Coating Blankets

What is a coating?

A coating is a clear layer applied to all, or part of a

sheet after printing - achieving a variety of finishes.

Before drying, most coatings are opaque liquids,

quite unlike a sheetfed ink.

Coating is commonest in carton printing, but also

widespread in commercial printing.
In-line and off-line coating

In-line coating - Printed then coated on the same press in one pass.

PRINTING COATING
DEDICATED
COATING UNITS

Off-line coating - Printed then coated as a separate process on another machine.

PRINTING
COATING
Why are sheets coated?

Improved appearance - higher gloss, brighter look,

special finishes etc.

Protection - stops the image rubbing, scuffing etc.

(also known as a ‘sealer’).

Faster processing - cutting and creasing etc.

Sometimes two coatings are applied to a sheet (double

coating).
Coating types

Chemistry/drying process:

Aqueous (or water based/dispersion) - dried with hot
air or infra red radiation (80% of the market).

UV - dried with UV radiation (20% of the market).

Finish:

Gloss

Satin

Matte
Terminology

Gloss:

The ability of a surface to reflect directed light.

Has an effect on colour and brightness.

Slip:

The “slip” value of a coating is chosen to suit processing
(folding/gluing) and/or the final application.

Laydown:

How smooth and even the coating appears.

Bad laydown means mottle or “orange peel” effect.

More critical on matte than gloss coatings.
Coating terms and types

Knock outs or glue flaps (75% of carton

market)
 Selected areas only, e.g. carton work.
 No fine details.
 Use a Coating Blanket.

Flood coating (15%)

 Whole sheet coated, no detail.
 Use any Printing Blanket.

Spot coating (10%)

Spot coating  Detailed text or halftones.
for detailed
work  Use photopolymer plate (Cyrel, Nyloprint etc).
 Alternatively use a litho varnish (clear ink).
Why bother with knock-outs?

Coatings can cause problems in carton printing.

Glues won’t stick to most coatings.

Nor will inks used to print “sell by…” dates etc.

Areas of the blanket must be cut and stripped away to

make a STENCIL so they will not transfer coating.
Knock outs and glue flaps

Carton coating design Date box

Coated areas
Glue
Non coated areas flaps

Coating blanket
stripping pattern
Non stripped areas
Stripped areas
Glue flap outline
How is the stencil prepared?

Cut by hand - on or off press

Cheap but inconsistent, less
accurate.

Cut by CAD/Plotter

Fast and accurate.

The blanket is always stripped by hand!

Roller versus Anilox coater

Roller coater unit
Anilox coater unit

Plate/ Plate/
blanket Coating blanket Anilox Doctor
cylinder roller Fountain cylinder roller blade
roller
Coating
Pa Coating Pa
pe pe
r/ r/
bo bo
ard ard

Impression cylinder Impression cylinder

The coating roller is covered
The anilox roller is solid

with solid rubber. metal or ceramic, with tiny

The coating film weight is cells in its surface.
controlled by pressure
The coating film weight is
between the rollers. controlled by the cell size.
Why use a Duco stripping blanket?

Dedicated coating blanket design.

Consistent stripping properties.

Optimum coating properties.

High smash resistance/durability.

Widest range available.

3 different backing options.

What’s wrong with the alternatives?

Old printing blankets

Poor and inconsistent stripping properties.

Poor and inconsistent coating performance.

Often damaged by smashes etc.

Photopolymer plates

High costs - can be up to 4 x coating blanket cost.

Easily damaged - printer may have to buy spare.

Availability - off site processing.

Limited gauge range.

Processing waste.

Environmental impact - chemical usage.
Duco coating blanket range

World’s largest range of coating blankets.

Available in gauges from 0.90mm to 1.95mm.

Fabric backed Polyester backed Sticky backed

Duco coating blanket range

Product Gauges Backing Surface Strip to

Superstrip FB & 1.68 & 1.95
Fabric Cast Sponge
FBLR

1.15, 1.30*, Micro ground

Superstrip PB Polyester Base
1.35 & 1.40 (*also cast)

Superstrip PB &
1.95 Polyester Cast Sponge
UVPB

Superstrip PB
1.95 Polyester Cast Sponge
Ultra

0.95, 1.05,
Superstrip SB Adhesive Cast Base
1.68 & 1.95
Duco coating blanket range

Press type Compatible blanket gauge

Heidelberg 1.95

Manroland 1.95 Please consider

that thinner
coating blankets
Komori 1.95 or plates may be
used with the
KBA 1.30 – 1.40 appropriate
adjustment in
underpacking.
Mitsubishi 1.68

Ryobi 1.95