The impact of non-uniform ink absorption on flexographic print mottle

Abstract

Absorption non-uniformity and surface roughness of coated packaging boards are believed to have an impact on flexographic print mottle. Yet, their respective contributions are not well recognised due to their co-existence. Therefore, we propose a method that can solely study the effects of absorption non-uniformity on print mottle. This is achieved by artificially introducing uneven absorption, through well-controlled barrier patterns. The barrier patterns were added onto board surfaces using flexographic printing. By applying barrier patterns of several area coverages on board substrates of different intrinsic surface roughness it is possible to create a property-matrix, absorption non-uniformity versus for example surface roughness. With this matrix, the impact on print mottle from either of the properties can be studied independently. The results showed that surface roughness had a dominant effect on the print mottle, but mainly when comparing samples that spanned a broad roughness range. On the other hand, within a limited range of surface roughness, uneven ink absorption governed print mottle instead. This may explain why printing problems are sometimes encountered despite smooth board surfaces. Although the impact of absorption non-uniformity on print mottle differed from one board to another, the results indicated that a change towards more uneven absorption will have a negative impact on the print quality for most of the coated boards. The results give a better understanding of flexographic print quality and thereby can enable more reliable print mottle predictions.