Flexographic printing is an ideal solution for customers who need a quick turnaround for medium to large print runs, up to about 50,000 meters of printed material. Compared to lithographic printing, advantages of flexo include faster startup time, reduced waste and the ability to print a wide variety of inks on nearly any substrate – from thin, nonporous plastics to metal films, corrugated paperboard and more.
Direct Drive for Throughput and Quality
The challenge for flexographic printing has always been to achieve quality and throughput comparable to lithography without making the process prohibitively expensive. Anilox rollers and plate cylinders must move in perfect synchronization to ensure consistent results. That’s why printing machine OEMs are replacing bull gear and motor/gearbox driven systems with Kollmorgen direct drive technology that eliminates inaccuracies due to gear backlash, wear and compliance.
Better Motion Means a More Profitable Machine
Direct drive provides perfectly synchronized motion that’s 20 times more accurate than a geared servo system, so the press can run faster, with no loss of quality. Direct drive also minimizes setup time and eliminates the need to periodically re-tune the transmission to compensate for worn gears. Faster, higher-quality printing with less downtime, maintenance and waste: It all adds up to a more profitable printing press.
Optimized Solutions, End to End
Flexo printing requires precise tension, motion control and synchronization across the entire machine from the unwind to the rewind roller. Our whole-system approach includes an integrated development environment for machine automation, motion control, I/O and HMI – speeding your time to market through graphical programming and real-time analysis. And with our unique co-engineering capabilities, you always have access to the motion solutions and expertise you need to truly differentiate your machine from the competition.
