The Present Situation, Main Problems and Development Prospects of Flexographic Printing in China

First, the status quo of the development of flexographic printing At present, there are nearly 240 production lines imported from domestic flexographic printing presses (narrow width, wide width) imported by domestic packaging and printing companies and domestically developed and produced, and 170 imported narrow flexographic printing presses. Made 70 pieces. In the introduction of the unit type flexo printing press, its specification width has 10 ̈, 13 ̈, 16.5 ̈, 18 ̈, 21.5 ̈, 25 ̈ and 420mm, 510mm and other specifications, of which 16.5 约 about 80% of equipment problems . Most of the color group is 6 colors, up to 11 colors, at least 3 colors; in the introduction of the satellite type flexographic printing press, the width is generally 800mm ~ 1200mm, 6 color groups.
Some of the equipment introduced is very advanced. For example, Quanlin Paper Co., Ltd. introduced a production line of non-shaft transmission printing equipment representing the latest international technology at the beginning of the year from FISCHER & KRECKE, with a width of 1300mm and 8 colors, which is a high-speed satellite type flexographic printing production line. . Related equipment includes three-layer coextrusion laminating machine and die-cutting machine. The speed of the flexographic printing press can reach 350 meters per minute, which is 3-4 times higher than the speed of the group printing press. The three-layer coextrusion machine can reach 300 meters per minute. Another example is the introduction of offset printing, flexo printing, silk screen printing, EMO410, and 253 multi-function full UV production lines imported by Zhejiang Tianwai Tobacco Printing Co., Ltd. from CALLUS, which is the first in Asia.
Flexographic printing presses have a wide range of printable carriers, such as cigarette packs, pharmaceutical packaging, food packaging, labels, and stickers. Because the flexographic printing press is an intermodal production line, it can form a roll, print, glue, die-cut, and take-up at a time. It can not only increase production efficiency, but also reduce product cost, and can fully meet the requirements of various users for prints. According to statistics, the current flexo printing machine accounts for 30% of the cigarette pack printing industry, 15% for all kinds of label printing, 35% for sticker printing, and 20% for other printing.
In short, since the use of flexographic technology, the packaging and printing industry has increasingly demonstrated its superiority and broad prospects for development.
2. Significant achievements in flexo printing production (I) Basic requirements for packaging printing Flexographic machines that have been put into use in recent years are either narrow or wide, imported or domestic, and can basically meet the needs of packaging and printing. Claim. Flexographic printing has been preliminarily established in China's packaging and printing market, and its market share has gradually increased. Currently, the best-used packaging products include middle and low-grade cigarette packs, medicine boxes, milk boxes, self-adhesive labels, and beer labels. , paper cups, paper lunch boxes, etc.; output similar packaging mainly by the satellite flexographic printing machine, the current proportion is not large.
It is worth mentioning that flexographic printing is best applied and the largest proportion is the printing of corrugated boxes. About 70% of the sales volume of flexographic plates is in the carton industry each year. Some international multinational corporations in Shanghai and Beijing believe that the printed products printed by the flexographic printing machine using the water-based ink process are not polluted, which is beneficial to human health and environmental protection. The quality of the printed matter can be comparable to that of offset and gravure printing. In Shanghai, a group of brand-name companies such as Nestle, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Mystery, KFC and other packaging products require the printing of flexographic equipment and process technology. In addition, some foreign procurement executives must consider the requirements of green packaging printing (no pollution), and must give the main issue to companies that have flexographic equipment. Facts have proved that the flexo process not only meets the needs of packaging in terms of quality, but also cooperates with mechanized packaging to increase production efficiency and reduce production costs.
(II) The quality of products has been significantly improved. Mr. Peter W. Dumusc, vice chairman of the German Flexo Printing Association, said in a report: “Flexo printing is the same quality as offset printing and gravure printing. Today, almost no one will doubt it. Flexo printing can achieve high printing quality, and no one inquiries everywhere about whether flexo printing can also print folding cartons."
