Styrofoam sheets to a great extent are a part of the printing process; it is like flexographic printing from the view of the plates they use. With reduced weight and better rigidity and insulating properties, these carbon films and sheets have proven to be the best material for various printing applications, providing other unrivaled advantages and versatility.
Exploring the Styrofoam sheets
Flexographic printing plates
In addition to producing these plates, another key utilization area of styrofoam sheets singapore in printing is flexographic printing. Flexographic printing is a rotary printing technique wherein plates made of photopolymer or rubber are used. The ink contains resin-based formulations in coatings that are applied onto rotating plate cylinders or rollers, enabling a broad variety of materials to be imprinted, such as paper, cardboard, plastic, and even metallic films.
The assembly of flexographic printing plates is done on Styrofoam sheets, which are very exact and have excellent bases. Guided via computer-controlled templates, the sheets are processed and shaped to the profile, usually a cylinder or sleeve, using specialized equipment. After the image or text has been successfully engraved/laser etched on the Styrofoam surface, it will manifest as a raised relief print to signify that the engraving/laser etching process was successful.
Concurrently, the thermal properties of Styrofoam are also employed to eliminate some of the heat generated during the engraving or laser etching of the material and thus prevent deformation or distortion.
Packaging prototypes
The harnessing of Styrofoam sheets is not only restricted to the manufacturing of printing equipment but also to the development of packaging prototypes. Air cushions are a substitute for foam and can readily mimic various packaging designs, such as simple or more intricate complex structures with folds and shapes.
Designers and engineers can easily cut and shape Styrofoam into desired forms for packaging, quickly eliminating iteration design procedures and prototyping processes. It allows them to test the packing functionality, structural strength, and visual appeal of the package design, plus other features, before choosing the more expensive production methods.
Environmental considerations
Styrofoam sheets are a significant material popularly used in the printing industry, but their environmental effects have long been under serious consideration. Polystyrene foam is a non-biodegradable material; therefore, manufacturing and disposal of this material can pollute our environment and cause greenhouse gas emissions.
The industry print environment is the microscope, seeking more sustainable alternatives to the previously widely used Styrofoam sheets. Those made of recycled or plant-based materials, such as paper pulp or plant fibers.
Summary
Styrofoam sheets being nowadays the lifeblood of the printing sector do bring along several benefits and multiple applications, which can range from the delineation of flexographic plates, to the packaging prototypes.
