Needle hole defects in flexographic printing caused by improper operation adjustment and countermeasures

Needle hole defects in flexographic printing caused by improper operation adjustment and countermeasures

Release date:

2019-02-19


There are many reasons for pinholes in the solid ink layer of flexographic printing, but the root cause is the failure of the ink to transfer properly to the anilox roller, printing plate, and substrate.

1. Adjustment of the impression roller

If there is dirt on the impression roller, causing unevenness on the surface of the substrate, and the raised areas cannot be sufficiently inked, pinholes will also occur. An effective solution is to clean the impression roller.

2. Adjustment of printing pressure

If the printing pressure is improper and good contact between the substrate and the printing plate is not achieved, pinholes will also occur. In this case, the printing pressure should be increased.

3. Adjustment of ambient temperature and humidity

During printing, if the ambient temperature is low and the humidity is too high, the viscosity of the ink will be high, and the leveling will be poor, leading to pinhole defects. Therefore, the room temperature should be appropriately increased, and the humidity should be reasonably reduced. At the same time, some retarder can be added to improve the leveling of the ink.

4. Other adjustments

During printing, if impurities adhere to the plate surface, it will also cause pinholes. In this case, the impurities should be removed, and it is best to install a static eliminator and substrate cleaner on the printing press to prevent dust and paper scraps from remaining on the substrate surface. At the same time, the production environment should be improved and purified, and the printing press should be managed in a closed manner.

Printing, pinhole, roller