The second national quality evaluation of flexographic printing products in 2000 also fully proved this point. From the nearly 100 flexographic printing products sent from all provinces and cities across the country, 9 boutique awards, 22 outstanding awards and 24 masterpiece awards were awarded. The nine boutique prizes are very representative. They are: "Premium Marine" Inner and Outer Boxes for the First Printing Factory in Xi'an, "Dali Beer 10° Dry Beer Trademark" by Quanzhou Zhongde Printing Co., Ltd., and Shanghai People's Printing Eight Factory. The “Big Regal Beer” and “Kweichow Moutai”, the “Duo Miao Seafood Noodle Bowl Cover”, “He Lu Xue Cao Black Sesame Flavour” Cone Holster, and Shanghai Ziquan Packaging, Shunde Shunchang Printing Co., Ltd., Guangdong Province Co., Ltd. "Gift Packaging for the 6th International Paper Conference on Tissue Paper", "Blue Ribbon King Beer" of Guangdong Nanhai Huaxiang Packaging Co., Ltd., "Printing Samples of Taihang Printing Machinery Co., Ltd. of Shanxi Taihang Printing Machinery Co., Ltd. ".
(III) Gradual improvement in proficiency in technical operations Most manufacturers that introduce flexographic printing equipment in China have previously used offset printing and gravure printing equipment. The flexographic printing process and operating technology are completely different from those of offset printing and gravure printing. Therefore, all plants are in production. At the beginning, it was difficult to grasp and control the flexibility of flexible printing and printing pressure, resulting in frequent problems of quality and waste products in production.
In order to obtain the commercial quality of the printed product, the quality of the ink is smooth, rich in layers, and colorful, and the printing press structure, printing roller, plate material, anilox roller, glue, ink and other conditions have strict requirements and match each other. With so many variable parameters, how to get the equipment to the best speed at high speed is critical for the operator. Flexo printing needs to master five key links: 1. Prepress preparation; 2. Ink adaptability; 3. Suitable web roll; 4 Anilox roll cleaning; This is the key to protecting the quality of flexographic prints and effectively reducing scrap. Nowadays, most companies have gradually mastered the flexo process and operation technology.
(D) to achieve better economic efficiency Flexo printing companies in common, especially: adequate live, stable product quality, high utilization of equipment, economic benefits compared. Such as Shandong Qingzhou Xinhua Products Co., Ltd., Shanghai People's Printing Eight Factory, Shanghai Textile India Lifeng Printing and Packaging Co., Ltd., Xi'an 3D Printing Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Qianjiang Beer Group Weile Packaging and Printing Company, Lanzhou Yellow River Yueli Inc., etc. , is one of the best. Take Shandong Qingzhou Xinhua Packaging Products Co., Ltd. as an example, the company's annual sales in 2000 reached 65 million yuan, profits and taxes were 10 million yuan, and Li Rui accounted for 15% of sales. Another example is the Beijing Yanjing Beer Group's Beijing Shuangyan Color Printing Factory. In 2000, the sales amounted to 30 million yuan, and the total profit and tax amounted to 12.8 million yuan. The total profits and taxes accounted for 42.6% of the total sales.
(5) Promoted the rapid development of domestic flexographic printing machines and supporting materials production flexo printing technology in China, and led the development of domestic flexographic printing presses, anilox rollers, plate materials, ink and equipment equipment for plate making and flexo printing. Development and production. At present, the manufacturers that produce flexographic printing presses are: Shaanxi Printing Machinery, Shanxi Taihang Printing Machinery Factory, Beiren Fuji Machinery Co., Ltd., and Xi'an Mexican Cattle Machinery Co., Ltd. and other 10 manufacturers. A total of 35 narrow flexographic presses were produced, of which the proportion was 16.5?, and the sales were 13?, 10? and 400mm.
The printing products printed by the flexo printing machines produced by these companies have been tested and compared. The quality of printed matter can basically meet the requirements for packaging and printing, which is equivalent to the general level of imported flexographic printing equipment. 6 The price of the color printing machine is RMB 2 million. Following the general business is acceptable.
The key component of the flexo printing machine is the anilox roller. At present, Shanghai Printing Technology Research Institute has taken the lead in the domestic production of electronic engraving metal anilox roller. Subsequently, anilox rollers machined by mechanical extrusion methods, such as the Shanghai Laser Group Corporation carving branch, Xinhua Precision (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Aokeli Printing Machinery Co., Ltd., can mass produce ceramic nets. Roll and laser-engraved rubber seamless roll, rubber seamless sleeve.
