Chapter 1: The Dawn Sprouting from Difficulties
In early 20th century New York, Allen Smith was a young engineer passionate about printing technology. He witnessed the various limitations of the printing industry at that time, especially the threat to workers' health posed by the toxic ink used in aniline printing, which deeply touched him. So he began to study day and night in his own rudimentary laboratory how to improve this technology.
In Allen Smith's rudimentary laboratory, the lights often stay up all night. His desk was piled with various chemical reagents and discarded plates, and the air was filled with a pungent odor. Allen's hands were slightly rough due to prolonged exposure to chemicals, but his gaze was unusually firm. He knows that every failure is a step towards success.
After countless failures and attempts, Allen finally discovered a new ink formula that is not only brightly colored and long-lasting, but also non-toxic and harmless. However, his biggest challenge is how to perfectly combine this new type of ink with flexible plates to achieve high-quality printing effects. After months of hard work, Allen successfully developed the first generation flexographic printing press and showcased its results at a small exhibition. Although it did not initially attract much attention, the seed has quietly been planted.
Chapter 2: The Transformation of Chicago
The 1952 Chicago Packaging Symposium was an important turning point in the fate of flexographic printing technology. The successors of Allen came here with more mature technology and safer ink formulas. They carefully arranged a display area and demonstrated the efficiency and precision of the flexographic printing machine on site. When colorful and detailed printed materials are presented to the audience one by one, the entire venue boils.
One of the representatives from a large European company was deeply attracted by the clarity and color expression of flexographic printing. He bent down to carefully observe the details of the printed material, even lightly touching it with his hand to feel the texture of the ink. In the end, he nodded with satisfaction and expressed a strong willingness to cooperate to Allen's successors.
Chapter 3: The Wave of Technological Revolution
The 1970s was a golden period of rapid development in flexographic printing technology. The emergence of polymer resin plates has greatly improved the wear resistance and elasticity of the plates, resulting in a qualitative leap in printing quality. At the same time, the application of metal ceramic mesh rollers makes the transfer of ink more uniform and stable, further improving printing efficiency. These technological breakthroughs not only reduce printing costs, but also broaden the application areas of flexographic printing. From food packaging to daily chemical products, from electronic products to pharmaceutical labels, flexographic printing is almost ubiquitous.
Chapter 4: The Leader of Green Printing
With the increasing global awareness of environmental protection, flexographic printing has become a model of green printing due to its environmentally friendly ink system and low-energy production process. Governments around the world have introduced policies to encourage and support the development of green printing technology. Flexographic printing enterprises actively respond to the call, continuously research and develop more environmentally friendly inks and plates, and promote the entire industry to develop towards a greener and more sustainable direction.
Flexographic printing companies are starting to make green printing their core competitiveness. They not only use environmentally friendly inks and plates, but also actively promote energy-saving and emission reducing production methods. For example, using a cooling water circulation system during the printing process to reduce energy consumption; In terms of waste disposal, the method of classified recycling and reuse is adopted.
Chapter 5: Cross border Communication and Integration
The success of flexographic printing technology has not only attracted the attention of domestic companies in the United States, but also attracted widespread attention from the international community. Printing companies in Europe, Asia and other regions have introduced this technology and localized it according to local market demand. In this process, the increasing frequency of technical exchanges and cooperation among enterprises from various countries has jointly promoted the global development of flexographic printing technology.
Chapter 6: The Future of Digitization and Intelligence
Entering the 21st century, with the rapid development of digital technology and intelligent control technology, flexographic printing technology has also ushered in new changes. The introduction of digital workflow makes the printing process more efficient and accurate; The application of intelligent control systems enables printing machines to automatically adjust parameters based on real-time data, achieving optimal printing results.
Under the wave of digitization and intelligence, flexographic printing technology is also constantly innovating and developing. Enterprises are beginning to apply advanced technologies such as big data and cloud computing to the printing production process; Optimize production processes and improve production efficiency by collecting and analyzing production data. At the same time, they have also introduced advanced equipment such as intelligent robots and automated production lines to reduce labor costs and improve production accuracy.
In the future, with the continuous advancement and innovative application of technology; Flexographic printing technology is expected to achieve a more intelligent, personalized, and customized production mode. Consumers can customize printed materials according to their own needs and preferences; Enterprises can also quickly adjust their production plans and product structures based on changes in market demand. This will bring broader development space and unlimited business opportunities to the entire printing industry.