Unit 1 : Basic Principles
1.1 – Principles of Flexography Printing Process – Main Sections of Flexography Printing Machine: Unwind section, Printing section, Drying section and Rewind section.
1.2 – Principles of Gravure Printing Process: Advantages, Limitations and Characteristics of Gravure Process, Main Sections of Gravure Printing Machine: Unwind section, Printing section, Drying section and Rewind section.
1.3. – Principles of Screen Printing Process: Advantages of Screen Printing Process, Main Sections of Flat Bed Screen Printing Machine: Frame, Base, Screen Fabric and Squeegee.
Unit 2 : Image Carrier Preparation
2.1 – Flexography Image Carrier Preparation: Structure of Flexographic Plate, Plate Preparation Methods – Rubber Plates preparation, Sheet Photopolymer Plates preparation and Liquid Photopolymer Plates Preparation.
2.2 – Gravure Image Carrier Preparation: Gravure Cylinder
manufacture, Copper plating method, Gravure Cylinder
Preparation Methods – Conventional Method / Carbon Tissue
Method of Gravure cylinder preparation, Electromechanical
Engraving method of Gravure cylinder preparation and Laser
Engraving method of Gravure cylinder preparation.
2.3 – Screen Printing Image Carrier Preparation: Screen Fabrics, Screen preparation by Direct Method, Screen preparation by Indirect / Transfer method and Screen preparation by Direct / Indirect method.
Unit 3 : Flexography Printing
3.1 – Flexography Inking Systems: Ink Metering, Anilox Roller, Types of Flexography Inking systems
3.2 – Types of Anilox Cells and Cleaning Systems, The Anilox Roll, Anilox Roll specifications – Cell count, Cell depth, Cell volume, Types of Anilox roll based on cell shapes – Inverted Pyramid shape cells, Quadrangular shapes cell and Trihelical shape cells. – Types of Anilox Rolls based on roller surfaces – Laser engraved ceramic anilox rolls and Conventional or mechanically engraved chrome anilox rolls, Different types of Anilox Roll Cleaning Systems.
3.3 – Selection of Suitable Anilox Roller: Factors to be considered in selection of anilox roller.
3.4 – Flexography Plates – Structure and Mounting Techniques,
Flexography plates: Metal backed plates, Magnetic plates,
Flexographic Plate Mounting: Plate Mounting Fundamentals,
Sticky back plate mounting, Types of Flexography Plate cylinders.
3.5 – Sleeve Technology, Direct laser engraving – Laser engraving on Rubber Rollers.
3.6 – Corona Treatment, Flexo Substrates – Paper and Paperboard stocks, Corrugated stocks, Plastic Films, Foils and Laminates.
Unit 4 : Gravure Printing
4.1 – Structure of Gravure Cylinder: Gravure cylinder parts – Axis, Shaft, Diameter, Circumference and Face length.
4.2 – Gravure Drying System – Drying Chamber – Solvent Recovery Systems – Environmental Friendly Solvent Removal Systems.
4.3 – Doctor Blade –Structure, Types and Mechanisms of doctor blade.
4.4 – Impression Roller – Structure, Types and Mechanisms of
Impression Roller.
4.5 – Gravure Presses – Gravure Packaging Presses, Gravure Label Presses and Gravure Publication Presses.
4.6 – Gravure Solvent based inks, Gravure Water based inks, Gravure UV and Gravure EB inks.
Unit 5 : Screen Printing
5.1 – Mesh, Squeegee Selection, Mesh / Woven Screen Printing
Fabric: Materials used for Screen Printing Fabrics, Squeegee
selection: The squeegee, Squeegee selection – Shapes of
squeegee blades, Squeegee hardness and Squeegee materials.
5.2 – Screen Pretreatment, Screen Tensioning / Stretching: Basic steps in Screen Tensioning, Stretching the Screen Printing Fabric – Manual Stretching and Machine Stretching.
5.3 – Types of Screen Printing Machines – Container Screen Printing machine, Flat bed Hinged frame (Automatic) Screen Press, Rotary Screen Printing Press and Carousal Screen Printing Machines.
5.4 – Screen Printing Inks – Types, Properties, Types of Screen Printing Inks for specific Application
5.5 – Screen Printing Applications: Screen Printing on Flat surfaces and Screen Printing on Curved Surfaces.
Text Book / Reference Book:
1. Flexographic Principles and Practice – by Flexographic Technical Associations, Inc.
New York, 1980.
2. Rotogravure and Flexographic Printing Presses – by Herbert L. Weiss,
3. Modern Gravure Technology – by Harry B Smith, Pira International, U. K.
4. Screen Process Printing – by John Stephens, Blue Print, An Imprint of hapman and
Hall, London.
5. Flexography Primer – by GATF.
6. Hand book of Printmedia – by Helmut kipphan
7. Flexography Primer – by Donna C. Muvihill, GATF
8. Gravure Primer – by Cheryl L. Kasumich, GATF
9. Screen Printing Primer – by Samuel Ingram, GATF