HANDLE WITH CARE
Today’s high line count anilox rolls offer increased printing quality. However, they are more fragile and more easily damaged than older aniloxes, and require cleaning systems with a softer touch.
June 2006 by Kate Sharon
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Every package printer strives to produce packaging of the highest quality for its customers. Aiding in that effort is today’s higher anilox roll line counts. Line counts upwards of 1,000 have given printers the ability to reach realms of quality impossible with older, lower cell count aniloxes.
The only drawback to these higher counts is the delicate nature of the anilox cells, which can be easily damaged during cleaning. This is a conundrum printers need to consider and take seriously if they plan on reaping the full rewards attainable through these newer rolls.
“Higher count anilox rolls, in response to the need for higher quality printing, has raised the requirements for clean anilox rolls,” said Gary Wasch, regional sales manager, Doyle Systems. “These higher line count rolls are harder to clean and more fragile. Higher quality print requirements drive the need for consistently, thoroughly cleaned rolls.”
Michael Potter, president of Flexo Wash, agrees, “Just a few years ago there were numerous mediums or technologies that could adequately clean your anilox rolls of low line counts of 200 to 700. Today, flexo printers are changing the composition of their anilox roll inventory to include much higher line screen counts for process printing. Consequently, these higher line screen counts are creating new cleaning issues that printers have not dealt with in the past.”
There are several things printers can do to cut down on wear and tear to the anilox during the cleaning process. First and foremost is to act quickly. According to Tony Donato, technical sales solutions manager, HarperScientific, “The best way to keep the cleaning system from adding to the anilox wearing is for the operators to try to keep the ink from building up in layers, and from cross linking and fully curing. This is done when the roll is first taken out of service and/or is ready to be removed from the press and/or is at the end of the running of the roll. The old saying, ‘Never let the anilox roll dry’ is as good advice today as it was years ago. A little work up front can save a lot of anilox damage and wear, and save the printer budget.”
“Quick” and “economical” are the key words printers often cite when investigating new anilox roll cleaning technology. This makes sense considering the old adage, “Time is money.” It also validates the trend toward “more frequent cleaning because of higher standards on final product,” as pointed out by Jim Heffer of Anilox Roll Cleaning Systems.
The only drawback to these higher counts is the delicate nature of the anilox cells, which can be easily damaged during cleaning. This is a conundrum printers need to consider and take seriously if they plan on reaping the full rewards attainable through these newer rolls.
“Higher count anilox rolls, in response to the need for higher quality printing, has raised the requirements for clean anilox rolls,” said Gary Wasch, regional sales manager, Doyle Systems. “These higher line count rolls are harder to clean and more fragile. Higher quality print requirements drive the need for consistently, thoroughly cleaned rolls.”
Michael Potter, president of Flexo Wash, agrees, “Just a few years ago there were numerous mediums or technologies that could adequately clean your anilox rolls of low line counts of 200 to 700. Today, flexo printers are changing the composition of their anilox roll inventory to include much higher line screen counts for process printing. Consequently, these higher line screen counts are creating new cleaning issues that printers have not dealt with in the past.”
There are several things printers can do to cut down on wear and tear to the anilox during the cleaning process. First and foremost is to act quickly. According to Tony Donato, technical sales solutions manager, HarperScientific, “The best way to keep the cleaning system from adding to the anilox wearing is for the operators to try to keep the ink from building up in layers, and from cross linking and fully curing. This is done when the roll is first taken out of service and/or is ready to be removed from the press and/or is at the end of the running of the roll. The old saying, ‘Never let the anilox roll dry’ is as good advice today as it was years ago. A little work up front can save a lot of anilox damage and wear, and save the printer budget.”
“Quick” and “economical” are the key words printers often cite when investigating new anilox roll cleaning technology. This makes sense considering the old adage, “Time is money.” It also validates the trend toward “more frequent cleaning because of higher standards on final product,” as pointed out by Jim Heffer of Anilox Roll Cleaning Systems.
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