With the growing global environmental challenges, achieving "eco-friendly" sustainable development has become a top priority across industries. Thanks to these environmental concerns, flexographic printing has emerged as one of the fastest-growing printing methods due to its significant environmental benefits compared to other techniques. Today, flexographic printing holds around 30% of the global packaging market, especially in North America and Western Europe, where it is widely used for various packaging applications.
Flexographic printing utilizes environmentally friendly inks such as water-based, alcohol-based, and UV inks, which significantly reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. These inks are very thin and do not contain inorganic pigments or fillers, and they leave almost no heavy metals behind. In the U.S., water-based flexo inks are the only non-toxic option approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making them ideal for food and pharmaceutical packaging.
The quality and process of flexographic printing plates play a crucial role in ensuring print quality. As market demands evolve, plate materials have continuously improved. Traditionally, rubber and resin plates have been the main choices. Rubber plates come in natural, synthetic, or mixed types, and can be made using manual engraving, laser engraving, or die casting. Resin plates, also known as photosensitive resin plates, are made from synthetic polymers and unsaturated compounds that crosslink under UV light. Around 1975, two types were developed: solid plates made from saturated resins and liquid plates based on unsaturated polyesters.
Over the past three decades, the shift from traditional hand-carved rubber plates to photosensitive resin plates has marked a major advancement in flexographic plate-making technology.
**Solid vs. Liquid Resin Plates**
Although both are photosensitive resin plates, solid and liquid versions differ significantly in production, performance, and application. Currently, solid plates dominate the market, with over 90% of printers choosing this type. What sets them apart?
**Production Process**
The solid resin plate is cut to size, placed on a drying rack, covered with a negative, and exposed to UV light under vacuum. The unexposed areas are washed away, and after drying, the plate is fully processed. For liquid resin plates, the negative is placed on a glass plate, and liquid photosensitive resin is applied with a protective film. After exposure and rinsing, the plate is dried and then exposed again.
**Plate Quality**
Modern photosensitive resin plates offer resolutions over 350 lines per inch, with dot reproducibility between 1% and 95%, and flatness within ±0.013mm. Solid plates are more precise, with some reaching up to 200 lines, while liquid plates typically only reach 40–60 lines. Solid plates offer better flatness, stability, and accuracy, making them suitable for mid- to high-end packaging like cigarette boxes, medicine containers, milk cartons, labels, and food packaging. Liquid plates, being softer, provide better ink transfer and are often used for simpler packaging needs.
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