Printing labels on engine oil bottles typically involves using specialized printing methods suited for packaging materials like plastic or glass. Flexographic printing (flexo printing) is commonly used for this purpose due to its ability to handle various substrates and provide high-quality prints. Here’s a general outline of how labels are printed on engine oil bottles:
Design and Prepress: The label design is created digitally, ensuring it meets branding requirements and regulatory guidelines. Prepress involves preparing the design for printing, including color separation and plate-making for flexo printing.
Substrate Selection: Choose a substrate suitable for engine oil bottles, typically a durable material that can withstand oil exposure and external conditions.
Flexographic Printing Machine Setup:
Plate Mounting: Flexo printing uses flexible relief plates mounted on cylinders. The label design is transferred onto these plates.
Ink Preparation: Specialized inks suitable for the substrate and oil resistance are selected. In some cases, UV-curable inks are used for their fast drying properties.
Printing Process:
The engine oil bottle labels are typically printed in a roll-to-roll process. The substrate is fed through the flexo press.
The printing cylinders apply ink to the substrate through contact, transferring the design from the plates to the material.
Multiple colors can be applied in separate printing stations if the design requires.
Drying and Curing: After printing, the labels may pass through drying or curing systems to set the ink and ensure it adheres well to the substrate. UV curing is common for its speed and effectiveness.
Finishing: Once printed and dried/cured, the labels may undergo additional finishing processes such as laminating (for added durability), die-cutting (to shape the labels), and rewinding into finished rolls.
Application: The finished rolls of labels are then applied to oil bottles using automated labeling machines. These machines ensure accurate placement and secure adhesion to the bottles.
This process ensures that labels on oil bottles are not only visually appealing but also durable enough to withstand the conditions they will encounter during packaging, transport, and use. Flexo printing is chosen for its versatility, quality, and suitability for packaging materials like those used for oil bottles.
