FOOD PACKAGING FLEXO · PROCUREMENT GUIDE
Food Packaging Flexo Press: Matching Ink, Drying and FAT Requirements
You have two quotations for a food-packaging CI flexo press on your desk. One supplier says the machine is compatible with low-migration inks. The other says the same, then offers to demonstrate register stability, ink transfer, and drying performance during the factory acceptance test using your substrate and ink system. The machine prices may be similar. The difference is whether the risk of a failed migration test is addressed before signing or after installation.
This guide is for buyers at that stage of the decision. It explains what key food-contact regulations assess, why register control and drying or curing performance matter in production, what to include in the FAT scope before signing, and which questions to send every supplier before comparing quotations.
WHAT THE REGULATIONS ASSESS
What the Main Food-Contact Regulations Actually Assess
GB 4806.14-2023, China’s national food safety standard for printing inks used in food-contact materials and articles, took effect on 6 September 2024. It covers printing inks and the printed ink layers formed by those inks. Its requirements include raw-material controls, sensory requirements, and physical and chemical indicators. For example, the standard specifies a detection limit of 0.01 mg/kg for primary aromatic amines where the relevant substances may be generated. The applicable test requirements depend on the ink type and the final food-contact application.
Germany’s Printing Ink Ordinance (GIO), introduced through the 21st amendment to the Consumer Goods Ordinance, establishes a positive list of substances that may be used in printing inks for food-contact materials, together with applicable restrictions and migration limits. Following the extension of the general transition period, the relevant requirements are scheduled to apply from 1 January 2027. Certain provisions for specific pigments have separate transitional arrangements. Buyers supplying the German market should confirm the applicable requirements with their ink suppliers and regulatory advisers.
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Regulation (EU) 2025/40, applies from 12 August 2026. Article 5(5) sets PFAS concentration limits for food-contact packaging placed on the EU market. These limits concern the packaging and its composition, not the printing press itself. The press supplier’s role is to demonstrate whether the proposed machine configuration can run the specified materials and ink system under the agreed production conditions.
None of these regulations certifies a flexographic printing press. They establish requirements for inks, materials, and finished packaging. The printing equipment must be evaluated separately for its ability to support the required production process.
| Regulatory framework | What it addresses | What the buyer should verify |
|---|---|---|
| GB 4806.14-2023 | Requirements for printing inks and the printed ink layers used in food-contact materials and articles. | Whether the selected ink, substrate, printing process, and finished packaging can meet the applicable requirements. |
| German Printing Ink Ordinance | Permitted ink substances, restrictions, and applicable migration requirements for printed food-contact materials. | Whether the ink supplier can provide the relevant composition and compliance documentation for the intended application. |
| EU PPWR Regulation 2025/40 | Packaging sustainability requirements, including PFAS limits for food-contact packaging under Article 5(5). | Whether the packaging materials and relevant components meet the applicable substance restrictions. |
Regulatory references: GB 4806.14-2023 standard text, German BfR information on printing inks, and EU Regulation 2025/40. Confirm current requirements and their application to each target market before finalising packaging specifications.
REGISTER CONTROL AND PRINT CONSISTENCY
Why Register Control Matters in Food Packaging Printing
In multicolour flexographic printing, register control keeps the individual colours aligned throughout the production run. Register variation can affect image definition, text clarity, colour boundaries, and the consistency of the finished print. It is particularly important when the job requires accurate graphics across multiple printing units.
Automatic register control can help correct colour-to-colour alignment during production, including after speed changes and other operating adjustments. Buyers should evaluate how the system performs on their actual substrate and at the intended production speed rather than relying only on a register accuracy figure in the machine specification.
Starkson Food Packaging Project
The Starkson food-packaging project involved QSR food packaging and FMCG production. The CI configuration included automatic register control and ceramic anilox rolls as part of the production setup.
View Project Reference →| What the supplier may say | What it actually means | What to ask next |
|---|---|---|
| “Our register accuracy is ±0.08 mm.” | This is a stated machine specification. Actual performance depends on the substrate, speed, job conditions, and measurement method. | “Provide the register result the FAT will record on our substrate and at our target speed, and state the measurement method.” |
| “Automatic register control is standard.” | The presence of the system does not establish its recovery performance under your production conditions. | “Provide the measured register recovery distance after a splice, on our substrate, at our target speed.” |
| “The machine maintains stable register.” | The claim needs a defined tolerance, test condition, and recording method. | “Provide the tolerance, sampling frequency, and acceptance method that will be used during the FAT.” |
Register accuracy and ink film uniformity are separate performance factors. Register accuracy measures alignment between printing units. Ink transfer and ink film distribution are affected by anilox roll specifications, ink viscosity, metering conditions, printing pressure, substrate characteristics, and operating speed. A stable register result does not, by itself, prove uniform ink film thickness or finished-packaging migration compliance. These aspects should be evaluated using appropriate methods for the specific job.
