Apex International, a leader in anilox and embossing technologies, successfully hosted a Repro Supplier Meet on 26 July 2023, at its production facility situated in Sinnar, Nashik. The one-day event garnered significant attendance from prominent reprographic and plate suppliers from all across India. This informative event was specifically aimed at addressing the challenges encountered by repro houses in the realm of anilox technology.
“In light of the current and future trends in flexography, it has become increasingly evident that a high level of integrity is required among key stakeholders in the flexo ecosystem,” said Mangesh Bhise, director sales, Asia Pacific and ME. The event presented factual insights concerning the production and assessment of anilox engraving. It also discussed the advantages and disadvantages of using ECG versus CG (4 color YCMK), along with the potential opportunities that could arise for the flexo industry through supplier collaboration.
Nick Harvey, technical director, the significant role played by an anilox roll in achieving high-quality print production. He said, “The anilox is a very technical product. If not controlled, it will result in an anilox that can be measured as the same values of line screen and volume but could deliver totally different amounts of ink transfer and color.”
Harvey explained that beyond cell geometry, it’s possible to create the same line screen featuring hexagonal cells, but with varying volumes and shapes of cells. In contrast, our patented open slalom channel engraving, GTT 2.0, consistently maintains the ideal opening-to-depth ratio for optimal results.
“To demonstrate the consistency of GTT, we included a live volume measurement demonstration on 3 separate anilox (GTT S) using the MicroDynamics 3DQC. The results proved that the channel shape, size, finish, and volume are extremely consistent measuring at 4.21 cm3/m2, 4.24 cm3/m2 and 4.28 cm3/m2. This level of consistency is a key benefit of GTT. To be able to achieve this level of repeatability in the engraving gives the flexo process a firm foundation to build on, which will result in faster changeovers, less waste, higher quality imagery, and enable ECG or CG to be adopted easier,” said Dhanraj Patil, managing director.
Recognizing the constantly evolving landscape of the print industry, Harvey also delved into the increasing popularity of digital printing attributed to its suitability for shorter print runs and personalized content. However, he asserted that flexographic printing holds a distinct advantage through its capacity for embellishments that encompass textures and three-dimensional effects. These attributes, he noted, can captivate customers and unlock novel markets for label printers.
Harvey said, “By embracing the YMCK (four-color) approach, it remains possible to achieve a spectrum of 835 Pantone colors, an aspect that hasn’t been fully explored. Printers can cater to high-value products and markets by effectively utilizing the remaining print stations for label and packaging embellishments.” Harvey went on to demonstrate the utilization of matte, gloss, and tactile lacquers to craft elevated, tactile, and three-dimensional effects, all within the framework of standard inline flexo units.
