Single Ink Serves Multiple Packaging Applications

Astrathane MF ink, a multifunctional flexographic and gravure ink said to achieve strong bonds when laminated has been launched by Flint-Schmidt.

Astrathane MF ink, a multifunctional flexographic and gravure ink said to achieve strong bonds when laminated has been launched by Flint-Schmidt.

The nitrocellulose-based ink is claimed to increases print efficiency and reduces cost by enabling flexible packaging converters and printers to rely on a single ink for a variety of applications.

Flint-Schmidt said that demand is increasing for lamination on film substrates in flexible packaging applications throughout Europe as brand goods owners value films' ability to differentiate products and enable colour graphics to stand out on retail shelves.

The company said that traditionally, lamination inks were formulated for a narrow range of lamination applications.

The chemistries of the lamination inks were incompatible, resulting in increased ink waste, press downtime and contamination when printing different applications.

Designed for both cold seal and heat seal surface print applications, the ink is claimed to be suitable for high-performance lamination compounds, including oPPCo, PVdC-coated oPP, acrylic-coated oPP, chemically treated PET, corona-treated PET, and corona-treated oPA.

"Astrathane inks are formulated to provide optimum bond strength and maintain low solvent retention, while achieving superior print quality.

Unlike typical lamination inks, the Astrathane MF ink creates high-gloss, high-colour printed images on a wide variety of lamination films and surface printed applications," explained Dr Matthias Henker, product development manager, Flint-Schmidt.

Diederik Fetter, general manager of liquid packaging at Flint-Schmidt commented: "Our customers need to rely on fewer inks that do more.

As Astrathane MF inks can be used in a wide variety of applications, printers, converters and packagers will improve their production efficiency through reduced ink and print waste, minimized contamination, faster changeovers between jobs and reduced press downtimes.

The ink's versatility will also allow for reduced inventories.".

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