Cardboard material has a large thickness and a rigid structure, because of this, printing on cardboard requires certain rules to be followed. Many products are made using this method, including calendars, business cards and brochures. Cardboard packaging is especially popular.
Features
Due to the high density of the material, the process of printing on it is quite complicated. Significant bending must be avoided to prevent delamination and deformation.
Printing business cards on cardboard in large quantities rarely does without changing the slipway, since the power of the receiving and recording elements of the device is not enough for the thickness of the cardboard. Due to the frequency of replacements, it becomes rational to ensure a continuous workflow using automatic mechanisms.
Dust removal equipment is also required due to the large amount of dust that is common with cardboard.
Carton printer
Often there is a situation when you need to print text or an image on cardboard. For this, printedmachine or printer, the choice of device depends on the size of the sheet and their number.
Direct path laser or inkjet type equipment allows you to print on cardboard at home. The input and output trays in this printer are flush with page loading. The need for such a condition is justified by the lack of the possibility of bending the material and its slight deformation. In this case, it is possible to use sheets with a thickness of not more than 3 mm.
It is first necessary to take into account the parameters of the device and find out the maximum density with which work can be carried out. Using a laser printer for printing requires using the top tray and setting the required setting, otherwise streaks will appear instead of text.
Large Format Products
Color printing on cardboard in wide format is more suitable for a digital specialized machine. It can be found in the printing house, where the relevant services are provided. Devices are classified according to the printing method into roll, sheet, offset and digital. Each of them is suitable for working with this material. Modern technologies make it possible to automate many operations that previously had to be performed manually.
With the help of a computer, the entire work process is controlled, thanks to which the machines acquire new capabilities. In addition to the urgent printing function, you can add the necessary corrections in an unlimited number during the run. It should be noted that digitaldevices have a laser principle of operation.
Due to automation, high speed and excellent print quality, all you have to do is set the desired parameters and start the machine with pre-loaded cardboard sheets.
Flexographic method
Flexographic printing has become widespread due to the ability to work with absolutely any materials. It can be aluminum foil, film with the finest structure, corrugated cardboard, and so on. This method has amazing technological flexibility. The use of lamination, characterized by the absence of the formation of vapors from solvents, made it possible to obtain a film with many layers and a picture on one of them during one run.
The appearance of the device itself, its functionality, the quality of the finished image, performance and reliability directly depend on the printing mechanism. Flexographic presses have a simpler design of the printing device compared to offset ones. The standard scheme is represented by a colorful element and two cylinders - for printing and forming.
Printing on cardboard for thick or corrugated packaging is most often done using flexographic units. Previously, this technique allowed only numbers and text to be applied, but the improvement of this area and new developments have provided high-quality multi-color products.
Offset printing
The main area of application is printing oncardboard, cardboard and paper elements. At the same time, sheet multicolor devices are the most popular, they provide the display of text and pictures on both sides with the same ink registration.
In the field of the packaging industry, the best quality is ensured by using offset printing. It is possible to work with boxes for perfumes, cosmetics, food and alcohol, as well as perform additional operations, such as embossing. They allow you to create decorative packaging, certificates and gift paper, packaging for medicines, tobacco, food products, business cards on designer cardboard.
Printing on high-density rigid media requires sheet-fed presses to meet certain conditions. For example, there should not be a large bend in the material, which is ensured by suitable laying of sheets and a larger cylinder.
Other species
Deep format is equally common in the printing and packaging industry. This method allows you to work with a variety of materials of large circulation: propylene film, foil, cellophane, paper and cardboard with various coatings. Volume, economy and quality contribute to the active use of gravure printing. The resulting surfaces are glossy, resistant to sunlight and abrasion.