Die cutters, which are indispensable for flexo printing, were all imported from the United States in the past. Not only did they have a long processing time, but they also had higher prices. In 1998, Shanghai Yahua Printing Machinery Co., Ltd. and Bernel of the United States set up Shanghai Bernel Yahua Printing and Packaging Machinery Co., Ltd., which can produce all kinds of die cutters for domestic flexo production. .
Shaanxi New Century Printing Materials Co., Ltd., Tianjin Ink Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Printing Technology Research Institute have developed water-based inks, waterborne varnish, water-based auxiliaries, and UV varnish, UV inks, and UV additives.
In the aspect of platemaking, it has introduced foreign full-plate making equipment and technology, and some of the equipment is still the most advanced in Asia. Beijing Duoweilong Flexographic Technology Service Co., Ltd. introduced the US flexo plate making software so that domestic flexible platemaking technology is at the same level as the international. Beijing Carton Factory also introduced large format flexo platemaking technology from DuPont in 1998. Xi'an Formula Flexo Co., Ltd. has also introduced the plate making technology of Dutch AV (Anhe) Company. Jiangsu Taiyi Group Corporation and Shanghai Printing Technology Institute respectively launched ZR650, ZR650B and ZBR series flexible platemaking machines.
The development of the above-mentioned equipment and equipment for flexo printing strongly supports the development of flexographic printing.
Third, the current major issues (a) equipment and auxiliary equipment selection is not a reasonable introduction of flexographic equipment, should first consider the purchase of flexographic printing machine printing target, and should fully understand the structure and performance of flexographic printing presses to ensure that equipment The basic functions and configuration are reasonable and meet the flexo printing requirements.
Some companies only consider the price factor when choosing a flexo printer. They ignore the fact that the configuration is applicable, reasonable, and the result is that due to incomplete configuration, some print products cannot be printed; there are also some companies that have excess functionality or flexo when they purchase soft devices. The other functions of the machine are not coordinated and cause waste. For some companies, in addition to the purchase of flexo presses, they have also purchased automatic paper, bronzing, laminating, punching, marking and other devices. Obviously, if these are linked together, the operation is very uncoordinated and will inevitably greatly reduce the printing speed. There are also some companies that do not have complete auxiliary equipment, such as an anilox roller configured only for each color group, and the cable roller network cable is incomplete. The network roller is a timing roller to control the ink volume, and the network cable, the shape of the net hole and the angle are directly related to the printed matter. According to the pattern and plate making requirements, the anilox roller should be adjusted or replaced at any time. Imagine not adjusting the anilox roller. And a reasonable mix will not print good products.
The platen roller is made according to the size of the receiving job, which is also a feature of flexographic printing to save paper and reduce costs. According to the survey, most flexographic machines use only one color combination with a cable roller with one set or two sets of tumbler. If there is a need for re-production and there is a lack of funds, the status quo of domestic enterprises is that the flexographic machine can afford to buy "Can't afford the saddle." For foreign companies, each company has at least 2 to 3 soft machines, up to 15 production lines, color groups from 2 to 12 color group printing machines, inventory specifications of various types of network cable rolls, various sizes There are several editions of drum sets, and at the same time, there are leasing companies that specialize in leasing drums in foreign countries. The price is calculated in days, which means that it is convenient for users to rent. The company can also generate income. The round press die cutting roll is ready to be called at any time, and the die roll manufacturer takes about 2/3 of the time to repair the die cut roll for the user; and 1/3 of the time the user creates a new die cutter, forming a benign cycle. However, when domestic companies purchase equipment, the investment for auxiliary equipment after equipment purchase is about 1/3 of that for equipment.
(3) Poor supply channels for auxiliary materials Our flexographic printing auxiliary materials (except water-based inks) are mostly imported from outside China, such as flexographic plates, double-sided adhesives, squeegees, etc. Currently, there are no alternative products in China. , And the price is expensive, long delivery period, domestic agents, and incomplete variety of specifications, users do not have room for selection, which is the key to hinder the development of flexography.
China's production of flexo-printing water-based inks is relatively complete in terms of categories, both water-based inks that are suitable for all types of substrates, and the latest anti-counterfeiting inks. The requirements for the fineness, fluidity, and viscosity of water-based inks vary from one substrate to the next, and the higher the viscosity, the better. Therefore, the inks developed for specific printing materials and different printing processes are important ways to improve the quality of flexographic products, reduce the scrap rate, and broaden the field of flexographic printing. To this end, water-based ink manufacturers should develop different types, various grades of water-based ink