WHEN CONSISTENCY MATTERS

Flexographic
Troubleshooting
Guide

IMPROVING INK FLOW FOR ACCURATE IMPRESSIONS

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In the modern Flexographic industry, you work hard

to improve the quality of your printing. Youre under
increased pressure to maximize productivity,
decrease waste and run efficiently
to increase the bottom line. Your
customers rely on your expertise
in ink handling and maintenance
in order to maintain the highest
quality of the printed product. You
experience a number of issues that
keep you from reaching these goals.
This guide will help you identify the source
of your difficulties and will provide solutions to help
you solve your printing problems.

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CONTENTS

Introduction 4
Adhesion 5
Bleeding or smearing

Blushing (Hazing, Fogging)

Color too strong

Color variations between presses (same job)

Dirty Printing

Excessive Ink Consumption

10

Fill In

11

Float/ Film on ink

11

Foaming 12
Ghosting/ Tracking

12

Halo, light image and/or dirty image

13

Kick-out 13
Mottle 14
Pinholes/ Fisheyes

15

Screening 16
Set-off or Blocking

16

Settling of Ink

17

Smearing 17
Striations 18
Tracking 18
Trapping 19
Weak Color

20

Our Company

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INTRODUCTION

As the demands of their customers change, Flexographic

printers are under increased pressure to improve
productivity, decrease waste, run efficiently
and maintain a profitable bottom line.
Flexographic printers historically have always
been on the cutting edge of technology:
Incorporating newer, faster presses, more reliable
and durable components and consumables and
state-of-the-art control systems, all in an effort to
improve the quality of their printed products while
maintaining costs necessary to bring the product
to market. Despite taking these steps, Flexographic
printers still experience a number of print-related
issues that are keeping them from reaching their cost and
quality goals. This troubleshooting guide, compiled by a number of
different suppliers and manufacturers to the Flexographic print industry, is
designed to help you identify the cause and provide a solution to problems
experienced by printers every day. It is not intended to be a how to fix
guide, rather a template you can use to recognize and resolve print related
issues before they get out of hand.

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Adhesion
Problem: Ink flakes off substrate, comes off when crinkled,
or is removed easily in tape test.
SOLUTION

CAUSE
1. Viscosity too high

1. Reduce viscosity consistent with

acceptable printability

2. Viscosity too low

2. Add virgin ink to fountain

3. Ink surface tension too high

3. Consult your technical sales

representative

4. Incorrect ink system for substrate

4. Ensure that the correct ink for the

substrate is being used

5. Poor film treatment

5. Check surface of film for adequate

treatment; if possible treat in line

6. Ink drying too slow

6. Check driers for heat and airflow;

consult your ink manufacturer or reduce
with faster solvent blends

7. Substrate surface contamination

7. Apply primer before printing, use

in-line treater

8. Insufficient web temperature

8. Increase temperature settings of

driers, check drier balance

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Bleeding or Smearing
Problem: Color spreads into subsequently applied
coating or adhesive.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Improper Pigment Use

1. Reformulate ink, consult with ink supplier

2. Coating or adhesive may be rewetting ink

2. Reformulate ink, consult with ink supplier

3. Ink viscosity too high

4. Incorrect solvent formulation

3. Reduce viscosity or film thickness

4. Use faster or slower drying solvents

Blushing (Hazing, Fogging)

Problem: Milky, foggy or matte appearance in an ink or coating.
CAUSE
1. High humidity causing excessive
moisture in ink
2. Condensation on surface of
drying ink

SOLUTION
1. Check solvent blend for ink and plant
conditions
2. Ensure solvent blend is appropriate for
existing conditions

Solvent blend should be appropriate for existing conditions.

