Working Principle of Water Wash Flexo Plate Making Machine
1. Raw Material: Solid Photopolymer Flexo Plate
The plate consists of three layers: top photosensitive resin, middle elastic adhesive and bottom polyester base. The resin cures and hardens under UV light, while unexposed resin can be dissolved and washed away by water or solvent.
(1) UV Exposure (Top Open Chamber)
Attach black-and-white film tightly onto the surface of photopolymer plate.
Close the lid; internal UV lamps turn on. UV light passes through transparent graphic areas of the film.
Resin under transparent parts cross-links and hardens via photochemical reaction; resin covered by black film remains soluble.
(2) Water Developing & Washing (Circulating Water Tank)
Place exposed plate into the tank with circulating spray water:
Unlit resin under black film dissolves and washes out to form recesses;
UV-cured resin stays intact to form raised printing graphics for ink adhesion.
Solvent-type machines use organic solvent instead of clean water for thick or special resin plates.
(3) Drying & Shaping (Bottom Drawer Dryer)
Washed plates go into the constant-temperature drying drawer. Hot air removes residual moisture, resin shrinks and shapes into finished flexo plate.
