If you are looking for the best label manufacturer in Canada, you probably came across the flexographic printing technique. The flexography uses are multiple, but its process isn’t always well understood. In this article, we’ll explore this popular printing technique, helping you decide if it would be a good solution for your business.
What Is Flexo Printing, and What Is It Used For?
Flexographic printing is one of the most popular techniques for label printing. Flexography uses a flexible relief plate, hence the term flexo printing. It can print on virtually any surface, including plastic, cellophane, paper, and even metallic films. Versatility is one of the many advantages of flexography printing.
If you are familiar with the old-school printing method using letters on little carved cubes, flexo printing is a highly modernized version of this. You have three rolls: one holds the plates, one is used to ink the plate, and a third roll has the paper or other material to be printed on. For colour printing, there will be a set of plates and ink for each primary colour: yellow, cyan, and magenta.
Flexo is ideal for bigger productions. Once the plates are set up, the process is extremely quick. However, these plates need to be created, which generates a cost. On large orders, the price per print becomes more attractive.
What Is the Difference Between Flexo and Digital Printing?
The biggest difference between flexography and digital printing is the technique itself. The flexography process uses plates with rolls to transfer designs and writing onto a substrate. These plates need to be physically produced before printing can begin. It’s a technique that is ideal for bigger production, as it becomes cost-effective on large orders. It’s also extremely fast and offers a very stable printing quality.
Digital printing doesn’t use a plate. It is done directly from the digital file to the printer and onto the medium. Laser and inkjet are both types of digital printing that are widely used. Digital printing is better for smaller orders, as there is no additional cost caused by the creation of plates. It’s easy to perform tests and make adjustments if need be. On big orders, however, the prices will be higher, and it will take more time.
What Are the Advantages of Flexo Printing?
There are several advantages to flexo printing, the first being its capacity to print on any substrate: porous or not, absorbent or not, flat or rough. It’s extremely fast once the set-up is done and is versatile in terms of ink types. Flexo can print with UV-curable, water-based, and solvent-based inks.
Flexography printing has undergone many technological advances within the past decade. Its high-performance technique provides high-quality, crisp images. You can truly reinforce your brand with flexographic label printing.
For big orders, flexo printing is cost-effective. Plates are necessary, but they don’t have to be expensive, and they are cheap to replace. It also uses less ink, which will make it economical in the long run.
This type of printing is known to be very stable, which is perfect for labels or other products for which consistency is vital.
What Are the Disadvantages of Flexo Printing?
No printing system is perfect, and there are some disadvantages of flexography. The biggest one may be its complexity. You’ll have to outsource it, as installing a whole system in-house isn’t realistic in most cases.
It’s important to know that flexography is expensive on small orders, considering the cost of the plates, especially when there are a lot of colours.
Is Flexographic Printing Expensive?
The flexography cost depends on your order. To understand the cost, you need to understand what is flexographic printing. This technique relies on plates to transfer the image onto a substrate, and there is a cost to these plates. However, once made, they can be used for millions of prints. This technique also requires less ink and is extremely versatile. In the long run, flexographic printing is one of the cheapest options to attain high-quality prints.
If you have a restricted number of complex designs, flexo might not be the best choice. However, if you have the same design to be printed countless times, such as the same design for a hot sauce or a beer bottle, that you know you will need a lot of, and for a long time, flexo is a great choice.
Choosing flexography or another type of printing depends on your specific needs such as the quantity, the surface, the type of ink, etc. At Multi-Action, we are proud to use both flexographic and other types of printing. We’ll be happy to help you decide which printing system is best for you.
