Flexo Technology
How advances in cleaning technology are supporting sustainability strategies
Roy van der Pijl, Sr. Commercial Director, Flint Group Offset Packaging Solutions Q
uality, efficiency, and sustainability – three pillars that help converters stand out in today’s crowded flexo printing market. While ink, coating, and substrate choices can significantly impact all three of these, advances in cleaning technology could be the missing piece in creating exceptional performance. It’s often said that cleanliness is next to godliness. Whether or not that’s true, it certainly is essential for good printing. Rollers and plates that have become clogged with ink residue cannot work at peak performance, leading to inconsistencies, costly downtime, and reduced machinery lifespans. Pressrooms need regular cleaning and maintenance to perform as reliably as possible. For example, consider anilox rollers. A roller that worked well on one job could suddenly start producing weak colours or inconsistent print on the next if not properly cleaned. With millions of tiny cells engraved on the surface, any leftover ink residue can quickly cause blockages that affect ink transfer, leading to inconsistent, low-quality print.
A robust cleaning regime prevents contamination and keeps presses running efficiently. Applying cleaning solutions or pastes alongside an anilox brush is a tried-and-tested, cost-effective approach to keeping rollers in good working order and lines running optimally.
As cleaning technology has advanced, new tools have removed the need for manual scrubbing, such as
ultrasonic cleaning or cleaning equipment via blasting with sound waves while immersed in a specially developed solution. Some converters are even using laser technology to deep clean without chemicals. Maintaining high press performance is one of many benefits of keeping a clean pressroom. Robust cleaning procedures, used alongside the right technology, can support converters’ sustainability strategies while fitting into their existing operations. Failures or inconsistencies in print lead to unnecessary waste. Whether it’s having to stop and restart a press due to clogged anilox rollers or completely redoing a job that the customer rejected due to low print quality, every mistake leads to excess ink, energy and substrate consumption. In environmental terms, inefficiency like this is a significant problem. Creating inks, coatings, and substrates requires raw materials to be extracted and processed before the finished products are transported to the press room. Every stage of this process consumes resources, requires energy, and produces greenhouse gas emissions. If flexo products are wasted due to poor cleaning, more need to be manufactured, and the environmental impact grows. Technology like Flint Group’s Enviroflex is designed to help converters solve this problem by offering a high-performance cleaning solution for every flexo application. The range features options designed for all needs, including aqueous inks, solvent inks, UV inks, adhesives and more. It is suitable for use on plates,
rollers, ink metering systems, ancillary equipment, and most pressroom surfaces.
Clean equipment runs reliably, offers better performance, and reduces waste, creating cascading environmental benefits. With these elements increasingly crucial in today’s flexo sector, there has never been a better time to discover how cleaning technology can support an effective sustainability plan.
36
February 2024
www.convertermag.com
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