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Color Too Strong

Problem: Actual printed color does not match standard.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Viscosity too high (Solvent-based inks)

1. Reduce viscosity consistent with acceptable

printability

2. pH too high (Water-based inks)

2. Check & adjust pH, reduce viscosity to

acceptable level

3. Ink pigmentation too high

3. Reduce colorant strength with extender

4. Anilox roll cell volume too great or cell

count too low for application

4. Replace with higher line count or lower volume

anilox roller

5. Pressure roller setting inadequate

5. Adjust impression to improve print

6. Plate or ink metering roll durometer

(hardness) too low for job

6. Consult your plate or roll manufacturer

7. Inadequate doctor blade impression

7. Adjust doctor blade to recommended pressure

pH adjustment can sometimes fix overly strong colors.

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Color Variations Between Presses (same job)

Problem: Actual printed color does not match standard.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Improper viscosity measuring and/ or

control (Solvent-based inks)

1. Verify established viscosity control standards are in

place and in use. (Viscosity cups are standardized
plant wide; automatic control equipment is
calibrated to inks on each job)

2. Improper pH measuring and or control

(Water-based inks)

2. Verify established pH measuring standards are

in place and in use. (Hand-held pH testers are
routinely calibrated plant wide; automatic pH
control equipment is calibrated to inks on each job)

3. Old or previously used ink

3. Replace or add virgin ink (recheck viscosity

and/or pH)

4. Inadequate ink in chamber or fountain

4. Ensure adequate ink flow, and ink pressure in

enclosed doctor blade chamber

5. Same color inks from different supplier

5. Ensure jobs are run with the same suppliers ink

6. Variations in ink batches

6. Ensure ink is up to date, check with ink supplier

Replace your ink and get a better idea of where the problem is.

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Dirty Printing
Problem: Printed image in non-printing area.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Excessive ink applied to plate

1. Adjust anilox roller impression and/or doctor blade

pressure

2. Excessive plate and substrate

impression

2. Reduce kiss impression

3. Ink viscosity too high

3. Adjust viscosity to meet job specifications

4. Ink drying too fast

4. Check drier air flow

5. Poor film treatment

5. Check surface of film for adequate treatment; if

possible treat in line

6. Ink drying too slow

6. Check driers for heat and airflow; consult your ink

manufacturer. Reduce with faster solvent blends

7. Substrate surface contamination

7. Apply primer before printing, use in-line treater

8. Insufficient web temperature

8. Increase temperature settings of driers, check

drier balance

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Excessive Ink Consumption

Problem: Less impressions per ink volume.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Viscosity too high

1. Reduce viscosity

2. Ink color too strong

2. Use extender to weaken color to

acceptable level

3. Weak /old Ink

3. Check ink to original standard, check date and

usage. Consult your ink supplier

4. Excessive anilox volume

4. Replace with appropriate anilox

5. Metering roll too soft for job

5. Check metering roll durometer, reduce ink

6. Ink loss on startup or shutdown

6. Review ink handling setup & shutdown procedures

Always keep an eye on the age and quality of your ink.

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Fill In
Problem: Ink bridges across small print & non image areas.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Excessive ink applied to plate

1. Adjust anilox roller impression and /or doctor

blade pressure
2. Reduce kiss impression to acceptable
print quality

2. Excessive plate/ substrate pressure

3. Reduce ink viscosity to acceptable print quality

3. Ink viscosity too high

4. Ink contamination from paper or lint

4. Filter ink in process, set up housekeeping

appropriate for the environment
5. Check drier air flow, check solvent blend

5. Ink drying too fast (Solvent)

6. Ink pH too low (Water-based)

6. Adjust pH to accept level

7. Excessive anilox volume

7. Use lower volume anilox roller

Float/Film on Ink
Problem: Ink separated or contaminated.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Old or dirty ink

1. Check ink chemistry, check with make ready /

ink tech; replace ink with fresh supply

2. Incompatible ink additive

2. Check with ink supplier/tech

3. Improper mixing

3. Ensure ink is mixed and agitated

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Foaming
Problem: Foam visible in ink pail or pump, missing print areas.
SOLUTION

