Understanding the Function of Durometers in Corrugated Flexographic Printing Plates
At Plate Crafters, we recognize that the durometer of a Corrugated Printing Plate, its hardness, can greatly influence the outcome of the print. Here’s the reason it's crucial.
What is the meaning of Durometer in Flexographic Plates?
Durometer gauges hardness, typically expressed in Shore A for flexographic printing plates. It indicates the softness or hardness of the photopolymer substance. In corrugated printing, durometer influences how well a plate conforms to the box's surface and applies ink consistently.
The Reason Why Lower Durometer Plates Are the Right Plates on Corrugated Substrates
Corrugated materials are found to be textured since they have a fluted composition between the layers. This is a printing special challenge to this surface texture. Too hard a plate will fail to follow the contours (hills and valleys) of the substrate and result in skipped ink, printing holes, and uneven print quality.
Low durometer flexo plates excel in that place.
- Improved ink transfer- The softer plates fold into the corrugation so as to get even contact.
- Minimized plate bounce- A more precise plate surface match reduces vibration and ink misuse.
- Better print consistency- Low hardness surpasses consistent impressions between runs.
Dangers of High-Durometer or Liquid Photopolymer Plates
Although there are trade shops that provide the liquid photopolymer plates as they are cheaper, they are less controlled in terms of durometer and wear out rapidly. The high-durometer plates can seem crisp, however, they rapidly display-
- Ink voids
- Edge drop-off
- Premature wear
Interfering with or destroying fragile substrates
Sheets that are photopolymer and low durometer are the controlled standard to be used to give the industry long-term consistency and crisp results in corrugated printing.
Blending Durometer to Press Conditions
All the flexo presses hold their tolerances, pressures, and needs. This is why at Plate Crafters, we produce custom low-durometer plates that fit your particular press and substrate. We consider-
- Mounting materials
- Line screen and type of ink
- Substrate caliper
- Coveted graphic resolution
The desire is always to find the correct equilibrium between durability, flexibility as well and image fidelity.
Conclusion
With more than twenty years of rich experience, at Plate Crafters, we have entered the era of producing and mounting premium flexographic printing plates on corrugated boxes. We employ accurate Harley mounters, high-quality, low-durometer plastics, and project-specific tooling to achieve the plates that work under high pressure. If you are looking for Foil Stamping & Embossing, we are here to help you.
You want both economy and value with large-volume shipping cartons or premium retail displays. With our quality guarantee and price match program, you can be certain we will give you maximum value and top performance.
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