FLEXOGRAPHIC

PRINTING DEFECTS
TROUBLESHOOTING BY
SUBSTRATE

Web: www.luminite.com
Phone: 888-545-2270
Family Owned & Operated
Since 1926

Luminite Products Corporation offers a

wide variety of services and products to
the flexographic printing industry. From
digital direct laser-engraved elastomer
cylinders and sleeves, to polymer
plates.

Whether you’re looking for a tint roll or

you need 175 line screen tonal work, we
can deliver.

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 Flexographic printing can achieve high resolution printing results on a wide variety of
substrates. However, each substrate has its own printing considerations to achieve the
final print quality that you, and your customers, have become accustomed to.

When dealing with printing issues on the following substrates, consult the
troubleshooting tips in this guide:

CONTENTS
● Blister Packaging 4
● Film 6
● Tissue and Non-Woven 8
● Flexible Packaging 10
● Corrugated 12

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Blister Packaging: The Likely Culprits
1. INK:
Inks used for printing on blister packaging need to be compatible with the backing
material, and should also be free of ingredients that might compromise the
adhesion process.
They may need to be heat-tolerant, depending on the adhesive being used. In
addition, using contaminated ink can result in hickeys or foreign particles on your
finished product.

2. IMAGE CARRIER:
Check the image carrier before every print run, and always maintain them properly.
Dirty, soft, worn, or loose sleeves, cylinders, or plates can lead to dirty prints,
uneven ink transfer, spotty printing, streaking, washboard effects, and image
bleeding.

3. INK PH:
If the image carriers are in good shape, and you are still having problems, the
culprit could be the ink's pH.
The backing could be cardboard, foil, or plastic. Different materials may require
inks with pH levels that dry slower or faster, so they stick to the substrate.

4. VISCOSITY:
If your viscosity is too low, your blister packaging print runs might have trouble
with foaming, abrasion, spotty ink deposits, or uneven appearance.
Too high and you might experience smeared ink, uneven color, darker colors than
expected, halos, and fisheyes.

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How to Improve Common Blister Packaging
Printing Problems
Challenges in blister packaging can include adhesive build-up, thermal expansion,
clean-up problems, and other mishaps.

Tips on how to improve the process include:

● Press maintenance: Always maintain presses properly, monitor printing

pressure, and reduce wobbling.
● Pressure: Perform a “kiss” impression and adjust the pressure accordingly.
● Gears: Check the condition, lubrication and cleaning of gears regularly.
● Contamination: Keep image carriers in top condition and look for dried ink on
the anilox.
● Ink: Use the ink that is right for the plastic, backing and adhesive.
● Image carrier: Avoid using harsh solvents or cleaning agents.
● Distribution: Regardless of whether the image carrier is a sleeve, cylinder or
plate, silicone elastomer is likely the best material option when using
adhesives.
● Anilox: Choose an anilox with cells that hold and support ink transfer at the
appropriate rate.
● Drying: Don’t get so caught up in productivity that you fail to allow proper
drying time.

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Common Printing Culprits Associated
with Flexo Printing on Film
According to the FTA, printing on film does come with unique challenges. Common
films currently in use include polyolefins (polyethylene and polypropylene),
polyamide and polyester.
Films are generally non-porous, extremely smooth, and quite flexible, with very low
surface energy. Some problems associated with flexo printing on film substrates
include:
1. WETTING:
Films are usually non-absorbent, and have low surface energy, which can make
wetting a unique challenge. The ink can pull on itself, leading to pinholes and
fish-eyes. To avoid this printing defect, it is necessary to closely align the surface
energies of the ink, image carrier, and film.
With a wider range of surface energies available, elastomer image carriers offer
much more flexibility and control than standard photopolymer plates.
An inline surface treatment such as corona treatment, flame or plasma can be used
to raise the film’s surface energy.
2. SUBSTRATE WRINKLING:
Some film substrates can be very thin, which can lead to wrinkling if the tension is
not adjusted properly during the printing process.
The material must be kept taut without web break, but still flexible enough to flow
through the print rollers.
3. INK FLAKING:
Film does not absorb solvents from the ink, so all ink drying must occur from the
surface. Ink that does not dry properly may not adhere and could flake off the film
surface, or come off when the material is flexed.
This could be attributed to improper ink, ink viscosity, surface tension, solvent or
drying procedure.

