How much faster is the drying speed of StarColor Fast Drying Flexographic Ink compared to ordinary inks?

At 60-80°C, the drying time of StarColor Fast Drying Flexographic Ink is 40% shorter than that of ordinary inks. Even when the printing speed reaches 400 meters per minute, it can still achieve instant drying after printing, effectively solving the problems of smudging and sticking during high-speed printing.

Which flexible packaging substrates is this ink suitable for?

StarColor Fast Drying Flexographic Ink can cover over 90% of flexible packaging substrates, including BOPP/CPP films, PET aluminized films, PE composite papers, etc. Customized formulas are used for different substrate characteristics, such as enhancing adhesion for BOPP films and emphasizing oxidation resistance for PET aluminized films.

What practical benefits can this ink bring to enterprises?

Case studies of a snack packaging enterprise show that after use, the printing press speed increased from 250 meters per minute to 350 meters per minute, the daily output increased from 12 tons to 18 tons, the scrap rate decreased from 3.2% to 0.8%, and the comprehensive packaging cost per square meter was reduced by 0.12 yuan.

Does this ink meet the safety standards for food packaging?

Yes, StarColor® Fast Drying Flexographic Ink complies with FDA 21 CFR 175.300 standards, with heavy metal (lead, cadmium, etc.) content below 0.01ppm. It can be directly used for direct contact packaging of chocolates, bread and other foods. Each batch of products passes SGS testing and the reports are publicly available.

How to properly store fast-drying flexographic ink?

Unopened ink should be stored at 5-35°C away from direct sunlight; it should be warmed to room temperature 2 hours in advance before use to reduce viscosity fluctuations; opened ink should be sealed and used within 7 days to ensure optimal performance.

What is the recommended anilox roller for this ink?

It is recommended to use anilox rollers with 600-800 lines per inch, ensuring the ink transfer volume is controlled at 1.2-1.8g/m². This balance between line count and transfer volume helps maintain color concentration while shortening the drying path.

Does the ink meet environmental protection requirements?

Yes, StarColor® Fast Drying Flexographic Ink has low VOC emissions with solvent residue ≤5mg/m² (meeting GB 18581-2020 standard). Additionally, 80% of its components are biodegradable, contributing to packaging recycling with a 92% substrate recovery rate for used composite films.

StarColor Fast Drying Flexographic Ink: Boosting Productivity in Flexible Packaging

Date: Jul 31 2025 From: Star Color Views:

In flexible packaging printing workshops, production efficiency often depends on the balance between "speed" and "stability" — when the printing press speed exceeds 300 meters per minute, issues like smudging and sticking caused by insufficient ink drying can bring the entire production line to a halt. StarColor® Fast Drying Flexographic Ink is specifically developed to address this pain point, achieving "high-speed printing without downtime" through technological innovation, and serving as a productivity booster for food and daily necessities flexible packaging enterprises.

I. Core Advantages of Fast Drying Performance

Traditional flexographic inks, when used in high-speed printing, often lag behind the printing speed in drying, leading to three major problems: increased scrap rates due to pattern smudging during rewinding (up to 5% at maximum), reduced machine speed to wait for drying (30% decrease in productivity), and additional energy consumption from extra drying equipment (15% increase in costs).
The breakthrough points of StarColor® Fast Drying Flexographic Ink lie in:

Dual Drying Mechanism: Combining rapid solvent evaporation and resin cross-linking curing technology, the drying time is 40% shorter than ordinary inks at 60-80°C. Even when the printing speed reaches 400 meters per minute, it can still achieve "instant drying after printing". This feature makes flexographic ink no longer a bottleneck in high-speed production lines, especially suitable for flexible packaging enterprises with mass production.

Low Viscosity Formula: While ensuring color saturation, the ink viscosity is controlled at 25-35 seconds (using a Zahn cup #4), enabling more uniform transfer through the anilox roller and reducing drying delays caused by accumulation. Flexographic ink anilox roller matching skills are particularly crucial here — it is recommended to select anilox rollers with 600-800 lines per inch according to the ink viscosity to avoid affecting drying speed due to improper transfer volume.

Anti-adhesion Coating: The dried film has low surface tension, reducing interlayer sliding resistance by 60% during rewinding and completely solving the "sticking" problem. Actual data from a snack packaging enterprise shows that after using this ink, the printing press speed increased from 250 meters per minute to 350 meters per minute, the daily output increased from 12 tons to 18 tons, and the scrap rate decreased from 3.2% to 0.8%.