DRYING AND CURING PERFORMANCE
Why Drying or Curing Performance Matters
The drying or curing requirements of a flexographic printing job depend on the ink chemistry, substrate, print coverage, production speed, and machine configuration. A press that performs well with one ink system may require different operating conditions when the converter changes to another formulation or substrate.
For solvent-based inks, the drying system needs to remove the required amount of solvent under the agreed production conditions. For water-based inks, sufficient water evaporation is essential to achieve the required print quality and handling performance. For UV or LED-curable inks, the relevant consideration is whether the curing system provides the required curing conditions for the specified ink and substrate.
This is why a maximum dryer temperature or a rated machine speed is not enough to assess drying capability. Buyers should ask the supplier to demonstrate performance using the specified ink, substrate, print coverage, and target speed. The appropriate measurement or verification method should be agreed with the ink supplier and included in the FAT scope where it can be assessed as an equipment performance requirement.
A Practical Project Reference: MAK PAPER
The MAK PAPER project in Turkey uses a MASTER Series 8 colour full-servo gearless CI press for paper cup stock and food-packaging paper. Web tension and drying were configured around the actual paper grades.
Read the MAK PAPER Case →| Ink system | Main process consideration | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Solvent-based inks | Solvent evaporation under the required production conditions. | Drying performance, operating settings, and residual solvent evaluation where applicable. |
| Water-based inks | Water evaporation and the influence of substrate and ambient conditions. | Drying performance, print handling, and the agreed evaluation method. |
| UV / LED-curable inks | Curing conditions and compatibility with the specified ink and substrate. | Curing performance using the method agreed with the ink supplier. |
The objective is not simply to reach a maximum temperature or run at the highest possible speed. It is to establish a stable operating window for the specified ink and substrate. The final packaging still requires its own applicable migration and compliance assessment.
| What the supplier may say | What it actually means | What to ask next |
|---|---|---|
| “The drying system reaches 120°C.” | That is the maximum, not the operating margin at your production point. | “Provide the operating temperature and remaining drying margin at our target speed with our specified ink.” |
| “We can run water-based inks.” | Running the ink is not the same as drying it sufficiently at production speed. | “Provide the drying verification method and the result the FAT will record with our ink and substrate.” |
| “Drying has nothing to do with compliance.” | Whoever says this has not dealt with a failed migration test. | “If the migration test fails, which process parameter would you check first, and what record would you provide?” |
FACTORY ACCEPTANCE TEST
What to Write Into the FAT Scope Before Signing
The argument on FAT day is rarely about whether the machine runs. It is about whether the demonstrated result meets the agreed acceptance criteria. A useful FAT scope identifies the materials, ink system, production conditions, measurement methods, acceptance limits, and records required for each test. These details should be agreed before the machine is built, not left to interpretation during inspection.
| Equipment performance item | What the FAT should verify | What should be recorded or agreed |
|---|---|---|
| Register accuracy | Colour-to-colour alignment on the agreed substrate and at the specified speed. | Measurement method, tolerance, sampling frequency, and test conditions. |
| Register recovery | Recovery after a splice, speed change, or other agreed operating adjustment. | Recovery distance or time, operating conditions, and the agreed tolerance. |
| Ink transfer and print consistency | Print appearance and ink transfer under the specified anilox, ink, substrate, and pressure settings. | Ink specifications, operating settings, sample records, and agreed print-quality criteria. |
| Drying or curing | Performance with the specified ink and substrate at the agreed production speed. | Ink system, operating conditions, verification method, and test results where applicable. |
| Web tension stability | Tension control during startup, steady running, acceleration, and deceleration. | Agreed tension range, substrate details, operating speed, and recorded deviations. |
| FAT documentation | Completeness and traceability of the test results and machine settings. | Substrate, ink, speed, register readings, tension settings, drying or curing settings, and deviations. |
Send the proposed FAT criteria to each supplier before the test and ask whether the standard FAT procedure can record the required results. If additional measurements are needed, agree on the equipment, method, responsibility, and acceptance limits in advance. This makes quotations easier to compare and reduces the risk of disagreement after the machine has been manufactured.
