Application of PolyJet 3D Printing in Production of Flexographic Printing Plates

The aim of this study was to investigate whether PolyJet technology, which uses rubber-like materials for printing and is known for its high resolution and performance, could be suitable for producing flexographic printing plates. In our research, we designed test plates that were printed using PolyJet technology with TangoBlackPlus FLX9870-DM resin. These 3D-printed plates were evaluated for their resistance to various flexographic inks and solvents, and their contact angles were measured. Subsequently, the prints were made on a Flexiproof device using water-based ink with both the test plates and traditional photopolymer plates across six different substrates. The print quality was assessed using densitometry and spectrophotometry. Our findings indicate that the 3D-printed plates are suitable for printing solid areas and lines with water-based inks. However, the print quality of the 3D-printed plates is slightly lower than that of the photopolymer plates, with the optical density values for the high-quality prints on coated papers being approximately 10% lower. Additionally, the plates printed with TangoBlack Plus resin appear to be suitable for UV inks due to their high resistance, but they are not resistant to the solvents used in solvent-based inks.