Before Model Graphics’ eye-catching prints encase your product, they’re created with top-of-the-line flexographic plates. Our flexo plate making services are a key part of how we transfer artwork directly onto the substrate. The plate quality can affect the sharpness of the image, color consistency, printing process, and overall quality of the graphic, so is important to choose the right labeling partner.
Model Graphics makes our plates in house, allowing us to quickly make necessary adjustments and replacements while maintaining greater control over quality. With the ability to manufacture plates in an hour or less, we can respond quickly to changes and help keep production moving. We combine advanced prepress technology with precise digital imaging to produce flexo plates designed for dependable performance.
Contact us today to begin your project. At every stage of plate making, we prioritize accuracy and helping our customers’ brands stand out. Beyond plate making, our solutions include graphic design, digital printing, flexographic printing, and label application. Whatever your needs are, we strive to exceed your expectations with quality results every time.
Our Streamlined Process for Flexo Plate Making
We use a streamlined flexo plate making process to produce durable, repeatable artwork with fine detail. This standardized approach aids our printing professionals in delivering sharp graphics, smooth tonal transitions, and consistent color, with faster setup times.
File Preparation and Prepress Optimization
The first step in making flexographic plates is reviewing the artwork to confirm it is ready for print production. Whether the artwork is supplied by the customer or developed with support from our graphic design team, our experts analyze the file for any potential production challenges that could negatively impact print quality or performance on the press.
Any needed adjustments may involve trapping, screen optimization, image enhancement, or color changes to help ensure the final plate produces a clean, accurate, and consistent printed result.
Digital Imaging
Once the artwork is approved, the flexo plate is digitally imaged using Model Graphics’ Esko and HD Flexo capabilities. HD Flexo supports imaging resolutions up to 4000 ppi and screen rulings up to 250 lpi, helping reproduce fine details, maintain gray levels, and create smooth gradients that can fade to 0%.
Plate Processing
After imaging, the plates undergo a controlled processing sequence that creates the relief structure needed for superior flexographic printing. We carefully track the processing conditions to guarantee uniformity, precision, and reliable plate quality.
Quality Assurance Checks
Following the processing stage, the plates are carefully inspected to verify correct dimensions, image fidelity, and overall print readiness. Our standards for quality assurance help us confirm that each plate is prepared to deliver reliable results in the pressroom.
Advantages of Professionally Manufactured Flexo Plates
Partnering with another company that doesn’t craft their own flexo plates can lead creates risks of longer turnaround times, communication gaps, registration issues, or color inconsistencies. Working with a provider that handles plate making in-house offers significant benefits, including:
Exceptional Print Quality
High-quality graphics are a major part of what makes products stand out on crowded retail shelves. Our HD Flexo capabilities help reproduce fine details, smooth gradients, and consistent graphics, supporting high-quality results on the finished label or package.
Increased Press Efficiency
High-plate quality is vital in minimizing press setup times, reducing the number of adjustments needed, and ensuring an efficient production process.
Repeatability
Developing our flexo plates in house helps our professionals maintain consistent print performance from one run to the next while supporting color accuracy and graphic repeatability.
Better Ink Transfer
Precision flexo plate making contributes to a more controlled ink laydown, which helps deliver stronger print results and reduce variability during production runs.
Minimized Waste
Expertly crafted plates can help reduce the amount of startup waste and avoid multiple reworks, contributing an overall more efficient manufacturing process.
What Applications Does Flexo Plate Making Support?
Flexo plate making supports a plethora of printing applications across many industries. At Model Graphics, our capabilities cover pressure sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, tubing and other printed materials that demand reliable image quality, color uniformity, and consistent press performance.
Call Now for More About Our Flexo Plate Making Solutions
Model Graphics is committed to helping our customers print and label with confidence. That’s why we keep critical capabilities, including flexo plate making, in house. From artwork preparation and digital imaging to plate production and final printing, keeping these processes under one roof allows us to make necessary adjustments quickly and maintain greater control over quality. Contact us today to speak with our team about your next project and learn how our in-house capabilities can support your production needs.