Folex

Folacoat – ingenious systematic solutions

The costing of inline coating of coloured printing is heavily influenced by factors such as machine downtime and waste. Given that this is the case, the coating form is an important component of the printing process. Our partner Folex specialises in systematic solutions for this aspect of the printing process. The base of Folacoat coating blankets consists of dimensionally stable polyester, or aluminium foil laminated onto the polyester film in the case of the Folacoat coating plates. The coating blankets and plates both have a special polymer top surface which has been specially developed to transfer varnish and coatings. The method used to bind the polymer to the base material guarantees good adhesion during the varnishing process and effortless stripping when preparing the coating form.


The coating form is made off the printing press. This can be done manually and in a CAD plotter. The exposure of the diazo layer should ideally be done in a circular exposer because this eliminates differences in fit as far as possible. When exposing on a copier it is important to allow for the distortion caused by the curve of the counter pressure cylinder. Folacoat comes in the form of coating blankets and coating plates, for direct varnishing with dispersion or UV coatings.


The Folacoat range also includes a compressible version – also for direct varnishing – and a special coating blanket for indirect varnishing. The blankets and the plates can both be fitted with the usual clamp or tension frames. The range is completed by the Folacomp compressible underlay foil which helps to maintain web tension control.