Flexographic printing mainly uses the following inks
1. Water-based ink
Main ingredients: water-soluble or water-dispersible resins are used as binders.
Features:
Environmental protection: Reduces the emission of organic volatiles. Compared with solvent-based inks, it can completely eliminate the harm of certain toxic substances to the human body and the pollution to packaged goods.
Easy to use: The viscosity is stable during use, and no viscosity control equipment is required. The printing press is easy to clean and the cost is low.
Strong coloring power.
Disadvantages: Not suitable for film printing, slow drying speed, poor gloss, poor water resistance, may affect the elasticity of paper and corrode the printing press, etc.
2. Solvent-based ink (including alcohol-soluble ink)
Main ingredients: composed of solvents, resin binders and colorants.
Features:
Bright colors: good color expression and brightness.
Fast drying speed: suitable for fast printing and drying needs.
Good gloss: can show a higher gloss and improve the quality of printed products.
Widely used: In the packaging printing of plastic films, alcohol-soluble inks are being vigorously promoted for flexographic printing inks, because alcohol solvents are the least toxic of organic solvents and do not dissolve or damage the flexographic plates.
3. Flexographic UV ink
Features:
Safe and reliable: no solvent emissions, non-flammable, no environmental pollution, suitable for packaging printing products with high hygienic requirements such as food, beverages, tobacco, alcohol, and medicines.
Versatile: Both paper and plastic films can be printed.
