Application of flexographic water-based ink on corrugated paper
Date: Aug 20 2024 From: Star Color
Corrugated paper, as a widely used material in the packaging field, has become an indispensable part of modern packaging due to its light weight, low cost, high bending strength, and good processing adaptability. Many industries are using corrugated cardboard boxes for packaging, such as food, clothing, toys, electronic products, cosmetics, and express logistics. With the increasing awareness of environmental protection and consumers' demand for packaging quality, corrugated paper printing technology is also constantly evolving.
Flexographic Printing, is a printing method for corrugated paper. With its unique advantages and the use of water-based ink, it occupies an important position in corrugated paper printing.
1 Composition and characteristics of water-based ink for flexographic printing 1.1 CompositionFlexographic water-based ink is mainly composed of the following parts:
Connecting material: composed of water, resin, and amine compounds. The resin is usually water-soluble acrylic resin, which is a key component in ink and directly affects the adhesion, drying speed, and printing effect of the ink.
Pigments: To give ink color, they need to have strong alkali resistance, high coverage, high color concentration, and easy dispersion.
Auxiliary solvents: such as ethanol, propanol, etc., used to improve the solubility and stability of ink.
Auxiliaries: including diluents, dispersants, enhancers, defoamers, etc., used to adjust the viscosity, flowability, and printability of ink.
1.2 CharacteristicsEnvironmental friendliness: The biggest feature of water-based ink is that it reduces the emission of VOCs (organic volatile compounds), prevents air pollution, meets environmental protection requirements, and is particularly suitable for packaging and printing products with strict hygiene requirements such as food and medicine.
Safety: harmless to human body, not easy to burn, improves the safety of production operations.
Printing performance: vivid colors, full ink layer, quick drying, and good wear resistance and water resistance.
Easy to operate: The ink has stable performance, does not corrode the plate material, is relatively inexpensive, and is easy to operate in conjunction with other processes.
2 The application advantages of flexographic water-based ink on corrugated paper
2.1 Adapt to the physical properties of corrugated paperCorrugated paper has poor surface flatness and uneven thickness, requiring high printing pressure. Flexographic printing, with its excellent flexibility, can compensate for the thickness errors and surface unevenness of corrugated paper during the printing process, making the printing ink color uniform and thus improving the quality of the finished product. In addition, the soft printing pressure is small, avoiding the phenomenon of thick imprints sticking and thin imprints being empty and solid.
2.2 Improve printing efficiency and effectivenessThe structure of flexographic printing machine is simple, easy to install, adjust and clean, and can be operated in conjunction with other processes such as indentation, slotting, die-cutting, greatly improving production efficiency. Water based ink is transferred through a mesh roller for easy transfer, allowing the printing plate to achieve high-quality printing by gently touching the corrugated paper. In addition, water-based ink dries quickly and can meet the needs of rapid production.
2.3 In line with environmental trendsWith the increasing awareness of environmental protection and the improvement of regulations, the packaging industry is developing towards a more sustainable direction. As an environmentally friendly ink, water-based ink reduces the emission of toxic substances, improves the working environment, reduces fire hazards, and conforms to the development trend of green packaging. Corrugated cardboard boxes using water-based ink are more favored by consumers and the market.
3 Application examples and precautions
3.1 Application ExampleIn developed Western countries, the application of flexographic water-based ink in corrugated box printing has become very common. For example, in the United States, over 90% of cardboard boxes use flexographic printing water-based ink; 85% in Western Europe; In Japan, it reaches over 93%. In recent years, the application of water-based ink in developing countries has also been rapidly growing, especially in the packaging fields of food, medicine, etc., achieving significant results.
3.2. PrecautionsViscosity control: The viscosity of water-based ink directly affects the printing effect and needs to be strictly controlled according to the printing speed and environmental temperature and humidity. Excessive viscosity can lead to poor leveling and poor printability; If the viscosity is too low, it will affect the transferability of the ink and the clarity of the imprint.
PH adjustment: The pH value of water-based ink has a significant impact on ink stability and drying speed. Generally controlled between 8-9 to maintain optimal printing suitability of the ink.
Additive use: Reasonably use various additives to improve the printing suitability of ink. Such as defoamers used to eliminate bubbles in ink; Blockers are used to regulate drying speed, etc. However, it should be noted that the amount of additives should not be too much to avoid affecting the ink performance.
Storage and maintenance: Water based ink should be stored within a suitable temperature range (5 ℃~30 ℃) to avoid freezing or high temperature exposure. Regularly stir the ink to prevent sedimentation and delamination. Ink that has not been used for a long time should be thoroughly stirred and adjusted before use.
4 Conclusion and ProspectThe application of
flexographic water-based ink on corrugated paper not only improves printing quality and production efficiency, but also meets environmental requirements and promotes the green development of the packaging industry. With the continuous advancement of technology and the improvement of environmental regulations, the application prospects of flexographic water-based ink in corrugated paper printing will be even broader. In the future, by continuously optimizing ink formulations and printing processes, flexographic water-based ink will provide more possibilities for corrugated paper packaging to meet the market's demand for high-quality and environmentally friendly packaging.
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