Getting Technical
PRESSROOM ANCILLARIES: WHAT CAN THEY DO FOR YOU?
Peter Benton, managing director of technotrans, highlights the trends
and gives you tips on getting more from your kit.
| The term ancillaries or peripherals implies
that you are buying something which isn’t strictly
necessary, an extra. But the reality is that this is not
the world of gizmos and gadgets but a very practical matter;
it’s about empowering your pressroom to achieve more.
The benefits can be many and varied, relating to quality,
environmental or productivity issues and often the three
combined.
Inking and varnishing, dampening and chemistry
filtration, temperature control, reverse osmosis and press
cleaning devices – it is this type of product that
is encapsulated in the term pressroom peripherals.
At Drupa in May, visitors will see how presses
have advanced and it would be wise to review there how the
various manufacturers are using peripheral equipment. Even
if you are not in a position to buy a new press currently
this analysis will at least give you an indication of what
you may have to compete against to secure orders. Many of
the latest peripherals inventions are retrofittable and,
at technotrans we are seeing demand growing from UK printers
of all sizes and specialities.
Printing has become a very process-driven business,
a manufacturing operation serving customers who have an expectation
of quality, response and good value (for which read low prices!).
To compete in this environment printers handling all formats
have to box clever, which can mean being inventive in the ways
and means of marketing and selling print but, equally, having
an eye for detail in the printing processes to ensure the high
cost capital equipment is used to its maximum potential. |
Inkline Direct: an easy and time-efficient
inking
solution. |
Take inking. In the B1 markets there is a frenzy of enthusiasm
for using bulk inking systems to feed presses. Here the increased
size, complexity and number of presses per plant has increased
and barrel ink pumping gives clear advantages in terms of ease
of operation, handling and cost of inks. But for the B2 and B3
markets only the very exceptional printer would cost justify the
investment in barrel-based systems. However, automatic 2kg cartridge
inking with ink.line can also give a very good cost return on investment
by reducing makeready and cleaning times and freeing the operator
for other tasks. It is a user friendly system with cartridges very
easily and speedily switched over. The resealed cartridges are
easily and safely stored. Cartridges can be used across most press
makes.
Lower cost cartridge dispensing alternatives include handy.fill,
a semi-automatic on-press system, and handy.fill, a manual filling
device. The 2kg cartridge is a standard today. It reduces the waste
and risk of skinning associated with tins.
Any assistance leaving the operator more time to handle the finer
adjustments required to produce optimum print at speed has to be
efficiency-enhancing. Standard process colours, specials and seals
are all available in cartridges from the main ink suppliers.
The ink-water balance is fundamental to the litho process as we
all know and peripherals enable you to turn the science of printing
to best advantage. In addition to inking, the balance can be influenced
by temperature control, reverse osmosis and filtration. Of course
temperature control keeps ink at the right viscosity and is critical
for running with low or no alcohol and it contributes to a better
pressroom environment - although water-cooled peripherals is another
subject. Suffice to say it is a much more energy efficient means
of temporising the pressroom than air cooled systems and it enhances
print quality and health and safety.
Water supplied through the taps is normally in the range of pH
5.5 - 9 with a conductivity of up to 1500 micro siemens. The problem
is that utility companies can and do supply water from different
sources dependent upon reserves and demand. A fluctuation of pH
1.0 will create a variable dampening solution to the plate and
hamper quality control. The ideal water hardness is below 220mg/litre
and where it is higher it is best to use water softeners. The maximum
level of contaminants in water should be less than 500ppm.
Reverse osmosis is a means of stabilising the water for the dampening
and is a low cost investment which shows customers you are serious
about colour quality. It is also a help in reducing waste, speeding
up makeready, enhancing quality and cutting down on maintenance
With more and more corporates and print management companies demanding
standards and accreditations and provable colour control reverse
osmosis really should be considered. It is a prerequisite when
running with reduced or no alcohol and a necessity for many commercial
printers, irrespective of size and in soft as well as hard water
regions.
It is not difficult to achieve five percent alcohol levels but
below that requires commitment and the application of stringent
procedures. The quest to cut alcohol has gathered momentum because
of its increased cost and a more determined view on matters environmental.
With alcohol emitting Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which are
harmful to the ozone layer, eliminating it would certainly have
other benefits - exposure to high levels of alcohol can cause dizziness,
headaches, nausea and liver disorders. Today all press manufacturers
supply presses that are compatible with reducing or eliminating
alcohol which makes it a safe route to take without restricting
your long-term choices.
The final peripheral to consider for optimum dampening is filtration.
Having clean chemistry and being able to re-use it without compromising
printed results saves on consumables and waste costs. Its commercial
as well as environmental credentials are proven and demand has
been such that technotrans has continued to extend its filtration
family. The latest addition is the entry level basic.f starter
kit. Easily retrofittable on existing presses, this dampening solution
fine filtration system is an easy and economic system for sheetfed
printers. In addition to standard litho applications it can also
be used for IPA-reduced printing and with UV or special inks.
Filtration minimises the amount of cleaning
on press, helping to maximise uptime and other products in technotrans’ filtration
family include the alpha.f, beta.f and softflow products.
Cleaning peripherals might not be the sexiest
subject on the pressroom list but as every printer knows slow
wash-ups can hamper production,
taking its toll on the earning potential of a press. Given today’s
press prices it is also sound housekeeping to clean and maintain
your press to ensure optimum retained value and a good resale price.
Peripherals are a relatively low cost investment compared to buying
a new press but that should not deter you from being thorough in
your investigations before selecting a product. Ask the supplier
for testimonials and check out the health and safety credentials
and level of support and back up. Unreliable peripherals and tardy
support could leave your press down and be entirely counterproductive
to the clear benefits to be secured in this sector.
Peripherals can extend the life of a press by providing productivity
enhancing tools which allow you to compete against continually
advancing technology. Is litho a mature market? Judging by the
level of innovation and inventiveness I think it has a long way
to run yet.
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