Apex | Articles & Videos

Apex International has been manufacturing anilox rolls and sleeves since 1989. In our previous Anilox 101 blog, we walked through What is an Anilox and the main features of its success. As the largest anilox manufacturer in the world, Apex International has extensive knowledge about the “heart of the flexographic printing process”. In this next Anilox 101 series blog, we’ll break down the different parts of an anilox roll and the role they play in successful flexographic printing. 

Defeating Foaming in your Aqueous Coating without Additives

Foaming is a pesky problem many printers battle throughout their web coating applications. There are multiple factors that can cause the aeration of your aqueous coatings during production. 

Through data and process control, many modern converters are finding innovative ways to cut production costs and increase their bottom line. As the “heart” of the flexographic printing process, the anilox bears a large amount of responsibility for print quality and press performance. 

As a global leader and innovator of anilox rolls and sleeves, Apex International is a subject matter expert in anilox transfer technologies.  With over 11,000 clients located in 110+ countries supported by 7 manufacturing facilities positioned around the globe, Apex is the largest anilox manufacturer in the world! We proudly produce anilox roll and sleeve products for wide web, narrow web, coating and lamination, and corrugated applications. These precision rolls are known as the heart of the flexographic printing process and play a vital role in the quality and performance of the print process. In this blog, we take a closer look at what is an anilox and why is it important.

What is Ink SPitting?

Ink spitting is caused by a buildup of ink on the opposite side of the blade, which then leaks out from the blade or contact point, creating teardrop shaped flaws in the print. Ink spitting is a random phenomenon that impacts the overall quality and profitability of an otherwise perfect print.

After centuries of economic and technological progress, the packaging and converting world is more connected than ever. Globalization has impacted all facets of our industry, fostering innovation and collaboration across borders for years. For converters operating in flexo, coating and embossing applications, you may find that working with a global manufacturer comes with many competitive advantages, not just for global converters, but for local converters as well.

To get to the root cause of poor coverage issues, you need to ask a few questions. Here are the three common questions to help ensure there are no problems with your printing. Use this as a guide to determine the best way to fix your coverage issue.

What does innovation have to do with the anilox roller in flexo printing? To answer that question, let’s look at the definition of innovation. “Innovation is the creation, development and implementation of a new product, process or service, with the aim of improving efficiency, effectiveness or competitive advantage”.

Day by day the flexible packaging, labels and corrugated market are constantly changing depending on the supply-demand that exists in the commercial environment.

The anilox roll plays a very important role in the markets, since as we all know, it is the heart of the printing press. The proper selection of the screen and the volume is a crucial factor in obtaining quality and consistency of the final printed product.  However, this is only half of the story.