
• This allows a free adjustment of screen resolution, cell
shape and depth, and cell wall thickness and reduces
the raggedness of the printed lines.ƒ
The main factors affecting the print quality and ink
transfer are: ƒ
• The ink viscosity, ink type, printing speed, cell
geometry, screen ruling (mesh=lines/cm), blade
geometry, wiping parameters, nip pressure, ESA
level, cylinder properties, and substrate
roughness, pore structure as well as
compressibility.
• Gravure inks have very low viscosity (5-25 mPa.s)
since they have to be able to flow in and out of the
engraved cells at high speeds.
• extremely thin ink layers are printed. The thickness
of the ink layer is typically 0.8-2 µm but when UV-
curing inks are used the thickness can be up to 8
µm.
 Screen printing
• Sƒ creen printing can be utilized at numerous
applications such as printing textiles,
advertisements, ceramics, curved substrates,
and electronics. ƒ
• In addition, the range of suitable inks is large. ƒ
On the other hand, the printing speed is low
and often the print quality is also poor.
 Operation principle of screen printing
(flat bed)
• Sƒ creen printing is a push-through process where
ink is pushed through a fine fabric (screen) made
of plastic or metal threads. ƒ
• The non-image areas of the screen are covered
with a stencil. ƒThe screen is flooded with ink
which is pushed through the image areas of the
screen onto the substrate by means of a
squeegee. ƒ
• In order to tension the screen fabric, it is attached
to a screen frame. ƒThe ink layer is then dried via
evaporation, oxidation, or polymerization.
 Operation principle of screen printing
(flat bed)
• Tƒ he thread count and the mesh thickness
determine the open screen area. ƒThis area should
be large enough to pass through the pigments and
fine enough to provide safe anchoring of the
screen onto the smallest parts of the stencil.
• The stencil that is typically made of photopolymer
is placed on the opposite side of the screen than
the squeegee to avoid its wear.
• The thickness of the ink layer depends on the
thickness of the stencil that ranges from 12 to 100
µm.
 Operation principle of screen printing
(flat bed)
• Tƒ he print quality is determined by the screen
material, the fineness and thickness of the screen,
as well as the degree of the open area of the
screen. ƒ
• The screen fineness is typically 90-120 fibers/cm. ƒ
In order to produce high print quality, the screen
fineness should be approximately 3-4 times
greater than the screen resolution (lines/cm).
• In addition, the ink, substrate, and squeegee
properties and the print conditions affect the
print quality.
 Operation principle of screen printing
(rotary)
• R
ƒ otary screen printing enables higher printing
speeds and increases the print quality. ƒThe screen
has a cylinder shape and the ink is also placed
inside this cylinder. ƒ
• The stationary squeegee located inside the
cylinder pushes ink through the screen apertures
onto the substrate as the cylinder rotates. ƒ
• The ink choice depends on the application as well
as on the substrate. ƒThe ink viscosity must match
to the desired ink layer thickness and the fineness
of the screen. ƒTypically, the ink film is 8-30 µm
thick.
Printing method Recognition