Shrink Sleeve Labelling
sleeve product, printers and converters have to be vigilant and consistent in ensuring the accuracy of colour and in graphic representation. The inks used in shrink applications must be
formulated and selected for their ability to provide clean halftones and resolution and for smooth solid line work, with no variation in colour in the print run and with minimal dot gain.
USING FLEXOGRAPHY FOR SHRINK LABELS There are countless application areas for shrink sleeve products, including consumer garden products such as handheld insect sprays. Soft drinks, car cleaning, health and beauty products, and specialist food items, like potted meats and cooking sauces, are amongst the other products with shrink sleeve or wrap enhancements. Inks for many of these products are
formulated to meet requirements such as light fastness and customer specific opacity and colour. Inks must offer good adhesion to various films and must be optimised for shrink sleeve. Flexography is well placed to meet many of the
A shrinking world
Tom Kerchiss, MD ofRK Print Coat Instruments, says that only a few decades ago labelling for food, drink, pharmaceuticals and other packaging product categories was regarded as a special part of printing and converting. But then something came along that began to change what was possible in the labelling sector
circle of customers. Then, a situation that was all too familiar to printers and converters operating in other sectors began to affect much of the label sector. The problem was that real world trading
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conditions had caught up with the labelling sector. No longer could it remain a narrow business; label converters found that they frequently had to deal not only with local competition, but competition from overseas as well. Label converters’ customers were not unaffected by the effects of globalisation and recessionary pressures. Some astute commercially-minded printers and converters paused for a rethink, becoming highly critical of the way in which they operated. Many embarked on dramatic cost-cutting exercises, turning their attention to finding new ways in which to differentiate their businesses. Label and other narrow and medium web
width printers and converters have been challenged to find ways to avoid commoditisation in order to obtain maximum profits from their efforts. Maybe one of the most innovative package concepts that has come on the scene in recent years, one that offers great product security, is shrink sleeve labelling or wraps. Sleeves can be configured so that just the
shoulders and/or screw top lid or cap is covered or a container can be subjected to a full body
32 October 2016
he almost incestuous nature of the business tended to mean that label producers stayed close to a small
wrap. The 360-degree wraparound surface provides the designer with the opportunity to creatively shine and for the marketer to display cogent brand information. Printers and converters can enhance their reputation by replicating approved colour and graphics on a variety of contoured bill boarding containers. Substrates that can be used in the
manufacture of shrink sleeves typically include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate – glycol modified (PETG) and oriented polypropylene (OPP). PETG is said to provide the best scuff resistance and high shrink conformability. Other substrates are not without merit, and performance qualities need to be taken into account as they influence design appearance. The characteristics of the film can impact on clarity or opacity, receptivity to ink and the percentage of shrink uniformity in both longitudinal and transverse directions. Shrink sleeves or wraps can be integrated in
with a wide range of containers, almost regardless of shape. The only caveat being that shrinking sleeves onto a container that tapers downward presents a problem with grip. Packaging and print/converting technologists
must manage each element of the production process carefully. The placement of graphics and barcodes must be precise in order to minimise any distortion of art elements in areas likely to be greatly affected by shrinkage. Owing to the prominence of graphics and colour on a shrink
decorative possibilities afforded by shrink. Thermochromic, fluorescent, opaque, transparent, gloss and matte inks can be employed along with other value added processes. Inks must dry without being too hot and must shrink at the same percentage as the substrate. For the ink maker knowing how substrates
and inks interact over time avoids costly complaints and comebacks later on. The FlexiProof 100 (pictured below), FlexiProof UV and FlexiProof LED UV from RK Print Coat Instruments aid ink producers, formulators, additive and resin providers in devising products that meet expectations. The same applies to the substrate producer and others. The FlexiProof 100 is a self-contained unit with
integrated doctor blade and anilox roller. The FlexiProof UV has the features of the 100 but in addition incorporates a miniaturised UV curing system; the LED UV version is optimised for curing heat sensitive substrates. The fact that the FlexiProof units are scaled down but component critical exact versions of a flexographic production press enables them to be used for product trialling tasks and product research and development. In addition to providing accurate proofs and resolving issues with ink, the FlexiProof can also be used to determine printability, for instance, gloss, rub resistance, chemical resistance and durability.
uwww.rkprint.co.uk www.convertermag.co.uk
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