Colour Matching in Flexographic Printing

We understand the importance of executing your packaging solution in your exact vision, and colour plays a huge role in that. When a hue or a shade isn't quite right, it may alter the entire visual impact of your packaging, so we want to share some insight on how we make sure your finished packaging matches your original art file. As flexographic printing and digital printing are so different, this post will cover flexographic printing only - be sure to look out for a digital post in the next few weeks! 

When we first receive your art file, we check to see if you have also attached a printed sample to use as a benchmark for the printing process. If there is no sample, we rely on the art file to act as the benchmark. From there, we work on any changes that need to be made and make sure that you've signed off on your updated art file before we send it to production.

In our flexographic printing department, we have specialized in-house technicians who formulate and mix the ink to get as close a colour as possible to the desired design and send it directly to the press for the required job. Our pressmen are also very active in monitoring colours and providing feedback to the technicians to save time whenever the same job comes up again. Pressmen are also required to check every roll after it gets printed, as inks can get thicker and dark over time. The check utilizes our X-Rite EXACT Spectrophotometers, which are industry-leading tools used to check or measure colour. The X-Rite uses the Pantone Matching System (PMS), which is a colour standardization system that helps in colour identification and matching. We also use two additional programs for colour measurement: Ink Formulation System (IFS) and Colour IQC Print. By using these systems to check that the colour comparisons are within the tolerance we assign to our jobs, we can ensure that you receive the exact colour you desire every time you order from us. If one of the colours on the roll is over tolerance, we work with our in-house ink technicians to correct the colour. All tested colours must result in a tolerance of under delta 2 to be considered as a passing colour. For example, our set standards for our process colours are +/- 0.5 which means:

• Process yellow density = 1.0 (0.95-1.05)
• Magenta = 1.3 (1.25-1.35)
• Cyan = 1.35 (1.30-1.40)
• Process K = 1.5 (1.45-1.55)

We pride ourselves in taking these extra steps so that we can deliver high-quality packaging to our customers time and time again. If you have any questions about our quality control procedures or packaging in general, please reach out to us through our contact form or request a quote online!