Doctor blade too small
Because of the LongCells the doctor blade can be too small and will not cover the entire cell. As a result the ink can flow back when the doctor blade passes the cell wall (1).
Movement of the ink
Because of the ‘laws of physics’ the rotation of the anilox roll creates a G-force effect on the ink (2a). As a result the ink rises above the cell walls. The ink moves in the opposite direction (I) as the rotation direction (II).
Ink at the side of a printing plate dot
When a dot (III) of the printing plate touches the anilox roll, ink can accumulate at the side of the printing plate dot (3).
The result of the points above is that you can get unevenly spread ink on your dots. The dots will have more ink at the beginning or end (4), creating a very blurred screen image.
Score lines
The standard 60° hexagon cell (5) has a stronger and more uniform surface. It gives support to all cell walls equally, whereas the LongCell (6) does not. It creates a weaker structure and an increased possibility for score lines.
