In flexo printing stereo’s (“stamps”) made of natural rubber apply ink to the surface of the film. The technical qualities of flexo-printing (34 lines per cm/ 86 lines per inch) gives the best results for line artwork (provided hairlines are not thinner than 0.04cm or 1pt. and typeface not smaller than 8pt.) and solids printed in PMS colours. Because of the rubber stereo’s and the material one should not expect a perfect registration. Full color printing is possible, but the screen of 34 lines per cm gives limitations as far as brightness and definition of a picture are concerned. Our design department is always willing to advise you about artwork for flexo printing.

Recommendations on how to prepare artwork to obtain the best results for flexo-printing:
•    Prepare text in solids; e.g. pantone colour (PMS colour) or only cyan, or only magenta, etc. (note that typeface should preferably not smaller than 8 Pt.)

•    Logo’s and emblems should preferably be treated in the same way

•    Prepare a text in the software program that you use. Do not import from “Photoshop” to avoid typeface losing its strength. Convert text into “outlines”.

•    Artwork with an abundance of small details and e.g. shadows often do not produce the desired effect. A clean and austere design provides the best result.

•    Illustrations made in e.g. Adobe Illustrator almost always produce a more attractive result than a picture.

•    Pictures should be sharp and show sufficient contrast to obtain the best result. Pictures with a lot of colours in the same shades may give a somewhat pale result. (Pictures minimum 300 dpi).

•    Exact reproduction of a gradual change in colour from dark to light, or the other way around is difficult and in most cases will create unsatisfactory result.