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4. FILM VARIANTS:
As the printing and packaging world evolves, new types of substrates are being
introduced that may test the assumptions of previous processes. In some cases,
traditional plastic films are being replaced by biodegradable and compostable
films which may not respond in a similar manner during printing.
Research on this variable has found a correlation between optical density and
wettability, as well as the surface free energy. However, it is possible to choose
newer film materials with properties that correspond closely to traditional films
in order to obtain a high-quality print product.

How to Address Common Film Flexo Print

Problems
Challenges in flexo printing on film can include poor print quality, inefficient drying,
clean-up problems, and other mishaps. Tips on how to improve the process include:

● Drying: Choose an ink type that will dry and adhere properly.
● Wetting: Use inks that can completely wet the film surface in order to achieve
maximum adhesion.
● Tension: Adjust the tension to keep the film sufficiently tight.
● Contamination: Keep image carrier and anilox in top condition and look for
dried ink and other particulates.
● Anilox: Choose an anilox with cells that support the appropriate ink transfer
volume.

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Common Indicators of Problems with
Flexo Printing on Tissue and
Non-Woven Fabric
In general, there are a few primary problems when it comes to printing on tissue and
non-woven fabric, due to the very nature of the substrate:
● WEB SHIFT: Here the substrate does not maintain a true course as it moves
through the printing process. This results in images that are blurry, misaligned
or uneven. The press or rollers could be out of alignment, which will require a
time-wasting reregistration.
● DIRTY PRINT: More so than with other substrates, the fibrous nature of
non-woven and tissue materials can cause dust and other contaminants to
transfer to the printing materials, resulting in a dirty print or fill-in. Additionally,
these particulates can clog the anilox rolls, causing them to fill in and prohibit
proper ink transfer.
● SUBSTRATE WRINKLES: Tissue and non-woven fabric can become easily
wrinkled during the printing process, causing the images to print unevenly.
Make sure the pressure and tension are adjusted properly to assure the
material remains taut. The rollers must be evenly impressed, while still
allowing the material to flow freely.
● INK PROBLEMS: Tissue and non-woven fabric are very absorbent, so special
care must be taken to choose water-based inks that are capable of performing
exceptionally well. A paper towel, for example, is meant to absorb liquids, so
the ink cannot be too thin or too thick. If the ink viscosity is too thin, it will
absorb through the paper towel, causing strikethrough, bleeding onto the back
up roll, and causing undue wear and tear on your image carrier. If the ink is too
thick, it will not permeate the surface of the paper towel. Keep in mind that
these products also need to be free of harsh solvents or printing agents as
they may come in contact with food or flesh.

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How to Improve Common Tissue and
Non-Woven Flexo Print Problems
Challenges in tissue and non-woven printing can include poor print quality, improper
ink dry time, clean-up problems, and other mishaps. Tips on how to improve the
process include:
● Press Maintenance: Always maintain and align presses and rollers properly
prior to the print run.
● Tension: Adjust the tension to keep the substrate sufficiently taut.
● Eliminate Potential Sources of Contamination: Keep image carriers in top
condition and look for dried ink on the print materials. Avoid using harsh
solvents or cleaning agents.
● Anilox: Choose an anilox with cells that hold and support your ink transfer at
the appropriate rate. Additionally, ensure proper cleaning of your anilox.

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Top 5 Culprits: Troubleshooting
Problems with Flexo Printing on
Flexible Packaging
If you are experiencing issues with flexo printing on flexible packaging, consider the
following troubleshooting items:
1. INK:
Inks used for printing flexible packaging must be compatible with the substrate
material. Some flexible materials are more heat-tolerant than others, and some are
more ink-absorbing. Ink selection must be adjusted accordingly to account for the
substrate qualities.
2. INK PH:
Some print problems can be traced to the ink's pH. The packaging material could
consist of anything from film, paper, and aluminum -- to composites such as
polyester, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and polypropylene.
Each material requires inks with varying pH levels that dry quickly or slowly, so they
adhere to the substrate.
3. INK VISCOSITY:
If your viscosity levels are off, then your flexible packaging print runs might have
trouble with abrasion, foaming, spotty ink deposits, smeared ink or uneven
appearance, uneven colors, halos, and fisheyes.
4. PRINTING PLATES:
Flexible materials can be much more susceptible to movement during the print
process. Different materials may have varying thicknesses which could affect the
print quality. Check the tension on your machines before every print run, and be sure
to maintain your sleeves or plates properly.
Dirty, soft, worn, or loose plates can also lead to:
● Dirty prints ● Streaking
● Uneven ink transfer ● Washboard effects
● Spotty printing ● Image bleeding.

