A study of the effects of the process parameters on the flexographic printing problem “dot bridging” – Part I: experimental design and linear run length

Commercial pressure has forced improvements in the reduction of press down time. One restraining factor for the flexographic printing process has been the lack of predictability and consistency. The results of a factorial designed experiment, are reported in this paper. Investigations into the complex interactions of many variable factors that take place during the printing process were carried out. Various statistical methods were employed for the design of the experiment and for the interpretation of experimental data generated. The results of the investigation have been used to optimise the flexographic printing techniques to significantly manipulate the properties of various production components for the end‐use application to enhance the plates printing performance and consistency.