Flexographic Printing Head Transfer Roller
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Flexographic printing machines face issues with printing faults on slim, non-smooth cylindrical objects due to imperfect contact between the printing matrix and the object surface, caused by deformations of the printing plate under pressure, especially when printing thin lines or small points.
Innovation Solution
A transfer roller with a smooth, faultless surface made of a more yielding material than the printing plate is introduced between the flexographic printing plate and the object, allowing for easier deformation and preventing local deformations of the printing plate, ensuring perfect contact and image transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the flexographic printing plate is made of a sufficiently rigid material to prevent deformation, then printing quality improves, but the plate still deforms under printing pressure causing contact defects with slim objects
Solution Approach 1:
A transfer roller is introduced as an intermediary element between the printing plate and the object surface. The transfer roller has a perfectly smooth and faultless surface made of yielding material that deforms more easily than the printing plate, absorbing the printing pressure and preventing local deformations of the printing plate while ensuring perfect contact with the object surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter of the transfer roller to be more yielding than the printing plate material. This parameter change allows the transfer roller to deform preferentially under printing pressure, protecting the printing plate from deformation while maintaining contact with the object surface.
2Manufacturing precision
If printing pressure is applied to ensure contact between the printing plate and object surface, then image transfer improves, but the printing plate deforms locally causing printing faults
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer roller serves as a mediator that receives the image from the printing plate and transfers it to the object surface. It absorbs the printing pressure through its yielding material properties, preventing the pressure from causing local deformations of the printing plate while ensuring complete image transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer roller acts as a cushioning element positioned between the printing plate and the object. Its yielding material provides beforehand cushioning that prevents printing plate deformation before it can occur, while still allowing effective image transfer to the object surface.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures faultless image transfer onto the object by distributing printing pressure deformations uniformly, maintaining image quality even on surfaces with faults, and preventing smudges and poor printing quality.
Implementation Method 1
The transfer roller has a perfectly smooth and faultless transfer surface and is made of a material that is more yielding than the material of which the printing plate is made. By consequence the printing pressure will occur between the printing plate and the transfer surface, which will deform more and more easily that the printing plate preventing any local deformation thereof.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A printing head for flexographic printing on thin-walled objects not exhibiting a perfectly smooth surface, the printing head comprising an inking roller, which rotates on contact with a flexographic printing plate borne on a printing plate bearing roller, in which the printing head comprises a roller bearing a transfer surface which rotates on coming into contact with the printing plate, the transfer surface being a perfectly smooth and faultless surface and being made of a material that is more yielding than a material of which the flexographic printing plate is made.