CAUSE
1. Ink exposed to too much air

1. Check pump speed & for leaks in ink lines

2. Ink fountain level too low

2. Ensure ink fountain is filling properly

3. Ink return too long for job

3. Reduce return line distance

4. Ink viscosity too high

4. Ensure viscosity is reduced to to allow

entrenched air to escape

5. Ink not correct/appropriate for job

5. Check ink supplier or make ready ink tech

6. Poor cleanup/ink contamination

6. Ensure housekeeping /cleanup procedures

are being followed

Ghosting/Tracking
Problem: Printed image duplicated, or part of printed area missing.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Ink dries too fast

1. Check solvent compatibility

2. Anilox line screen too fine

2. Use lower line screen roller

3. Press speed too fast for job

3. Reduce press speed

Problems with ghosting? Try slowing down your press.

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Halo, Light Image and / or Dirty Image

Problem: Printed image light or devoid of ink, residual dirty image.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Improper impression setting

1. Adjust kiss impression to acceptable level

Kick-Out
Problem: Clumps or particles in ink, out of suspension.
SOLUTION

CAUSE
1. Ink/ solvent ratio incorrect

1. Check solvent for ink compatibility

2. Excessive moisture buildup

2. Check solvent for ink compatibility

3. pH too low (Water-based)

3. Adjust pH to proper level

4. Mixing incompatible inks

4. Ensure unlike inks are not being mixed together

5. Inadequate mixing

5. Ensure ink in pail is properly mixed

6. Housekeeping

6. Ensure cleaning procedures are being followed

To prevent clumping or excess particles, keep an eye on your solvent and ink compatibility.

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Mottle
Problem: Intermittent light & dark print; dirty color.
SOLUTION

CAUSE
1. Substrate absorption or caliper
not correct

1. Try lower durometer plate or inks

2. Viscosity too low

2. Add virgin ink and maintain viscosity

3. Improper impression

3. Ensure kiss is adequate for print job

4. Dirt or contaminated plate surface

or impression roller

4. Ensure plates and impression roller cleaned

prior to job

5. Improper plate for job

5. Ensure proper plate material and durometer

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Pinholes/Fisheyes
Problem: Round voids in printed area
Pinholes generally pertain to unwetted substrates
Fisheyes are areas where ink has pulled back, leaving
non-inked or light areas
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Ink drying too fast for job

1. Check drier air flow

2. Uneven or low film treatment

2. Check and retreat film as necessary

3. Excessive foam

3. Check pump and mixer speed, ink formulation

4. Contaminated film surface

4. Apply wash coat prior to printing or replace

film roll

5. Ink contamination

5. Ensure that ink lines, chamber and rollers

properly cleaned

6. Ink incorrect for substrate

6. Check with ink and film supplier

7. Excessive ink defoamer (Water-based)

7. Add or replace ink with fresh supply

8. Ink surface tension too high

8. Check with ink supplier

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Screening
Problem: Anilox cell-shaped voids on print surface.
SOLUTION

CAUSE
1. Ink drying too fast on anilox roller

1. Check solvent blend

2. Ink starvation at anilox roller

2. Increase ink flow, ink fountain is filling properly,

reduce press speed

3. Issues with plate

3. Check plate for defects

Set-off or Blocking
Problem: Ink transfers from image side to back side of substrate when
unrolled; inability to separate printed sheets or to unroll web.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Drying too slow

1. Check driers for flow, reduce viscosity to meet

job specifications

2. Excessive re-wind roll pressure

2. Reduce rewind tension

3. Film improperly treated

3. Check film for compatibility

4. Web too hot on rewind

4. Avoid excessive pressure on rewind, reduce

web temperature

5. Too much surface moisture on rewind

5. Avoid over-chilling on rewind

6. Solvent trapped in printed film

6. Check driers for appropriate air flow

7. Trapped amine in printed film

7. Check driers for appropriate air flow

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Settling of Ink
Problem: Pigment separation.
SOLUTION

