Chapter 1 – AN OVERVIEW OF THE PRINTING PROCESS

Flexography is a rotary printing process utilizing flexible plates with a raised relief. Each plate, made of engineered photopolymer, is adhered to a cylinder and inked by a cell structured roll called an anilox. As the plate cylinder rotates, an impression cylinder applies pressure to the substrate causing it to make contact with the inked relief of the plate. Depending upon the particular system used, the ink is then dried onto the substrate before it reaches the next print station. Low viscosity, water-based inks pass through dryers while UV flexo inks are cured with ultraviolet light.

With a variety of eight and ten station presses, Macaran has the capability to produce a wide gamut of color. We print 4-color process inks (The combination of cyan, magenta, yellow and black), Pantone matching system inks and customized match colors. We also have in-line die cutting capability

DIE CUTTING

After passing through each print station, the face of the substrate is cut by a tool built specific to the size and shape of each label. All excess waste is extracted from the roll, leaving just the label on the liner, ready for application.

Several of our presses also have rotary screen and hot stamping capability.

ROTARY SCREEN PRINTING

Rotary screen printing is a method in which screens are created in the round for the purpose of applying heavy volumes of ink to the substrate. The resulting effect has a dimensional, highly opaque quality that cannot be achieved with a plate and a conventional ink system. Because of the opacity produced by this process, rotary screens are often used when printing on clear substrates. Rotary screen white in particular, is often used as a foot print when 4-color process images print on clear material.

HOT STAMPING

Hot stamping is a printing process which uses controlled heat and pressure to transfer colored foil to a wide range of substrates. Recommended for areas intended to print with a rich, highly opaque metallic look, hotstamping dies are formed in the round and occupy one print station on press.