The main function of the printing blanket is to transfer ink from the printing plate to the substrate. In the indirect lithographic printing process, the blanket acts as a covering for the transfer cylinder on the offset printing press, and the ink is transferred through the composite structure composed of its rubber coating and substrate (such as fabric).
This process is an indispensable part of offset printing technology, because the performance of the blanket directly affects the quality of the printed product, including the structure of the dots, the uniformity of the ink, the glossiness of the printed product, the accuracy of the overprint, and the service life of the printing plate.
Printing rubber blanket makes the blanket play a vital role in the printing process, ensuring the quality and consistency of the printed product. In addition, the blanket has other auxiliary functions, such as waterproof and solvent-proof properties, which can reduce the swelling caused by solvent penetration, thereby extending the service life.
At the same time, the blanket also has good impact resistance and paper peeling performance, which can reduce paper edge marks and reduce costs. These characteristics make the blanket not only widely used in traditional printing, but also play an important role in modern printing technologies, such as UV printing and metal printing.
Specifically, rubber blanket plays the following key roles in printing:
- Ink transfer: Rubber blanket is used for ink transfer during printing. It has effective pressure resistance, fast recovery, strong viscosity, and does not leave any adhesive. Its smooth surface and fabric layer make the ink transfer more stable regardless of dot or full version.
- Compensate for the uneven surface of the substrate: Rubber blanket can well compensate for the uneven surface of the substrate and fully transfer the ink.
- Pressure control: Correct use of rubber blanket is a key point in printing pressure control and has an important impact on ensuring printing quality.
- Reduce paper edge marks: Some high-stability rubber blankets such as Vulcan Master have excellent paper peeling performance, which can reduce paper edge marks and reduce costs.
- Adapt to different printing needs: Rubber blankets have different types and structures, suitable for different printing needs, such as commercial and packaging offset printing, UV printing, metal printing, etc.
- Environmental protection: Modern rubber blanket production reduces the use of chemical solvents, improves printing speed and efficiency, and reduces environmental impact.
Printing blankets play an indispensable role in the printing process, not only ensuring the quality of printed products, but also making important contributions to the stability and environmental protection of the printing process.