It certainly seems like improving your Flexographic printing capabilities is an obvious and easy goal. However, there are crucial steps you need to follow to improve the overall performance of your Flexo printing process effectively and efficiently. You might be missing out on some simple ways to help you save both time and money. You likely already know that operating at maximum efficiency is a vital component in fulfilling orders on time (or even before your deadline). It is also important to remember that faster speeds do not mean you should sacrifice the quality your customers have come to expect from you.
Let’s look at some simple ways your business can improve your Flexo department’s operational efficiency.
Doctor Blades
The sole purpose of a doctor blade is to remove excess ink from the anilox roll surface, to leave behind the perfect amount of ink to be transferred to the plate. Efficiency can be achieved and maintained through, first and foremost, selecting the proper blade. Once the right doctor blade is selected, install it into its holding assembly, ensuring the doctor blade is seated correctly and locked into place. Next, inspect the anilox roll. Damaged anilox rolls play a significant role in the success of the doctor blade. Finally, inspect blades after every use. Any noticeable wear is an indication that you need to replace.
Roll Splicing
Whether done by hand or automatic butt-splicers, splicing rolls of material together aids the printing process. A good splice will ensure zero downtime or loss of product. However, a lousy splice can result in web breakage and damage to press components—a potentially costly mistake. While splicing materials together is a relatively straightforward task, it is vital to make sure all team members understand the process. It is equally important to use the correct splicing tape for the material running. Contact your tape or paper vendor for more information regarding the best splicing tape to use in your operations.
Anilox Rollers
Anilox rolls are the heart of the press. As such, anilox roll selection plays a significant role in the quality and speed you can achieve while printing. As a rule, low-line Anilox rolls perform best when laying down ink to solid areas of print or flood-coating material. Use high-line anilox rolls when printing line work or working with dots to achieve high-quality or photographic results. Be mindful of any damage to anilox rolls caused during press installation, use, and removal. Because even minimal imperfections can show on printed product, ensure rolls are properly cleaned and free of any chips, debris, or score lines. Always review upcoming print jobs before they go on the press schedule. By doing so, you allow yourself time to check your anilox roll inventory to determine if anilox rolls need cleaning before use or if new anilox need ordering.”
Inks
Another key to flexo printing efficiencies lies in how you use your inks. While ink types vary depending on press equipment and print specialty, one thing is constant: always pay attention to your ink! It is not a pour-and-forget step in the print process. Press operators should train in all aspects of ink management and troubleshooting. Training should include knowing viscosity & pH levels (and how to maintain them) and how to spot and correct ink-related issues which commonly arise during typical press runs. A great source of information is through your ink vendor (ask for a troubleshooting guide).
Drip Trays & Liners
Finally, utilizing ink pan liners is a largely overlooked aspect of increasing print efficiencies that occurs during and after a job is complete., Ink pan liners play a crucial role in printing by delivering ink to the rollers. On the back end, ink pan liners continue their effectiveness during the teardown process by eliminating the act of washing pans. By removing the task of cleaning ink pans altogether, companies save an average of 3 gallons of water per station, lessen the strain on press operators and press help teams, and improve overall ink station downtime by over 50%. To learn more about the benefits of using ink pan liners to improve efficiencies in your flexo operations, contact your regional DIPCO sales manager.
Begin your journey today to enjoying improved flexo press efficiency.
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