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5. DIRT AND CONTAMINANTS:
In an industrial setting such as a printing room, machinery in action promotes static
electricity. This attracts floating dust, tiny ink particles, and other contaminants which
can accumulate on the print elements and substrate.
These contaminants can compromise the quality of the entire print process.

How to Improve Common Flexible

Packaging Printing Problems
Challenges in flexible packaging can include poor print quality, improper ink dry time,
clean-up problems, and other mishaps. Tips on how to improve the process include:

● Proper Press Maintenance: Always maintain presses properly, monitor printing

pressure, and eliminate wobbling by checking bearings, shafts, and gear tip and
alignment.
● Appropriate Tension: Adjust the tension to keep the substrate sufficiently tight,
especially when starting and stopping.
● Gears: Check the condition, cleaning and lubrication of gears regularly.
● Eliminate Contamination: Keep image carriers in top condition and look for
leftover dried ink on the anilox.
● Preserve the Image Carrier: Avoid using harsh solvents or cleaning agents,
unless your image carrier has been especially chosen for them.
● Distribution: Choose the appropriate carrier type, whether it be cylinder, sleeve, or
plate, to ensure the best transfer to the packaging material.
● Anilox: Choose an anilox with cells that hold ink and support its transfer at the
appropriate rate. Cell count, shape, and depth determine the proper volume for
the design.

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Top 4 Culprits: Troubleshooting with Flexo
Printing on Corrugated Substrates
1. INK
If your print has a streaky appearance, washboard-like look, or spotty, uneven inking,
you likely have an issue with the ink's compatibility with the project. Using inks that
are incompatible with your image carrier and/ or substrate can leave smears across
your print.
In addition, using contaminated ink can result in foreign particles or hickeys on your
finished products.
2. PRINTING PLATES
It's important to check plates before every print run and to maintain them properly.
Dirty, damaged, soft, uneven, worn, or loose plates can lead to dirty prints, spotty
printing, washboard effects, uneven ink transfer, streaking, and image bleeding.
Switching to more durable, elastomer printing sleeves may also be a solution to
consider.
3. INK PH
If you're finding uneven color deposits, smeared images, streaking, or image
bleeding, and your printing plates are in good shape, then your ink's pH could be to
blame. The pH level of ink affects how quickly or slowly ink dries and how well the
color will absorb and stick to your substrate.
Ink that dries too quickly or too slowly could be at the heart of your corrugated print
run troubles.
4. VISCOSITY
Ink viscosity affects how well ink deposits on and clings to your substrate, and
different substrate materials with different surface tensions call for various levels of
viscosity. If your viscosity is too low, your print runs might have trouble with foaming,
abrasion, spotty ink deposits, or uneven appearance.
If ink viscosity is too high, you could face similar issues plus smeared ink, uneven
color, color that's darker than expected, halos, fisheyes, and contaminants in the ink.

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How to Improve Common Corrugated
Printing Problems
● Improve press maintenance: Working equipment has parts that can wear down
and become inefficient. Maintain your presses properly, monitor printing
pressure, and reduce wobbling.
● Increase pressure monitoring: Take a “kiss” impression and adjust the
pressure accordingly. Carefully check the working parts, and consistently
monitor surface tension.
● Watch worn gears: Check the condition, lubrication and cleaning of gears
regularly to keep them from damaging the print.
● Reduce contamination: Control airborne contaminants, keep image carriers in
top condition, look for dried ink on the cartridge and check for plate swelling to
keep an even ink distribution.
● Rethink inks: Ink choices may be too abrasive or non-absorbent. Look at ink
viscosity and pH level.
● Take care of the image carrier: Beware of using harsh solvents or cleaning
agents that could lead to swollen sleeves or damaged plates.
● Improve distribution: Reduce cylinder or plate swelling by switching to sturdier
elastomer sleeves.
● Aim for the right anilox: Choose an anilox with cells that hold and support ink
transfer at the appropriate rate.
● Don't hurry drying: Don’t get so caught up in productivity that you perform all
print processes properly, and then fail to allow proper drying time.

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 Flexo printing requires a delicate balance of several components all
working in harmony. For a print run to turn out exactly as expected, all
components have to be exactly right.

That means optimizing all of your printing materials and components

near perfectly.

For more information about troubleshooting your prints on a variety

of substrates, contact a flexographic printing expert at Luminite.

Ready to Get Started with Flexo?

If you’re ready to get started printing with flexography, contact the experts at
Luminite today. Our team is eager to help manufacture and supply quality
flexographic image carriers that are perfect for your project requirements.

Web: www.luminite.com
Phone: 888-545-2270