Haptone FL Flexographic Inks

Haptone FL is a solvent-based, high-strength flexographic ink system developed for Expanded Colour Gamut printing of labels on CI flexo presses. A fixed palette of seven process colours — cyan, magenta, yellow and black extended with orange, green and violet — replaces individually matched spot colours, so brand colours are reproduced through colour management rather than through ink mixing.

The inks are formulated at high pigment loading and deliberately low supply viscosity. This allows the target solid density to be reached from fine, low-volume aniloxes, typically 1,000 – 1,200 lpi, which is essential for clean highlight dots, low dot gain and stable tonal reproduction across the seven stations, while press viscosity is reached with only a small addition of reducer, so colour strength is not diluted on press.

The nitrocellulose-polyurethane binder gives the high gloss, water and condensation resistance, scuff resistance and adhesion required of a surface-printed label that must survive filling lines, ice buckets and retail handling.

Haptone FL is supplied as a complete label range: a matched seven-colour ECG process set, resist and spot colours for conventional work, a high-strength opaque white, a reducing medium, silver and gold metallics and a low-static OPV. Printed with Nexasleeve White, the same colours are used for reverse-printed shrink sleeves on PVC and PET-G film. Arctic Materials supports the implementation of ECG with press fingerprinting, characterisation, profile building and on-site colour-management training.

• Seven-colour fixed palette (CMYK + OGV) covering the large majority of the Pantone® solid coated library when printed to the reference conditions
• High pigment strength — target densities achieved from 1,000 – 1,200 lpi aniloxes at low ink film weight
• Low supply viscosity — press viscosity reached with minimal reduction, preserving strength and print contrast
• Excellent print definition: clean minimum dots, low dot gain, sharp reverse text and fine lines
• High gloss and clean, transparent process colours for vibrant overprints and secondaries
• Excellent adhesion, water, condensation and scuff resistance on treated pearlised, white and transparent BOPP
• Excellent resolubility on fine aniloxes, reducing drying-in on plates and anilox during long runs

Haptone FL is intended for surface printing of roll-fed wraparound and cut-and-stack labels on CI flexo presses: labels for PET and glass beverage bottles, pearlised BOPP promotional labels and white BOPP labels for food, home and personal-care containers. It is equally suitable for conventional four-colour process work and for spot colours generated from the ECG palette.

Two further applications are covered: reverse-printed shrink-sleeve labels on PVC and PET-G film, printed with Nexasleeve White as the backing white; and surface-printed hygiene packs on CPP and PE film, printed with the high-resist, high-light-fastness grades and protected with Medicoat Gloss High Scuff OPV. Haptone FL must not be used for other end uses without confirmation from the Arctic Materials technical team.

Haptone FL is not suitable for:

• direct food-contact applications;
• reverse printing for adhesive lamination — a dedicated lamination range is available;
• shrink sleeves printed with Haptone FL Opaque White instead of Nexasleeve White — the label white is not formulated to shrink;
• returnable multi-trip bottles subjected to hot caustic washing, unless confirmed by end-use testing;
• high-temperature applications including pasteurisation, retort, microwaveable or ovenable packs.

Haptone FL is designed primarily for corona-treated biaxially oriented polypropylene label films, and additionally for PVC and PET-G shrink film and CPP and PE hygiene-pack film. Because ECG relies on a stable colour position, the film surface must be uniform reel to reel: variation in treatment level, slip additive or pearl density changes ink hold-out and therefore the measured colour.

The range is built around a matched seven-colour ECG process set, completed by resist and spot colours for conventional work, a high-opacity label white, Nexasleeve White for shrink sleeves, a reducing medium, silver and gold metallics, the Low Static Label OPV and Medicoat Gloss High Scuff OPV. The pigment selection of the ECG set is fixed to guarantee a constant colour position for the press profile; substituting any process colour invalidates the characterisation.

Light fastness on the Blue Wool Scale 1 – 8 (ISO 12040), 8 highest.

Reference press conditions. ECG printing depends on holding every variable that influences colour constant. The conditions below are the starting point for fingerprinting; once the characterisation is built they must not be changed without re-profiling.

Anilox specification. A fixed anilox set is the single most important hardware requirement for ECG. All seven process stations should carry the same engraving specification so that the tone-value curve is identical across the palette. Anilox volume should be verified with a volume gauge every three months and after any cleaning.

Viscosity. Stir thoroughly before reducing. Press viscosity is 17 – 20 seconds, Ford Cup B4 at 25 °C, typically reached with only 5 – 10 % of the standard reducer. Dedicate one viscosity cup per printing unit.

Haptone FL inks are classified as highly flammable liquids. Observe suitable precautions to avoid ignition sources; warehouses must be approved and equipped accordingly. Store in tightly sealed original containers between 5 °C and 35 °C away from direct sunlight and heat; for optimum stability, 10 – 25 °C is recommended.

Shelf life. 12 months from the date of manufacture in unopened containers with intact seals, stored as above. Inks may still be fit for purpose beyond this period; condition and performance should be checked before use.

Waste disposal. Handle inks, coatings and printing residues in accordance with normal standards of industrial hygiene and good manufacturing practice, and dispose of them observing all applicable regulations. Refer to the Safety Data Sheet for specific handling advice.

Formulated in accordance with the current CEPE / EuPIA guidelines and the EuPIA Exclusion Policy for printing inks and related products. The formulations exclude:

• substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR categories 1A and 1B) or as acutely toxic under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP);
• pigments based on compounds of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium VI, lead, mercury and selenium;
• dyes, solvents, plasticisers and other materials listed in the Exclusion Policy. A copy of the supporting declaration is available on request.

All Arctic Materials products are designed with end-use safety built in and must not be mixed with products from other manufacturers.

Indirect food-contact applications. It is the responsibility of the food packer to ensure the packed food is safe, and of the converter and packer/filler to ensure that migration does not exceed applicable legal or industry limits. Under a mutual non-disclosure agreement, Arctic Materials will provide a Statement of Composition detailing any potentially migratable components in its products.

The current Technical Data Sheet is available to download. Safety Data Sheets and regulatory declarations are issued by our technical department on request.

The Safety Data Sheet, Statement of Composition, EuPIA Exclusion Policy declaration and heavy-metal / regulatory declarations for this range are issued on request by our technical department, and the Statement of Composition is released under a mutual non-disclosure agreement.