Flexoprint and other printing methods
Packaging, labels, and large print runs with special techniques
Offset and digital printing are far from the whole picture. For packaging, labels, newspapers, and special jobs, other printing methods are used, each with their strengths—that a graphic technician with broad knowledge can navigate.
§Flexoprint
Flexoprinting uses a flexible printing plate made of rubber or photopolymer where only the printing parts are raised — a bit like an old-fashioned stamp. This makes the method suitable for printing on soft and uneven materials such as film cardboard and labels and flexo is therefore widespread in packaging production.
§Gravure.
In gravure (deep relief printing), the principle is reversed: the image is engraved as microscopic indentations in a cylinder, and the ink lies in the indentations, while the surface is wiped clean by a doctor blade before the paper is pressed against the cylinder. Gravure requires an expensive cylinder to make, but in return gives a very uniform quality at very large runs — it is therefore mainly used for newspapers, magazines and packaging in large quantities.
| Method | Characteristic | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Flexoprint | Raised flexible pressure plate; suitable for soft materials | Packaging, labels, foil, and cardboard |
| Gravure. | Engraved cylinder with indentations; high and uniform quality for large runs | Newspapers, Leaflets and Packaging in Very Large Quantities |
| Heatset offset | Offset where color is actively dried with heat so it dries quickly | Leaves and magazines where fast drying is important |
| Coldset offset | Offset without active heating; color penetrates the paper | Newspapers Printed on Thin Newsprint |
| Dry offset (waterless offset) | Offset without fountain solution—uses instead a silicone-coated printing plate | Tasks with high demands on colour precision |
§Heatset, coldset and dry offset
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§Selection of method and material
The choice of printing method depends on the edition size, material and quality requirements — and it also has environmental consequences that must be considered in the choice. Large editions on simple materials point towards gravure or flexographic printing, while complex, colour-critical jobs are often still best solved by offset or digital printing.
Regardless of method, the same applies: fibre direction determines strength, and resin determines whether the fibres hold together.