Dr. Csaba Horvath is professor and faculty member of the Rejto Sandor Faculty of Light Industry and Environmental Engineering at Obuda University in Budapest of Hungary. He was the director of the Institute of Media Technology and Light Industry Engineering (MKI) from 2010 to 2018. His areas of research include printing technologies, operating and maintenance of printing machinery, print media management and environmental engineering. His research work has led to over 160 publications on printing and related topics (based on the Hungarian Scientific Bibliography Database).Csaba is a mechanical engineer (M.Eng) received his doctoral degree (PhD) at the Pannon University in Veszprem and the habilitation in University of West-Hungary (Sopron).
Analysis of the Matte Varnishing Structure of Flexible-Walled Packaging Materials In the Case of Flexographic Printing Technology
Dr. Csaba Horváth, Nyomda-Technika Kft./Debrecen, – Óbuda University; Ferenc Váraz and Klaudia Manurova, University of Sopron, ‘József Cziráki’ Doctoral School of Wood Sciences and Technologies, Hungary
Flexographic printing is one of the fastest growing sectors in the printing industry. Our related research project examined the potential of matte varnishing as surface finishing process. Various surface finishing processes, such as various safety varnishes, protective varnishes, barrier varnishes, and the types of matt varnish we have chosen, are playing an increasingly important role in the development of today’s packaging material trend. In the course of the research, we tested the changes in the surface structure of the varnishing layer in the case of varying amounts of lacquer application, and we measured the gloss values in the case of the use of clichés with different surface patterns.
For the tests, we used a type of varnish developed by us, the critical required feature of which was a high degree of heat resistance, and in the development of which the biggest challenge was to achieve fingerprint resistance.
In the last few years, many product demands have transformed. The main requirement for the production of packaging materials has become a constant supply, constant quality and simple workmanship, one of the basic pillars of which is varnishing. Varnishes have always played a protective role, from which they developed into individual solutions. Today, most varnishes still play a significant role in mechanical protection, but processes have emerged that open up new opportunities for printers and also increase demand for their products. If the consumer sees a surface that seems interesting during a purchase, they will involuntarily step in to feel it. Just because the consumer grabs the products, he already evaluates them better they are more likely to buy them.
One of the leading trends today is the solution of highlighting logos or other important elements on products by treating the surface around them with matt lacquer, so that the brightly left area becomes dominant.
It is no coincidence that this technique has become popular, as the optical experience it provides has a really significant effect, directing the gaze to the right place the result will be clear but dynamic and special. In our opinion, the use of matt lacquer still has many possibilities. We have built our present research to explore these and apply innovative application techniques.
Correlation Analysis of Flexographic Printing Plate Surface Pattering and the Anilox Cell Geomoetry By White Ink On Transparent Substrates
Dr. Csaba Horvath, Óbuda University; Klaudia Manurova, Edina Preklet, and Ferenc Varza, University of Sopron
This paper aims to explore the relationships between the flexographic printing plate surface patterning and anilox cell geometry and simultaneously searches for the solution to a genuine phenomenon in the flexographic printing – to find an answer on how to achieve an optimal white underprint coverage.
Despite of the massive expansion and development of digital printing techniques the innovation is not dropped away in the branch of the flexography at all. In the full width of the flexographic printing process, we can meet exciting innovations- fast, precise, more-economic printing machines, advanced ink recipes, ecofriendly materials, revolutionary aniloxes, etc.
Over the past two decades, in the production of flexographic printing plates we could observe a massive technological progress. The newest technologies in platemaking work with flat top dots and nowadays we can choose from flat top dots generated inherently by the plate material, or we can create them by different technologies where the absence of oxygen at the main exposure is essential for the creation of flat top dots. Big advantages in quality can be achieved by the plate surface patterning. There exist many structures which are applicable on the plate surface helping to optimize the ink transfer and the ink laydown and supporting through that the achievement of excellent print quality.
Not only the contemporary technology is driving through changes, so do the market and the customer needs too. The market is becoming faster and faster because the customer today wants everything immediately, in good quality and cheap if possible. The technical progress aims to help printing houses to fight with the new trends successfully, but every step through the whole process needs to be optimized, standardized and improved to the best possible level.