Machine Vision & Web Inspection
Cleaning as a strategy: Automation improves uptime, quality and ROI
I
n many printing and converting operations, cleaning is undervalued, poorly prioritised and rarely recognised as a performance-critical discipline. Press speed, substrates, inks and
workfl ows typically receive the most attention when companies look to improve performance. As production environments become more demanding - with pressure on margins, shorter runs, more frequent changeovers and tighter delivery expectations - cleaning becomes a key operational variable. It has a direct and signifi cant impact on process stability and output, yet it is still rarely managed as such.
THE UNDERESTIMATED IMPACT OF CLEANING
Cleaning often sits between production and maintenance, which makes its impact easy to overlook. It happens between jobs, after shifts, or only when problems become visible. Because it is rarely measured in isolation, its contribution to ineffi ciency is hidden.
In practice, inconsistent or ineffi cient cleaning has a cumulative eff ect across the operation. It contributes to longer changeovers, additional operator intervention, extended make-ready times and, ultimately, higher waste levels. Over time, it can also accelerate wear on critical components such as anilox rolls and cylinders, increasing long- term maintenance costs. In fl exographic printing, the cleanliness of print- critical components - including the anilox roller as an example - directly aff ects ink laydown, colour
stability and drying and curing performance. When cleaning is inconsistent, downstream processes in most cases compensate without clearly identifying the root cause.
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF MANUAL PROCESSES Manual cleaning methods typically depend heavily on available time, or lack thereof, as well as individual “routines”. This inevitably introduces variation. A process that depends on individual operators rather than defi ned standards cannot deliver the consistency required for a stable cleaning process.
The consequences are rarely dramatic in isolation, but they become signifi cant when viewed over time. Press uptime becomes less predictable, quality consistency becomes harder to maintain, troubleshooting increases and the hidden reason behind is not acted upon. Skilled operators spend valuable time on manual tasks instead of focusing on process optimisation. These are all real operational costs, even if they are not always clearly refl ected in fi nancial reporting.
STANDARDISATION THROUGH AUTOMATION
Automation changes the role of cleaning in production. Instead of being an individual operator-dependent activity, cleaning becomes a controlled and repeatable process. Components return to the press in a known condition, cleaning cycles become predictable, and planning becomes easier.
Just as importantly, automation supports better use of human resources. Experienced operators are involved in manual online and offl ine cleaning but can focus on higher-value activities such as press optimisation, colour consistency and process stability. For many operations, this shift alone represents a meaningful improvement in productivity and process control.
RETHINKING ROI: BEYOND THE MACHINE PRICE
A more realistic view of return on investment considers broader operational eff ects: higher uptime, reduced waste and reprints, more effi cient use of labour and longer service life of key components. Taken together, these benefi ts shift cleaning from a perceived cost centre to a contributor to overall equipment eff ectiveness and long-term competitiveness.
Procurement of cleaning solutions is often carried out with limited experience in specifying and sourcing equipment that supports the requirements of the end-to-end production process. Choices are typically based on informal recommendations, price and supplier availability rather than on performance, process impact, or long-term operational value.
When companies assess investments in cleaning technology, attention commonly remains on purchase price. Although understandable, this focus rarely refl ects the true economic impact.
FROM MAINTENANCE TASK TO PERFORMANCE INDICATOR
As converters continue to invest in technologies such as machine vision, web inspection and process automation, the stability of fundamental processes like cleaning become increasingly critical.
High-performing production environments recognise that stable results are built on consistent fundamentals. Cleaning is one of those fundamentals. When it is treated as part of the production strategy rather than as an afterthought, companies gain greater control over quality, capacity and margins.
In an industry facing ongoing pressure on margins and rising customer expectations, the greatest opportunities for improvement are often found not in headline technologies, but in the processes that quietly underpin daily performance.
22
February 2026
www.convertermag.com
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