Date of Award

12-2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Legacy Department

Graphic Communications

Committee Chair/Advisor

Ingram, Samuel

Committee Member

Tonkin, Chip

Committee Member

Cox, Kern

Committee Member

Ohara, Liam

Abstract

With recent advancements in elastomer imaging and plate technologies, a study comparing the ink transfer and image definition characteristics of the current flexographic printing systems was conducted. Using a number of print metrics across a variety of testing conditions, overall results suggested that the elastomer printing system laid down more ink and produced shaper printing than the photopolymer printing system. In particular, the elastomer printing system showed greater solid ink densities for the solvent and aqueous ink printing conditions, while the photopolymer printing system showed higher values in the ultraviolet ink printing conditions. Results across conditions also revealed that the elastomer printing system produced stronger opacities, larger print contrasts, smaller minimum dots, finer lines, and smaller type than the photopolymer printing system. Following a discussion of these results, the study’s research limitations and areas of future research are addressed.

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