Flexible Packaging
Anilox selection for a changing flexible packaging market
By Mike Baines, technical services engineer, Sandon Global
complete application rather than relying solely on established line count and volume specifications.
Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) are encouraging brand owners to move away from packaging formats that attract higher compliance costs, accelerating the adoption of recyclable mono-material structures. For converters, however, changing the packaging structure is only part of the challenge. Print performance must still meet demanding requirements for colour, opacity, consistency and productivity, even when the substrate, ink system and process requirements have changed.
T
These changes are making anilox selection increasingly application specific. At the same time, accurate fingerprinting and process control are essential to ensuring the chosen specification delivers repeatable results.
MOVING BEYOND LEGACY SPECIFICATIONS
Many converters continue to use anilox that have delivered reliable results for years. However, as packaging formats evolve, existing specifications should not automatically be assumed to remain the best choice.
Mono-material films such as PE, PP and PET can have different surface characteristics and mechanical properties from traditional laminated structures. Some are also thinner and more sensitive to changes in web tension, reducing the process window available to achieve consistent print quality. Every change to the substrate, ink system or print application can alter how ink is transferred, released and dried. Anilox selection therefore needs to consider the
he flexible packaging sector is going through a period of significant change. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and the
Both remain fundamental, but cell geometry, engraving quality and ink release characteristics are equally important. Where converters are looking to reduce ink laydown, improve drying or print on thinner films, a lower-volume specification with efficient ink release may provide better performance. Conversely, high-opacity whites, coatings and demanding solid areas may require higher volumes or alternative cell geometries to achieve coverage and minimise pinholing. The correct specification depends on the application, not a single ‘standard’ anilox. Advances in plate technology reinforce this principle. Modern plates can transfer ink more efficiently, meaning required print density can often be achieved with lower ink volumes. The objective should be to transfer the right amount of ink as efficiently as possible, rather than simply transferring more.
As press speeds increase, predictable cell performance becomes even more important. With less time for ink transfer between anilox and plate, engraving consistency and efficient ink release can help maintain stable print quality throughout the run.
FINGERPRINTING CREATES THE BASELINE Every press has its own characteristics, making fingerprinting essential for establishing how a particular machine prints.
A press fingerprint determines how colours reproduce, how different colours interact and which Pantone colours can be achieved. The results can then be used for ICC profiling,
helping compensate for differences in substrate appearance and press behaviour and providing a reliable basis for colour management. Fingerprinting typically takes place when a press is installed but should not be regarded as a one-off exercise. Changes to the substrate, ink system, anilox, backing tape, plate material or doctor blade can all affect print performance, so a new fingerprint trial should be considered when key process variables change. Regular anilox cleaning and volume measurement are also important, as contamination or wear can alter ink transfer and undermine established process conditions.
SUPPORTING EXTENDED COLOUR GAMUT Extended colour gamut (ECG) printing further highlights the importance of process control. By combining four process colours with orange, green and violet, converters can reproduce a large proportion of the Pantone range while reducing reliance on individual spot-colour inks.
This can mean fewer colour changes, lower ink inventory, less ink waste, fewer anilox changes and reduced substrate waste during make-ready. However, these benefits depend on predictable ink densities and repeatable colour reproduction, making accurate fingerprinting and anilox specification fundamental.
AN APPLICATION-LED APPROACH As flexible packaging continues to change, with sustainability targets, legislation and brand expectations influencing the market, anilox selection should no longer be viewed as a historical decision.
Recyclable structures, thinner films, evolving ink systems and more demanding production targets require an application-led approach in which substrate, ink, plate, anilox and press are considered together.
Anilox selection for a changing flexible packaging market is ultimately about choosing the right specification for the application, then maintaining the process control needed to make it perform, job after job.
14
September 2026
www.convertermag.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42
