Offset or flexo for solids

pruthvi

Member
We have both flexo and sheetfed offset press running in our factory. We use them to manufacture adhesive labels. Almost all our jobs are pantone based and we never actually get cmyk jobs. One thing I have come to notice is that the finish of pantone solids in our Flexo is not as perfect as the ones from offset. While using flexo our solids are full of grains but the same in offset is perfect. I would like to know if this is a limitation of flexos or is it because our Flexo press isn't perfectly configured. One major advantage we have in our Flexo is that we don't have any post press work to do as everything is instation, so because of this our outrun time is very fast. We are now thinking of buying another machine, either a Intermittent offset or a Intermittent flexo. So the main doubt is which one should I invest on for perfect Pantone solid prints and registration?

Any help would be good. Thanks.
 
Last edited:
We have both flexo and sheetfed offset press running in our factory. We use them to manufacture adhesive labels. Almost all our jobs are pantone based and we never actually get cmyk jobs. One thing I have come to notice is that the finish of pantone solids in our Flexo is not as perfect as the ones from offset. While using flexo our solids are full of grains but the same is offset is perfect. I would like to know if this is a limitation of flexos or is it because our Flexo press is perfectly configured. One major advantage we have in our Flexo is that we don't have any post press work to do as everything is instation, so because of this our outrun time is very fast. We are now thinking of buying another machine, either a Intermittent offset or a Intermittent flexo. So the main doubt is which one should I invest on for perfect Pantone solid prints and registration?

Any help would be good. Thanks.

Are you using surface patterning for your flexo solids?
 
I don't think so. I haven't heard about it. Can you please tell me about it?

You can google it. Basically surface patterning is applying a screen to solid areas of the flexo plate. Due to the nature of flexo printing, this results in an increase of solid ink density in the range of around 5% to 30% depending on the design of the screen and plate type. Contact your workflow supplier to see if it's available for your system.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hta
You can google it. Basically surface patterning is applying a screen to solid areas of the flexo plate. Due to the nature of flexo printing, this results in an increase of solid ink density in the range of around 5% to 30% depending on the design of the screen and plate type. Contact your workflow supplier to see if it's available for your system.

Sure thanks for your help. But is offset generally better in print quality than flexo? Because its very easy to prepare prepress materials, not much background knowledge involved, so it looks like a logical option to invest in web offset than Flexo.
 
Sure thanks for your help. But is offset generally better in print quality than flexo? Because its very easy to prepare prepress materials, not much background knowledge involved, so it looks like a logical option to invest in web offset than Flexo.

It depends on what you mean by "quality" and whether the print method can mechanically do the work you want to do. From what I've seen at LabelExpo in Brussels, correctly set up, flexo can provide printing that may actually better than offset as far as gamut and color saturation is concerned. This is something you'll have to explore and test with your local vendors to see exactly which works better for your application.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hta

PressWise

A 30-day Fix for Managed Chaos

As any print professional knows, printing can be managed chaos. Software that solves multiple problems and provides measurable and monetizable value has a direct impact on the bottom-line.

“We reduced order entry costs by about 40%.” Significant savings in a shop that turns about 500 jobs a month.


Learn how…….

   
Back
Top