Flexo vs. Gravure: Choosing the right printing process for the package

In the current high quality consumer packaging market, gravure and flexo are the two preferred printing processes. Both processes have their own characteristics and advantages, providing protection for the printing of various packaging products. The advances in flexo printing technology in recent years have also provided consumer packagers with a new option for achieving high quality printing. Choosing the right printing process requires consideration of factors such as cost, package type, print quality, and market goals. Below we discuss in detail the points to consider when choosing a packaging printing process.

Gravure printing quality

Gravure printing, using engraved metal cylinders to transfer printed graphics, has long been recognized as the main process for achieving high quality printing. The color is full, the graphic reproduction is fine, the brightness is perfect, and the whole printing process can maintain a stable and consistent printing effect. For high-volume printing of more than 200,000, gravure printing has a large cost advantage, and for medium-volume orders, gravure also has the cost advantage of competing with flexo.

Some types of packaging have always used gravure printing. For example, food packaging retort pouches are usually sterilized during the printing process, so gravure printing is required to meet the relevant standards for solvent residue in the packaging. The quality of gravure printing is unparalleled, and high-quality products and high-end brands can often be distinguished from low-end products at a glance.

High resolution flexo

Flexographic printing uses a flexible photosensitive resin plate with raised relief graphics to transfer the ink to the substrate. In recent years, flexographic printing has continued to make breakthroughs in print quality and has become a major competitor for gravure printing in many printing fields. A series of advances in technology, including press performance, anilox rolls, plates, dot shapes, and ink supply systems, provide the foundation for a new generation of high-resolution flexo printing technology.

The technical advantages of high-resolution flexo printing over ordinary flexo printing are similar to those of high-definition televisions and regular televisions. The resolution of high-resolution flexo prints can reach 4000ppi2, while the resolution of standard flexo prints is basically 2450ppi2. The plates used in high-resolution flexo are flat-top dots instead of traditional domes. Images printed on dome dots usually have jagged edges, and the saturation of the color regions is poor, while the new flat-top dots represent images that are more vivid and easier to discern.

Advantage of the high resolution flexo further comprising fuller field, better ink transfer, high light transition softer, better reproducibility high-quality image results, and the reproducibility can be realized line screen 150lpi above.

Smaller order, faster replacement

Now the new flexo presses are capable of ordering at least 1.5 to 20,000 impressions. Flexographic printing can take on smaller orders because the cost of the printing plate is more economical and easier to replace than the gravure cylinder. High-resolution flexo printing enables quick changeovers in print jobs and shortens the time period from design to printing. These advantages provide more choices for packagers, especially in the current marketplace where packaging markets emphasize individualization, regionalization and recurring promotions.

Wide color gamut printing process

Another major innovation in the wide color gamut printer flexo. Wide color gamut printing uses a color printing process that adds orange, green, and purple to standard four-color printing (yellow, black, black, and black). Wide color gamut printing uses one or a combination of seven colors to represent all printed images, eliminating the need for spot color inks. It can reproduce 85% of the 1800 Pantone colors, while only 50% can be reproduced with standard four-color printing.

Wide gamut color printing process to provide more options for packaging designers and developers. It can achieve more complex color printing, improve the realism of the image, the color is more attractive, more vivid and softer. Packaging managers can use a wide color gamut printing process to achieve more compelling product effects and enhance the contrast between the product and the background color.

Case: Pet food manufacturer

Brand managers often need to consider various factors when choosing a printing process. For example, Mondi North American pet food production company, which provides a variety of food for pet dogs and pet cats. A wide range of products with different price positioning and packaging specifications. Mondi and the manufacturer negotiated to select half of the product packaging for flexo printing and the other half for gravure printing. In this case, the cost difference between the two printing processes is very small. The personal preference of the brand manager largely determines the printing process chosen.

All-round processing capability

If a company needs to use both flexo and gravure packaging processes, it is especially important to find a packager with both process capabilities. For example, the same manufacturer can facilitate business coordination and communication. In addition, brand managers prefer that all packaging production, including printing and post-processing, be done in one factory rather than outsourcing to other companies.

Gravure and high resolution flexo have cost advantages in a variety of packaging and printing applications. Packaging and printing suppliers are often able to provide professional assistance in selecting the best process for a specific order.

A series of advances in technology, including press performance, anilox rolls, plates, dot shapes, and ink supply systems, provide the foundation for a new generation of high-resolution flexo printing technology. (Editor: Wang Yang)

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