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How It Works

How Flexographic Printing Works
How Flexographic Printing Works
Hover any step to learn more
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1
Artwork
Prep
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🖼️
2
Plate
Making
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🎞️
3
Substrate
Load
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4
Ink
Station
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5
Impression
Cylinder
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6
Drying
/ UV
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✂️
7
Die
Cutting
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8
Rewind
& Ship
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Central Tape and Label  ·  Houston, TX
Flexographic Label Printing
Hover over any step above to learn how each stage of the flexographic press works — from artwork file to finished roll of labels.
← Hover each step to explore the process →
The Full Process
Step by Step
1
🎨
Artwork Preparation
Pre-Press
Files must be submitted as .AI, .EPS, or layered PDF. Artwork is checked for CMYK color mode, minimum 300dpi resolution, bleed, and trap. Fonts must be outlined. Errors are caught here before they reach the press.
2
🖼️
Plate Making
Platemaking
Artwork is imaged onto a flexible polymer plate using our Esko Spark CDI laser system — one plate per color. The plate is washed and dried, then mounted on the press cylinder. Plate quality determines print sharpness and color accuracy.
3
🎞️
Substrate Loading
Setup
The label substrate — paper, BOPP film, polyester, or foil — is loaded onto the unwind stand and threaded through the press. Tension is set carefully to prevent stretch or misregister across all print stations.
4
🖌️
Ink Station
Inking
Each color has its own dedicated ink station. A precision-engraved anilox roll picks up a metered, consistent amount of ink and transfers it to the plate. Clean anilox rolls are critical — contamination causes color variation and print defects.
5
⚙️
Impression Cylinder
Printing
The inked plate presses against the substrate, supported by the impression cylinder. All colors print in sequence as the web moves through the press. Color registration — precise alignment of each layer — is monitored continuously throughout the run.
6
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Drying / UV Cure
Curing
Ink is dried or cured between color stations and at the end of the press. UV-curable inks cure instantly under UV lamps with no heat required. Proper curing prevents smearing, blocking, and adhesion failure once labels are on your product.
7
✂️
Die Cutting
Finishing
A hardened steel die cuts the printed web into the final label shape — round, oval, square, or fully custom. Laminate or varnish coatings are applied before die cutting if specified. The matrix waste is stripped away, leaving finished labels on the liner.
8
🎁
Rewind & Ship
Delivery
Finished labels are rewound onto cores to your specification: roll direction, core size, and labels per roll. Quality checks are performed before packing. New orders ship within 10–14 business days of art approval. Repeat orders ship within 7–10 business days.

Flexographic printing, commonly known as flexo printing, is the leading method for high-volume custom label production used by food and beverage brands, cosmetic companies, chemical manufacturers, and industrial businesses worldwide. Central Tape and Label is a Houston, Texas flexographic label printer operating two Nilpeter 10-color flexographic presses and a Rotoflex 6-color press, with plate imaging on an Esko Spark CDI system. Flexographic printing uses flexible polymer plates to transfer ink onto paper, BOPP film, polyester, vinyl, and foil substrates at high speed — delivering consistent color, sharp detail, and professional results across runs of 1,000 to over one million labels. Artwork must be submitted as an .AI, .EPS, or layered PDF file in CMYK color mode at a minimum of 300dpi. New orders ship within 10–14 business days of art approval. Repeat orders ship within 7–10 business days. For flexographic label printing in Houston Texas, food label printing, cosmetic label printing, GHS chemical label printing, or industrial label printing contact Central Tape and Label at 713-462-8585 or visit centraltapeandlabels.com.