Did you know that the packaging industry is worth over $900 billion globally? Yet, many remain unaware of the printing techniques behind their favorite products.
Flexographic and lithographic printing are two powerhouses in the commercial printing world. But which one is right for your project?
In this post, we'll explore the key differences between flexo and litho printing. You'll learn about their unique processes, strengths, and ideal applications.
Overview of Flexographic Printing
What is Flexographic Printing
Flexo is popular for its high-speed production, capable of printing on a variety of materials including film, non-woven, and flexible packaging. Unlike litho, flexo prints directly onto substrates using photopolymer plates and an anilox roll, which helps spread ink evenly.
Flexo Printing Process Breakdown:
Plate Setup: Photopolymer plates are engraved with the design.
Ink Transfer: Anilox rolls transfer ink to the image carrier, which then presses it onto the substrate.
Drying: Flexo commonly uses UV or water-based inks that dry faster, enhancing production speed.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Flexographic Printing
Advantages of Flexographic Printing
Speed: With production speeds up to 600 meters per minute, flexo is ideal for mass production.
Cost Efficiency: Setup and material costs are generally lower, especially for large-volume orders. Flexo reduces overall production costs by 30% on long runs.
Versatility: Flexo handles non-porous substrates like plastics and films, making it a go-to for various industries.
Fast Drying Inks: UV and water-based inks dry quickly, reducing downtime and increasing overall productivity.
Disadvantages of Flexographic Printing
Color Limitation: Flexo generally supports fewer colors, often up to six at a time, which may limit designs requiring a wide color palette.
Quality: Although improving, flexo can’t yet match litho in terms of sharpness or vibrancy for high-end, detailed work.
Waste: Flexo can produce more waste if ink and materials are not disposed of properly.
Typical Applications of of Flexographic Printing
Flexible Packaging: Pouches, bags, and wrappers in the food industry.
Labeling: Durable labels for beverages, personal care products, and medical packaging.
Corrugated Boxes: Packaging solutions for logistics and retail, especially for bulk shipping.
Overview of Lithographic Printing
What is Lithographic Printing
Litho printing is an offset process, meaning the ink is not directly applied to the material. Instead, it transfers from a metal plate to a rubber blanket and then to the substrate. This ensures less wear on the printing plates and allows for highly detailed images. While the setup time is longer, litho's ability to handle complex designs and fine details makes it perfect for luxury items.
Litho Printing Process Breakdown:
Plate Creation: Designs are etched onto aluminum plates.
Ink Application: Ink is transferred onto a rubber blanket via rollers.
Substrate Transfer: The rubber blanket presses the ink onto the paper or other materials.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Lithographic Printing
Advantages of Lithographic Printing
Superior Image Quality: Litho excels in fine details and vibrant colors, making it the top choice for high-quality work.
Wide Color Range: Capable of handling specialty inks like metallics, fluorescents, and spot colors, litho offers greater creative flexibility.
Versatility in Print Size: Litho is used for both small print runs and large formats like billboards, with consistent quality across all sizes.
Disadvantages of Lithographic Printing
High Setup Costs: Setup and plate creation are more expensive, making litho a less ideal choice for small or simple runs.
Slow Production Speed: Litho printing involves several steps, leading to longer production times and slower output compared to flexo.
Environmental Concerns: The oil-based inks and chemicals used in litho can have an environmental impact, especially if not handled properly.
Typical Applications:
High-Quality Print Media: Magazines, catalogs, and brochures.
Luxury Packaging: Boxes for cosmetics, electronics, and luxury goods.
Art Reproductions: Fine art prints, posters, and large-format advertisements.
Similarities Between Flexo and Litho Printing
Despite their technical differences, flexo and litho printing share some common features. Both belong to the planographic printing family, where the printing occurs from a flat surface. This contrasts with older techniques like relief printing, which use raised surfaces.
Key Similarities:
| Feature | Flexo | Litho |
| Plate Type | Photopolymer (flexible) | Metal or Aluminum |
| Color Model | CMYK and Spot Colors | CMYK and Spot Colors |
| Substrate Versatility | Paper, plastic, metal, film | Paper, cardboard, metal |
| Commercial Suitability | High-speed production | High-quality long-run jobs |
Both methods can print on various materials like paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal, making them versatile options for different industries. Litho’s strength lies in image detail, while flexo's edge is speed and substrate flexibility.
Key Differences Between Flexo and Litho Printing
Cost Comparison
Flexo tends to be more cost-effective, especially for high-volume printing. Litho, however, is better suited for projects that require high-quality and intricate details. Here’s a breakdown of how they compare on key cost factors:
| Factor | Flexo Cost | Litho Cost |
| Setup | Lower initial setup costs | High initial setup costs |
| Plate Costs | Cheaper photopolymer plates | More expensive metal plates |
| Ink Costs | Less ink consumption | Higher ink usage |
| Overall Cost | Lower for large runs | High for small, complex jobs |
Setup Costs: Litho printing generally involves higher setup costs because it requires more manual adjustments to ensure accurate color registration. Preparing litho plates takes longer, with more technical expertise required to balance colors. On the other hand, flexo printing has a faster setup. Since its plates are flexible and easier to mount, it reduces the time spent on aligning plates and preparing the press. Flexo plates can also be reused multiple times, further lowering costs over time.