II. Adaptable Scenarios: Covering 90% of Substrate Needs in Flexible Packaging

The diversity of substrates in flexible packaging (plastic films, aluminum foils, composite papers, etc.) places high demands on ink adaptability. StarColor® Fast Drying Flexographic Ink achieves full-scenario coverage through targeted formula design:

BOPP/CPP Films

These materials have smooth surfaces and low polarity, making ordinary inks prone to poor adhesion. StarColor® adds special adhesion promoters, achieving a 4B level (maximum 5B level) in the 48-hour cross-cut test (ASTM D3359) after printing, meeting the rubbing resistance requirements of snack and daily chemical packaging. For specific application solutions in this scenario, you can refer to our [BOPP Film Special Flexographic Ink Product Page].

PET Aluminized Films

To address the easy oxidation of the aluminized layer, the ink contains anti-oxidation components. After an accelerated aging test at 60°C and 90% humidity for 72 hours, there is no aluminum peeling or discoloration, making it suitable for packaging tea, coffee, and other products that require long-term storage. In methods for selecting inks for different substrates, the core for PET aluminized films is "anti-oxidation + low migration", which is exactly the advantage of StarColor®'s formula. For relevant technical details, you can check the [PET Aluminized Film Ink].

PE Composite Papers

The hygroscopicity of paper fibers may cause uneven ink drying. The fast-drying property of this ink can complete curing before the paper absorbs water, with a post-printing stiffness retention rate of 95%, avoiding wrinkling in subsequent bag-making processes. As one of the substrate types suitable for flexographic inks, PE composite paper has higher requirements for "drying speed + flexibility" of the ink, and the customer feedback satisfaction rate of StarColor® in such scenarios reaches 98%.

III. Environmental Protection and Compliance

When flexible packaging is in direct contact with food, the safety and environmental friendliness of the ink are fundamental requirements. StarColor® Fast Drying Flexographic Ink has passed three major compliance certifications:

Food Contact Safety: Complies with FDA 21 CFR 175.300 standards, with heavy metal (lead, cadmium, etc.) content below 0.01ppm, and can be directly used for direct contact packaging of chocolates, bread, and other foods. In food-grade flexographic ink testing standards, "migration amount" and "heavy metal residues" are core indicators, and each batch of StarColor® products passes SGS testing and publicly releases the reports.

Low VOC Emissions: Solvent residue is ≤5mg/m² (GB 18581-2020 standard), eliminating the need for additional waste gas treatment equipment in the printing workshop, in line with environmental protection policy requirements.

Recyclability: 80% of the ink components are biodegradable. After separation, the recycling rate of used composite films is increased to 92%, contributing to the circular economy of packaging.

IV. Usage Recommendations: 3 Tips to Maximize Efficiency

Anilox Roller Selection: It is recommended to use anilox rollers with 600-800 lines per inch to ensure the ink transfer volume is controlled at 1.2-1.8g/m², which can both guarantee color concentration and shorten the drying path. The core of flexographic ink anilox roller matching skills is the "balance between line count and transfer volume". You can contact the technical team for a customized plan.

Drying Temperature Setting: Adjust according to the substrate — 50-60°C is recommended for BOPP films, and 60-70°C for PET aluminized films to avoid substrate shrinkage caused by high temperatures.

Storage Conditions: Special attention should be paid to the storage conditions of fast-drying inks: unopened inks should be stored at 5-35°C away from direct sunlight; they should be warmed to room temperature 2 hours in advance before use to reduce viscosity fluctuations caused by temperature changes. Opened inks should be sealed and used within 7 days.

Conclusion: From "Solving Problems" to "Creating Value"

In the context of continuously compressed profit margins in the flexible packaging industry, cost optimization through efficiency improvement often determines enterprise competitiveness. StarColor® Fast Drying Flexographic Ink not only solves the technical pain points of high-speed printing but also helps enterprises achieve an actual benefit of "reducing packaging costs by 0.12 yuan per square meter" through the comprehensive effects of increased productivity, reduced scrap rates, and lower energy consumption.
If you need to test the performance of this ink on specific substrates, you can [apply for a free sample of StarColor Fast Drying Flexographic Ink], and our technical team will provide customized printing parameter plans. Let efficient production start with choosing the right ink.