Passing the FAT confirms that the press meets the agreed equipment acceptance requirements under the specified test conditions. It does not replace ink and material compliance reviews, migration testing, or assessment of the finished packaging. Those activities remain part of the converter’s wider product compliance process.
LISHG’s FAT process is documented on the factory page. Buyers can request the standard FAT report format before the test to confirm that the required measurements will be captured.
PLATFORM MATCHING
Matching the CI Flexo Platform to the Packaging Job
The right CI flexo configuration depends on the substrate, print design, colour requirements, ink system, production speed, and target market. A machine selected for paper-based packaging should not be specified by simply copying the settings used for a film-based job.
Film-based CI flexo configuration for flexible food packaging applications.
If you are comparing configurations, start with the substrate, required printing width, colour count, target speed, and ink system. The product selector ranks models by substrate, width, speed, and automation level, and can help narrow the platform before technical confirmation. Final configuration details should then be confirmed with the technical team and the relevant ink supplier.
Standard printing widths are 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1400, and 1600 mm, with custom widths available. Colour configurations can be customised from four colours upward. The final colour count, printing units, drying or curing equipment, and auxiliary systems should be confirmed against the actual job requirements. Explore the CI flexo press range to compare ULTRA, APEX, KING, and MASTER.
SUPPLIER QUESTIONS
Three Questions to Send Every Supplier
If you are comparing food-packaging flexo quotations, send these three questions to each supplier. Ask for measurable answers that can be written into the technical specification or FAT agreement, not general statements.
Provide the measured register recovery distance after a splice, on our substrate, at our target speed.
Provide the drying or curing verification method and the result the FAT will record, using our specified ink, substrate, print coverage, and target speed.
Provide the measurement method, sampling points, acceptance limits, and failure-handling procedure for register tolerance, ink transfer, and drying or curing in the FAT report.
A useful supplier response should explain the test conditions, measurement method, and expected records. General statements such as “no problem” or “the machine can run this ink” are not enough to establish whether the proposed configuration meets your production requirements.
For a practical reference, review the MAK PAPER food-packaging case and the LISHG CI Flexo range. Once you have identified a suitable platform, you can request a quotation with your substrate details and proposed FAT requirements.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does low-migration ink guarantee food-contact compliance?
No. Low-migration ink is only one part of the assessment. The substrate, ink formulation, printed layer, complete packaging structure, intended use, and applicable migration testing all influence the result. Compliance should be assessed for the finished packaging under the relevant market requirements.
Why does register control matter in food packaging printing?
Register control maintains colour-to-colour alignment during multicolour printing. It supports consistent print quality and helps reduce register variation during production. It does not directly measure ink film thickness or prove migration compliance; ink transfer and finished-packaging performance require separate evaluation.
Can a press supplier certify that the final packaging complies with GIO or PPWR?
A press supplier can provide machine specifications, confirm the proposed configuration, and demonstrate equipment performance during the FAT. It cannot certify the finished packaging solely on the basis of the press. Final compliance depends on the ink, substrate, packaging structure, intended use, and applicable testing and documentation.
What should a food-packaging flexo FAT include?
The FAT should cover register accuracy, register recovery where relevant, print consistency, ink transfer, web tension stability, and drying or curing performance with the specified ink and substrate. Test conditions, measurement methods, acceptance limits, and deviation handling should be agreed before the test.
Does passing the FAT mean the packaging meets migration limits?
No. The FAT verifies the press against agreed equipment acceptance criteria under specified test conditions. Migration compliance requires separate assessment and testing of the relevant packaging materials and finished structure.
Can one CI flexo configuration handle both paper and film food packaging?
A CI flexo platform may be configured for different substrates, but the required tension control, ink system, drying or curing arrangement, and operating conditions can vary significantly. Confirm the machine configuration against each material and production requirement rather than assuming that one setup will perform identically on all substrates.
What printing widths and colour configurations are available?
LISHG CI flexo presses are available in standard printing widths of 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1400, and 1600 mm, with custom widths available on request. Colour configurations start from four colours and can be customised upward according to the print design, substrate, and production requirements.
DISCUSS YOUR REQUIREMENTS
Discuss Your Food Packaging Flexo Press Requirements
Share your substrate, printing width, colour requirements, ink system, and target production speed. The technical team can review the CI configuration and discuss a FAT scope based on your actual production requirements.