engleski

EFFECT OF EXPOSURES ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE LIQUID PHOTOPOLYMER FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATE

Flexography is a type of rotary printing process, and is based on a flexible rubber or photopolymer printing plates. Production of printing plates based on liquid polymer requires multiple exposures, which affect their functionality. The duration of exposures is usually defined by manufacturers of polymers, and varies depending on the thickness of a desired printing plate. Variation of exposure leads to changes in mechanical properties of printing plate and level of its quality. The mechanical properties of this type of printing plates are mainly related to printing plate‘s hardness that has a primary influence on the durability of the printing plate in a reproduction process. On the other hand, quality level of printing plate is related to detecting the ability to reproduce various motives. In order to define the optimal conditions for making printing plates which will allow the reproduction of micro motives (text and lines), samples of the printing plates made with different exposure times were prepared. Measurement of printing plate's hardness, as well as the heights of printing and nonprinting areas, depending on variations in exposure, were performed on the samples. The level of quality was monitored by a microscopic analysis of characteristic microlines on the samples. The assumption is that results of this research will show a significant influence of exposure on mechanical properties and quality level of printing plates.

flexography; photopolymer; printing plate; exposition; hardness

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