The four main types of equipment commonly used in packaging paper printing and their suitable application scenarios are: offset printing presses (high precision), gravure printing presses (high speed), flexographic printing presses (low cost), and screen printing presses (special effects).
1. Offset Printing Press: The printing principle is based on an oil-water immiscible transfer technology, where the ink is first transferred from the rubber blanket to the paper. Typical models include the Heidelberg Speedmaster series, suitable for printing high-end packaging paper such as cosmetic boxes and wine boxes.
Its core advantage lies in its outstanding printing tonal range. Actual test data shows it can reproduce 98% of Pantone colors, with a paper dot accuracy of 5 microns. It is an essential model for medium to large-sized printing plants with an annual production capacity exceeding 50 million sheets.
2. Gravure Printing Press: Utilizes steel engraved cylinders and is commonly used for continuous printing on food packaging paper. Examples include the Komori Machinery A37 series from Japan, which is particularly suitable for printing metallic colors on mooncake boxes, chocolate wrappers, etc.
Actual testing shows a printing speed of up to 15 meters per minute, increasing production capacity by 300% compared to offset printing presses. Ink transfer volume reaches 3.5-4.5 g/㎡, with excellent results achieved with special inks such as glitter powder and pearlescent ink.
3. Flexographic Printing Machine: Utilizes a resin plate + anilox ink transfer system. A typical model, such as the Bobst M6, is suitable for printing on fresh fruit and vegetable packaging paper, express delivery bags, etc. It boasts outstanding environmental characteristics, with water-based inks having a solid content of up to 95%, complying with EU REACH standards.
Equipment purchase costs are 40% lower than offset printing machines, and plate changeover time is reduced to 15 minutes, adapting to small-batch, multi-variety order needs.
4. Screen Printing Machine: Employs nylon or metal screens, widely used in PET plastic packaging paper, irregularly shaped cardboard boxes, and spot UV printing. The Swiss SPS fully automatic screen printing machine can achieve online inspection, with ink layer thickness reaching 50-100μm.
Especially suitable for Braille packaging paper, embossed effects, and other special printing applications. Through four overprints, a 3D tactile effect can be achieved, resulting in a market premium of 2-3 times that of ordinary packaging.
