Tech Tips Are Only for FTA Members!







Tech Tips are just that: Pieces of important technical information for flexographers, written in a short and easy-to-read format. Each Tech Tip is sourced from one of FTA's highly regarded publications—Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST) 6.0, Flexography: Principles & Practices (FP&P) 6.0 or FLEXO Magazine—or industry-benchmark certification programs—FIRST Press Operator Certification, FIRST Prepress Operator Certification or FIRST Implementation Specialist Certification—and pulls crucial knowledge from the printed page to the computer screen.

Here's a Sample of What You're Missing

Image Trapping

Image trapping is accomplished through the use of chokes and spreads. This technique should be used when two colors are adjacent to each other, whether the graphics are line or screen. The minimum amount of image trap varies by press. Print system variables that will influence image trap include:

  • General press design and condition
  • Gear wear
  • Print cylinder
  • TIR
  • Parallelism
  • Tension controls
  • Substrate

Printers must first optimize print variables and then determine minimum trap during the press fingerprint trial.

Closed-Cell vs. Open-Cell Mounting Tapes

The two most common foams in flexography use different mechanisms to achieve this rebound force. Closed-cell polyethylene foams use a lightly cross-linked blend of polyethylene (PE) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) co-polymer, in which the trapped air provides a significant portion of the rebound force when compressed—much like when one tries to squeeze a balloon.

The other type of foam is open-cell urethane and it uses a cross-linked polyurethane elastomer that acts like a collection of springs, returning the material to its original shape after being compressed. The open-cell structure allows free passage of the air within the foam and plays no role in supplying a rebound force.

Both of these materials have a proven track record, but there exists much debate as to which is better for a given application. Making this determination for a specific application should also be included in the print optimization process.

There's More Than Just Tech Tips in MemberConnect

Videos

Weren't able to attend a past Forum or Fall Conference? Watch videos from the events and listen to select presentations. Download the accompanying presentation notes to follow along, make notes and refer to after the video's completion.

Webinars

Revisit past FTA Member Webinars—either for the first time or as a refresher—on valuable subjects like color consistency, doctor blade metering, press bounce control, ink basics and more. Start and stop at your leisure, and use timestamps to jump to specific topics.

FLEXO Magazine Archives

Read articles from FLEXO Magazine in its archives—more than 100 issues and counting—covering every niche and corner of the industry, from press buyer's guides to consumables primers, prepress best practices to meeting brand owner demands.

Toolbox

Download useful materials in the Toolbox , including the appendices from Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST), characterization targets, fingerprint test targets, optimization test targets, process control targets and more.

FLEXO Tech Talks

FLEXO Tech Talks take the magazine's articles and give authors a chance to expand on their writings, offer additional insight and commentary, give updates since publication, provide further evidence to support a claim or finding, and field questions from listeners.

Learn All About FTA
See everything the Association does at www.flexography.org.

And MemberConnect Is Just One of Many Benefits That Comes with FTA Membership

Conferences & Events

Where the smartest minds in the flexographic industry share ideas, spread information and advance packaging printing. From thousands of attendees, to hundreds, to handfuls—From thousands of attendees, to hundreds, to handfuls—there's an event for everyone.

From complimentary to a 50% discount
on non-member pricing for members

FTA Member Webinars

Industry experts present in detail topics spanning all areas of the industry, with PowerPoint slides to follow along and multiple opportunities to ask questions.

Free to attend for members
$199 to attend for non-members

FIRST Individual Certifications

A globally recognized certification program that provides a complete mastery of the flexographic printing process for the different roles within an organization—press operator, prepress operator or implementation specialist.

Level I free for first employee
$990 for non-members

FIRST 6.0

A full scope of specifications, tolerances and guidelines needed to produce high-quality and consistent results.

$105 for members
$210 for non-members

FP&P 6.0

A comprehensive technical resource manual containing illustrations, glossary terms and a troubleshooting guide.

$138 for members
$276 for non-members

Excellence in Flexography Awards

The industry’s longest running and most prestigious annual print competition.

First entry free for members, $75 per additional entry
$150 per entry for non-members

FLEXOGRAPHY 101 Booklet Series

Six books essential to building a solid flexographic foundation or refreshing important concepts.

$80 for members
$160 for non-members

FTA Member Directory Listing

Company info included in SourceBook, FLEXO Magazine’s annual directory of all FTA membership.

Free listing for members
$250 for non-members

Become an FTA Member

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Questions About Membership?
Contact FTA Membership Manager Susan Raab
via email or at 631-737-6020, ext. 111.