CAUSE
1. Old or contaminated ink

1. Replace ink or rotate inventory

2. Ink viscosity too low on return

2. Check ink viscosity, add ink

3. Improper ink formulation

3. Check ink/ solvent ratio and formulation

4. High pigment specific gravity

4. Ensure inks are being properly mixed

5. Inadequate mixing

5. Ensure ink in pail is properly mixed

Smearing
Problem: Ink smeared into non-image areas.
SOLUTION

CAUSE
1. Too much ink application

1. Employ lower volume anilox roller,

decrease viscosity

2. Drying too slow, too little

2. Increase drier capacity, slow down press,

check solvent blend

3. Rewetting by coating or adhesive

3. Change to appropriate ink, coating or

adhesive formulation

4. Press component mismatch

4. Adjust plate mounting, tape and press

gearing to match

Prevent smearing with a faster drying process.

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Striations
Problem: Lines of ink or no ink in print run direction.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Ink film too thin

1. Check and clean plugged anilox roller

2. Plate durometer too high

2. Check and/or remake plate

3. Viscosity too low

3. Adjust viscosity to proper level

4. Improper pressure setting on

impression cylinder or anilox roller

4. Adjust impression to desired kiss setting

5. Uneven plate setting

5. Check plate for proper position and adhesion

6. Defects in plate, anilox, doctor blade

6. Check all components for wear,

contamination or damage

Tracking
Problem: Ink in non-image area.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Ink dries too fast/ too slow

1. Check solvent compatibility

2. Anilox line screen too fine

2. Use lower line screen roller

3. Press speed too fast for job

3. Reduce press speed

4. Ink film too heavy

4. Adjust viscosity to acceptable level or

reformulate ink

5. Mechanical or press problems

5. Adjust all components that are in contact

with the printed film

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Trapping
Problem: Inadequate coverage on multi-color image areas
(multi-station & color runs).
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. First down color drying slow

1. Ensure solvent formulation is correct for the

ink used and/or check drier capacity

2. Subsequent colors drying too fast

2. Check air flow between driers and/ or

solvent formulation

3. Improper impression roller pressure

3. Adjust impression on 1st & 2nd down inks

4. Viscosity too high or low (Water-based)

4. Each successive color should have slightly

higher viscosity
5. Ensure ink in pail is properly mixed

5. Incorrect plate or backing

6. Ensure plate is correct, firm and secure

6. Housekeeping

Too much air flow can mean colors dry too fast.

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Weak Color
Problem: Printed color not same as standard.
CAUSE

SOLUTION

1. Ink viscosity too low

1. Adjust viscosity to acceptable level or check

solvent formulation

2. Ink pH too low (Water-based)

2. Adjust pH to acceptable level or check amine

formulation

3. Worn anilox roller

3. Check and replace anilox roller (check

manufacturer)

4. Plugged anilox roller (Solvent- based)

4. Clean with recommended solvent to remove

dry ink from cells

5. Plugged anilox roller (Water-based)

5. Clean with hot water and recommended

detergent to remove dry ink from cells

6. Plate durometer too high

6. Remake or replace plates

7. Improper impression setting

7. Readjust Impression for best print image

8. Ink too weak

8. Adjust ink to fit anilox cell volume

9. Inadequate ink in chamber or fountain

9. Ensure proper ink flow in process, check ink

10. Dirty plates (Solvent-based)

10. Wash & brush plates with recommended

11. Dirty plates (Water-based)

11. Wash & brush plates with warm water &

detergent

12. Glazed metering roll

12. Wash & brush with warm water &

detergent recommended

Strong colors come from clean, even press components.

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OUR COMPANY

Norcross has been in business for over 75 years, helping Flexographic

printers like yours solve their printing problems. Norcross provides a
wide range of viscometers, controllers and accessories, along with
technical expertise, technical advice and troubleshooting to help
you increase your bottom line.

Need Assistance with your Viscosity Issues?

Contact us for a free consultation, or find
out what sorts of custom solutions we offer.

CLICK FOR A CONSULTATION >

Download our Viscosity Conversion Table ,

Make accurate conversions between different units of viscosity.

Norcross Viscosity Controls

12427 31 Mile Road, Washington, Michigan 48095, +1 (617) 969-7020

www.viscosity.com

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