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We supply all types of TESA tape monting tapes for printing and packaging. The TESA® Softprint family of double-sided foams in two standard thicknesses of 0.38 and 0.50 provide consistently high print quality in long flexo production runs.
For other flexo machines, plates mounting tapes are available in the thickness range 0.10 to 0.38 mm.
We stock large rolls and have our own slitting service to ensure a fast and accurate service to our customers.
A wide range of other special tapes in differents colours, sizes and adhesive types are available for use in packaging and/or continuous printing processes such as splicing tape, grip tape, plate bordering, marking bands or special applications.
Although there are other variables, such as doctor blades or aniloxes, that can affect the printing process, in today’s flexo industry double-sided foam plays an important role that goes beyond the fixing of the photopolymer cliché.
The different density of the foam allows us to obtain a good definition in the screens with a minimum dot gain if we choose low density foams, also called soft or extra soft. If we are looking for a high ink supply or homogeneous ink backgrounds, without water or pinholing, the choice of a high density or hard TESA adhesive tape will help us to increase the volume of ink and its better distribution. But more and more printers are looking for an intermediate density, which allows them to print good quality backgrounds and screens, with versatility and remarkable levels of quality.
TESA adhesive tapes have an internal Polyester core, which gives them stability and resistance to the stresses that can occur during the application process. The internal foam composition is formulated to withstand long print runs and even the re-use of the foam for different clichés. This special formulation acts as a shock absorber that compresses and recovers quickly ensuring accurate ink transfer to the substrate.
We can choose the strength of the adhesive by placing a stronger tack on the print cylinder side and a softer adhesive on the plate side, so that we can easily reposition the plate during the application process and it will be easier to remove it once the production is finished, being able to reuse the foam for several different jobs. Stronger adhesives are available when working with plates thicker than 1.14 or small diameter developments to ensure that the plate is glued in the joints. The adhesive on the faces leaves no residue when removed.
TESA SoftPrint plate mounting tape technology is a guarantee for the printing process, resisting degradation with many more metres of printing and allowing reuse with stable quality.
Yes, there is a TESA sofprint in purple, with an intermediate hardness that allows 70 to 90% of the jobs to be carried out with good quality on a flexo printer. In the case of very large backgrounds or high-definition four-colour prints, it would be necessary to evaluate whether the quality is acceptable under the customer’s requirements.
Yes, TESA’s foam designs allow for the removal of the foam deformation plate and for the foam to maintain its performance so that it can be reused several times. This is a trend among more and more printers that improves productivity and lowers costs.
There are several solutions, such as using Tesa’s Softprint FLEX foam, or another reference that has better adhesion face to plate, applying an edge sealing tape or using the Magic CT marker when a sealing tape cannot be applied.
Yes, it is advisable to clean it so that there is no residue from inks, adhesive or the cleaners used in the process, as this can create gluing interference and lead to the cliché coming off or making it very difficult to remove the cliché at the end of the job.
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Ibes Gestión y Desarrollo, S.L.
Cádiz, 20 – Pol. Ind. L’Alfaç II
03440 IBI – Alicante (España)