Vaping has gotten much hype in recent years. The buzz is due to a heavenly dense smoke and an aroma released by it. Also, it is not harmless for health and so most people have shifted to it from traditional smoking, especially the younger generation. Anyhow, the packaging and presentation of vape devices must be remarkable just like for any other thing. In this facet, getting unique Custom Printed Vape Cartridge Packaging is a matter of sales for the suppliers.

Vape packaging plays a vital role in creating the peculiarity of the brand. For this purpose, printing is a necessary element. The information and visual aesthetics convince the customers very effectively. You must do it right to win the title of 'professional brand'. For this purpose, we will discuss the four major printing techniques that are used to print packaging boxes.

Litho-Printing

Litho-printing is also known as lithography or offset method. It is an indirect method in which print is not directly transferred to the printing surface. It does not give out haptic or pressed printing results. Instead, it gives image results that are even with the surface.

This method involves three main elements: a metallic plate, a rubber roller or blanket, and a flat printing surface. In the process, the metallic plate allows the ink or print to get transferred to the rubber blanket. The image is then printed on the printing surface.

There is an irrigation system that consists of ink and water. The ink is made of an oily substance. The surface areas are defined on the printing surface and then ink is transferred only to oil-treated areas. On the other hand, water repels the oily ink on the areas that are unreceptive to ink.

Pros

• It gives out high-quality printing. This is why it is mostly liked by the users.
• It can be used for different packaging stocks such as cardboard and kraft materials. It can also be used for other materials like wood, plastic, leather, and fabric.
• It gives smooth color printing that is even to the surface.
• The machines can produce large volume stocks such as more than 12000 printed units in an hour.

Cons

• It is an expensive printing but is worth it. You can choose this technique if you have a large budget.
• The system does not accept any printing surface other than a flat one.
• If you are needed for large volumes then it is a feasible printing option but if you require small stock, this method will not be suitable.

Flexography

Also known as flexor-printing (or simply flexor) and on-set printing. It is a direct printing method in which rubber plates shift the ink directly on the printing surface. To engrave the ink onto the rubber plates, a laser beam or light-sensitive polymer is used. This method is often used for stand-up kraft bags but you can also use it for packaging boxes such as corrugated cardboard boxes.

Flexor-printing also serves users with lamination and die-cut features. Different types of inks can be used in this method such as water-based ink, soluble-based ink, and UV curable inks out of which water-based inks are considered the best for their results. It can be quickly absorbed and dried.

Pros

• It is a highly cost-effective method and you need a low fragment out of your budget.
• It can be applied to various packaging surfaces (similar to lithography).
• You have different ink options out of which you can choose the suitable one. Also, it uses faster drying inks and quickly absorbs them.

Cons

• The printing quality is not as high as that of lithography.
• The printing surface should be smooth because rough surface printing is a tough job.
• If you are looking for photo-quality imaging, flexography might not be an effective solution.

Silkscreen Printing

In this method, stencils or mesh are used to transfer the ink to the printing surface. A porous or silk fabric mesh is stretched in a screen and therefore it is known as silk screen printing. It is a very old method of printing yet gives high-quality printing.

This method needs separate screens for a certain type of image to be printed. In other words, you need a separate stencil for each color to be printed. The more colors you want to include in the printing, the more screens will be required. The used stencils are not reused once you have done a specific packaging project.

Pros

• If you are looking for bold and vibrant graphics, screen printing can be an effective option.
• The printing results stay longer and the printing information does not get hidden.
• You are not bound to choose only a certain number of units. This is because it is favorable for both short and long-run projects.
• You do not necessarily need a flat or smooth surface.
• It can be used for different printing surfaces such as kraft, cardboard, wood, metal, glass, etc.

Cons

• As multiple screens are required for printing different colors, it is a costly method.
• It is a time-consuming method.
• You need new stencils or mesh for every project.

Digital Printing

It is the most advanced printing method. It is easily available and you can get good quality printing from it. The procedure is quite simple; you just have to have a digital device such as a computer or laptop, then a printer is used to have the required prints on different packaging mediums.

Pros

• It gives out high-quality results.
• For a low daily requirement, it is a cost-effective method.
• It is feasible for short projects.

Cons

• It becomes considerably costly when you tend to use it for long projects.
• It gives fewer options of ink such as you cannot use metallic ink in this method.
• If you want to have the exact required colors, it is not a feasible method as matching colors is difficult.

Which Technique Is Best?

Whatever printing technique you want to use, you must compare the features of all the available techniques. For instance, flexography is recommended if you have a low budget. In this way, you can get high-quality CBD Packaging Boxes.