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Flexographic printing is a type of relief printing process that uses a flexible printing plate to transfer ink through a mesh roller for printing. The graphic and textual parts of the flexible printing plate protrude, and during printing, the mesh roller evenly applies a certain thickness of ink layer to the graphic and textual parts of the printing plate.
Then, under the pressure of the impression cylinder, the ink layer of the graphic and textual parts is transferred to the surface of the substrate, forming clear graphic and textual images.

As an eco-friendly and efficient printing technology, flexographic printing is becoming increasingly vital in the global printing industry. Its applications are extensive, covering packaging (such as food, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods packaging), label printing, corrugated box printing, flexible packaging, and more. It is widely used in everything from everyday consumer products to industrial packaging.

Flexographic printing offers distinct advantages in terms of its process flow and application scenarios compared to other printing methods. Water-based inks, as a key material in flexo printing, play a crucial role in promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly development. With their low VOCs, low migration, food-grade safety, non-toxicity, fast drying, and excellent adhesion, water-based inks are driving the green evolution of flexographic printing.

1. Historical Development

In the United States in the early 1920s, people invented the earliest flexographic printing, which was called aniline printing at that time. Due to the toxicity of the aniline dye ink used, it has not been developed.

In 1952, it was renamed as flexographic printing at the 14th Packaging Symposium in the United States.

After the mid-1970s, due to the progress of the materials industry, especially the emergence of polymer resin plates and metal ceramic mesh rollers, there was a qualitative leap in the development of flexographic printing. Becoming the fastest growing printing method worldwide.

The market share of flexographic printing in the United States is 70% in the field of flexible packaging printing;
85% in the field of label printing;
98% in the field of corrugated paper printing;
25% in the field of paper box printing.
In Europe, they also account for 60%, 35%, 85%, and 2% respectively.
Even 20% of newspapers in the United States are printed using flexographic printing

2. The Flexographic Printing Process

Plate Cylinder: Holds the flexible photopolymer printing plate

Anilox Roll: Precisely meters ink using microscopic cells (typically 200-1000 LPI)

Impression Cylinder: Creates contact pressure for ink transfer

Drying System: UV, IR, or hot air drying depending on ink type

3. Advantages of Flexographic Printing

4. Applications of Flexographic Printing

5. Choosing the Right Flexo Ink