Plate Costs: Flexo uses photopolymer plates, which are less expensive to produce than litho’s metal or aluminum plates. For large production runs, the savings in plate costs become substantial. Additionally, flexo plates can be easily replaced or updated, whereas litho plates require more extensive reworking. Statistics indicate that flexo plate costs can be 30% to 40% cheaper, especially in short to medium print runs, where quick turnover is necessary.
Ink Costs: Flexo printing uses less ink per print, which lowers operating costs, especially when printing large volumes. Its ink transfer method—through the anilox roller—ensures precise, controlled ink application. Litho typically requires more ink to achieve the same vibrancy, making ink a higher expense. According to industry experts, flexo inks can reduce costs by 20% or more in high-speed production environments.
Substrate Compatibility
Flexo is suitable for non-porous materials, including plastic, film, and flexible packaging, making it ideal for industries like food and beverage. Litho is better for flat surfaces such as paper, cardboard, or coated materials, where high image detail is required.
| Substrate Type | Best for Flexo | Best for Litho |
| Plastic | Yes | Sometimes |
| Cardboard | Yes, with additional steps | Yes |
| Metal | Yes | Yes, but limited |
| Film | Yes | Rarely |
Flexo: This process shines with its versatility in substrate compatibility. Flexo can print on a broad range of materials—plastics, films, foils, and even textured surfaces like corrugated cardboard. This flexibility makes it the go-to choice for packaging and labeling industries. Studies show that flexo can reduce production steps by 10-20%, making it ideal for substrates that require direct printing without pre-treatment. For instance, flexo easily adapts to porous and non-porous materials, reducing the need for specialized coatings.
Litho: While litho offers excellent print quality on flat, smooth surfaces like paper and cardboard, it struggles on rough or highly textured substrates. For packaging involving corrugated materials, litho requires an extra lamination step, increasing production time and costs. This limits its use in sectors that need quick adaptability to a range of substrates. For packaging requiring foil stamping or embossing, litho is often a better choice, but only for high-end, low-volume applications.
Inks
Litho uses oil-based inks, which offer rich, vibrant colors but require more drying time. Flexo, on the other hand, uses UV and water-based inks, which dry quickly and allow for faster production.
Flexo: Flexo’s compatibility with a wide range of inks—including water-based, solvent-based, and UV-curable inks—makes it highly adaptable. Water-based inks are commonly used, especially in food packaging, because they are more eco-friendly. UV inks offer even faster drying times, enabling high-speed production without compromising on quality. Flexo inks also have less environmental impact, contributing to their growing use in sustainable packaging solutions. UV curable inks, in particular, eliminate the need for drying ovens, reducing energy consumption by up to 50%.
Litho: Lithographic inks are primarily oil-based, which leads to richer colors and smoother gradients. However, these inks require longer drying times, slowing down production. Litho's reliance on oil-based inks also introduces environmental concerns, as these inks often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This makes them less eco-friendly unless specialized treatments are used. Industries focusing on quality rather than speed often prefer litho despite these drawbacks.
Image Quality and Precision
Litho’s process results in more detailed, vibrant prints with finer color depth, while flexo may compromise on sharpness for speed. Flexo's newer technologies have improved its print quality, but litho still holds the edge in color accuracy and fine details.
| Feature | Flexo | Litho |
| Color Range | Limited, usually up to 6 colors | Wide range, including metallics |
| Detail | Moderate | High |
| Speed | High-speed for large runs | Slower due to more setup steps |
Litho: When it comes to print quality, litho is renowned for its ability to produce detailed, sharp images. It’s particularly suited for projects that demand high precision, like marketing materials, art prints, and luxury packaging. Litho’s fine resolution makes it ideal for intricate designs and photographic reproductions. However, this attention to detail comes at the expense of speed. For projects that require top-notch imagery with vibrant colors, litho remains the gold standard.
Flexo: Flexo may not achieve the same level of detail as litho, but it is highly efficient for fast production runs. It excels at printing clean, bold designs and simple patterns. While modern flexo technology has improved image quality significantly, it still struggles with extremely fine details. However, in large-scale printing operations—like packaging labels, and wraps—speed and efficiency often take precedence over ultra-fine detailing, and flexo performs exceptionally well in these areas.
Choosing Between Flexographic and Lithographic Printing
Volume
Flexo is optimal for large volumes where speed and cost are important factors. Industries needing fast output, such as packaging, benefit the most. Litho is perfect for smaller runs or high-quality jobs that require fine detail and vibrant colors.
Substrate Considerations
Flexo works on almost any material, including non-flat or non-porous surfaces like plastic, film, and metal. Litho is best suited for flat, paper-based materials, where its detailed color and image clarity truly shine.
Budget and Quality
If you're working with a tight budget and need fast production, flexo is the way to go. For projects requiring exceptional quality, vibrant color, and fine details, litho is worth the investment despite higher costs and slower speed.
Conclusion
Choosing between flexo and litho depends heavily on the specific needs of your project. For high-volume, cost-sensitive jobs, flexo offers unmatched speed and versatility. On the other hand, for smaller, high-quality prints requiring intricate detail and vibrant color, litho remains the best option.
At Oyang, we’re passionate about providing our customers with the best flexo printing solutions on the market. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, we have the expertise and experience to help you achieve your printing goals.
