Print Quality of Post-Printed Corrugated Board

Abstract: The use of printed corrugated board as a packaging material has evolved from a brown box with This Side Up stamped on it to an advertiser efficient in the customerÕs critical moment of purchase. The demand for quality printing of post-printed corrugated board is growing.



The purpose of this study was to gain a better knowledge of post-printing of corrugated board and quantification of banding on printed corrugated board. Post-printing trials which also included measurements of pressure variations in the printing nip were performed. B-flute corrugated board and several differently designed printing forms, belonging to the so-called thin-plate technology, were used in the trials. The evaluation of the results was focused on the contact mechanics of the ink transfer in the nip; between the ink-covered printing form and the corrugated board. The influence of the mechanical properties of the printing forms on print quality and lateral pressure variations in the printing nip were investigated. It was shown that the compressibility modulus and the bending stiffness of the printing form affected the pressure variations and ink transfer. The properties thus affect the print quality. Furthermore, a proposal for the instrumental evaluation of banding on printed B-flute corrugated board is presented. A good correlation was found between the instrumental results and the perceptual ratings.