Abstract
Even if publication gravure printing will play an increasingly minor role in the future because run lengths are continuing to fall, it has unique selling points, such as format variability, which will allow it to survive in a niche market in the long term.
Packaging gravure printing is in competition with flexographic printing and, increasingly, digital printing. In order to become more competitive, it must reduce color waste and set-up times in particular. This can be achieved by adopting and applying the development towards extended color gamut. The very stable gravure printing process is generally well suited to this. To enable ECG, the color register of the gravure press must be optimized in all aspects. Furthermore, the inking unit must be stabilized, e.g. with thermostatisation.
In form cylinder production, the chromium(VI) process, including the use of PFAS for the chromium protective layer, must be replaced in the medium term. This can be done using a chromium(III) process that has now been developed. Furthermore, if the expensive and time-consuming production of form cylinders, including cylinder transport, which requires long lead times, is to be improved in general, electroplating must be dispensed with completely and polymer cylinder surfaces used instead. Several serious developments are currently taking place in this area. The most promising are HelioPearl from K. Walter and EcoGrav from Rossini. With cylinder surfaces of this type, even smaller gravure printing companies could bring their cylinder production back in-house, thereby significantly reducing the cycle time and costs of cylinder production. This technology also requires significantly less material and energy.
In combination, gravure printing could become more attractive again and maintain its market position in the long term.
