Labelling Solutions


Why process control and anilox tolerances determine ECG


press setup and operator input all influence ink transfer and colour stability.


By Paul Mitchell, regional sales manager UK & Ireland, Sandon Global


E


xtended Colour Gamut (ECG) printing has become one of the most talked- about developments in flexographic label production. Yet as more


converters explore ECG, one reality is becoming increasingly clear: success depends less on the technology itself and more on controlling variation throughout the print workflow. For many businesses, this is the real barrier to adoption. The benefits of ECG are well understood, but repeatable results depend on every stage of the process operating within tightly controlled parameters. Without that foundation, those benefits are difficult to realise.


From my perspective, ECG is too often treated as a colour management exercise when it is fundamentally a process control challenge. Most converters can achieve strong results during trials. The real test is whether those results can be repeated across jobs, operators, presses and shifts. That level of repeatability requires every element of the system to behave predictably, every time.


Unlike spot colour printing, ECG relies on a fixed ink set to reproduce a broad gamut. Because colours are built through multiple ink interactions, there is less opportunity to compensate elsewhere in the process. Small variations that might be insignificant in conventional work quickly become visible. This is why control matters. When ECG causes problems, it is rarely down to a single factor. More often it is the combined effect of variables drifting outside their optimal range. Ink viscosity, substrate variation, plate condition,


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At the centre of this is the anilox, which meters ink to the plate. Any change in volume, cell geometry, wear or condition directly affects ink delivery. In conventional work, these shifts may be corrected on press. In ECG, where tolerances are far tighter, they become much more critical.


This helps explain why ECG adoption is strongest among label converters who have already embraced standardisation and measurement-led manufacturing. Stable output depends on a stable process.


A common misconception is that an ECG fingerprint represents the finish line. It is not. It is the starting point. The real challenge is holding that fingerprint over time. Replacement components must match originals, new press installations must replicate established standards, and repeat work must deliver identical results regardless of when it is produced.


This is where anilox tolerances come into focus. Our recent technical collaboration with Hamilton-Schades Labels highlighted this clearly. The challenge was to improve print accuracy and repeatability, recognising that consistency is not simply about meeting an individual specification, but about reproducing it reliably across an entire anilox inventory throughout its operational life. The work examined how tighter tolerances could improve predictability, enhance print quality and support long-term ECG capability. As Paul Larkin, flexo industry veteran and technical director at Hamilton-Schades Labels, observed, “Flexographic printing depends on control across every stage of the process. All component parts must perform consistently over time. While line count remains part of specification, it is anilox volume that determines ink film and therefore colour accuracy. And you can’t successfully adopt ECG printing unless you have volume consistency.” That goes to the heart of the ECG challenge. The tighter the colour tolerances, the more important it becomes to control the variables that influence ink transfer. ECG does not usually fail because of colour management. It fails because variation exists elsewhere. Reflecting on the programme, Paul Larkin noted the technical work had moved the business closer to tolerance levels required for future ECG development, underlining how even small deviations can affect colour accuracy in ECG printing.


As label converters continue to assess ECG, the discussion needs to move beyond software and colour capability. The real question is whether the production environment can sustain the consistency required. ECG offers clear opportunities for the label sector, but success ultimately depends on process stability. Those who gain most will be those who invest in measurement, control and repeatability, creating the conditions that make predictable colour possible.


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