When printing flexible packaging on plastic film, converters require tight register control, stable web tension, and fast changeover across a wide range of substrates. A Gearless CI flexo press is the preferred platform because it removes gear backlash and mechanical transmission errors that cause dot gain and misregistration at high line speeds. The Gearless central impression flexo press configuration holds the film on a precision-ground central drum, which minimizes stretching and allows repeatable color-to-color registration on thin LDPE, BOPP, CPP, and PET films. For operations that run frequent size changes, a Shaftless CI flexo press eliminates heavy shafted cylinders and uses sleeve-based plate mounting, reducing setup labor and storage space. When short-run production and high-mix packaging are the priority, the Full servo CI flexo press version adds independent servo drives on each print deck, delivering electronic line shafting, automatic pre-register, and consistent print quality from 200 to 450 m/min. This servo-driven architecture is also well suited to heat-sensitive films, shrink sleeves, and laminate structures where even small tension fluctuations can create visible defects.
The CI flexo press for plastic film is designed for mid-web and wide-web flexible packaging lines, with standard working widths of 850 mm, 1,050 mm, 1,250 mm, and 1,450 mm. It processes film thickness from 12 μm to 150 μm and covers repeat lengths from 320 mm to 900 mm without changing pitch gears. Each print station uses an AC servo motor for the plate cylinder and a separate servo motor for the anilox roll, so registration accuracy remains within ±0.05 mm at full production speed. The central impression drum is built with double-wall water circulation and temperature control accuracy of ±1°C, which prevents thermal expansion and keeps film distortion under control during long runs. A high-velocity hot air drying system with optional infrared cassettes is installed between color stations and in the overhead tunnel, with airflow automatically matched to ink coverage and press speed. The enclosed chambered doctor blade system reduces solvent evaporation, stabilizes viscosity, and supports solvent-based, water-based, and UV-curable inks. Rail-out print decks, pneumatic sleeve mandrels, and pre-register cameras allow a single operator to complete a full job changeover in under 20 minutes, while the automatic washing system cleans ink trays and anilox rolls without opening the safety guards. Tension zones at unwind, infeed, outfeed, and rewind are closed-loop controlled, so thin films can be run at low tension without wrinkling or bagging. A shaftless turret unwind and rewind with flying splice is available for non-stop operation on high-volume packaging orders. The main control cabinet includes a 21.5-inch HMI with recipe management, job memory, and remote access, allowing operators to store more than 1,000 print jobs and reload them without manual setting. Electrical and pneumatic components are sourced from international suppliers, and the machine is CE-compliant with full safety guarding, light curtains, and emergency stop circuits. Energy consumption is optimized by regenerative drives that return braking energy to the line side, reducing total power demand during acceleration and deceleration.
Key production advantages
Technical parameters
| Parameter | Standard specification |
|---|---|
| Working web width | 850 / 1050 / 1250 / 1450 mm |
| Number of colors | 8 or 10 stations |
| Maximum mechanical speed | 450 m/min |
| Maximum printing speed | 350–400 m/min depending on ink and film |
| Repeat length | 320–900 mm |
| Substrate thickness | 12–150 μm |
| Registration accuracy | ±0.05 mm at full speed |
| Unwind / rewind diameter | 800 mm / 800 mm, optional 1,000 mm |
| Drying system | High-velocity hot air + IR, electric or gas heating |
| Plate mounting | Quick-change sleeve system |
| Doctor blade | Enclosed chamber, pneumatic loading |
| Suitable films | LDPE, HDPE, BOPP, CPP, PET, PA, breathable film, shrink film |
| Machine dimensions (L×W×H) | Approx. 16,000 × 3,200 × 4,500 mm for 10-color |
| Installed power | 180–250 kW depending on dryer configuration |
| Compressed air | 0.6–0.8 MPa, 2.5 m³/min |
Optional configurations
| Optional module | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto-register camera | Full-width camera checks registration marks and corrects each deck within 0.02 mm. |
| Viscosity control | Closed-loop ink viscosity control with pneumatic pump and solvent dosing. |
| Corona treater | Inline corona treatment for films with low dyne level before printing. |
| Web cleaner | Contact cleaning roller with antistatic bar removes dust and film debris. |
| Gas dryer | High-efficiency gas burner with LEL monitoring for solvent inks. |
| Remote diagnostics | Secure VPN module for real-time troubleshooting and production reports. |
